With cases of QR code fraud starting to pop up and some officials warning consumers to take pause, you may be wondering if it ...

QR codes -- the abbreviation stands for "quick response" -- were invented in Japan in the 1990s. They were first used by the automotive industry to manage production but have spread everywhere.

The trouble is, with QR codes, you may not be able to tell the difference between a malicious code and a legitimate one until you've scanned it. But there are a few ways you can avoid fakes.

FTC warns scammers are using QR codes to steal personal data 05:04. Scanning a QR code can expose you to identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Skycore LLC, developers of codeREADr, the commercial barcode scanning app, has today announced the capability to scan, track and validate all three barcode types supported by Apple's Passbook app.