National Museum of China Warns Public of QR-Code Scams

The National Museum of China has issued an unusually firm statement warning the public against scams conducted in its name, saying it has never authorized QR-code group sign-ups or personal-information collection outside its premises. The warning follows reports that individuals posing as “National Museum staff” were guiding people to scan QR codes and collecting mobile phone numbers and ID card numbers, according to CCTV News.

The statement, dated July 30 and posted on the museum’s official website a day later, declares that any such activity conducted in the museum’s name “has no connection whatsoever with our museum.” The museum said it “has never authorized any institution or individual to conduct QR-code group sign-ups, information collection and other activities in public places outside the museum.”

Why It Matters

As China’s national museum — formed in 2003 through the merger of the Chinese History Museum and the Chinese Revolution Museum, with institutional roots dating to 1912 — the institution carries significant public trust. The warning signals that fraudsters are exploiting the museum’s reputation to harvest sensitive personal data from visitors and passersby.

The museum described the behavior as “seriously infringing upon the museum’s lawful rights and interests” and said it would reserve the right to pursue legal liability against the organizations and individuals responsible, as Guancha reported.

What the Museum Urged

In its statement, the museum urged the public to heighten security awareness, properly protect personal information, and avoid scanning QR codes of unknown origin. It called on anyone who discovers organizations or individuals conducting illegal activities in the museum’s name to report them to law-enforcement departments in a timely manner.

The announcement was widely picked up by Chinese state and commercial media within hours, including CCTV, the People’s Daily app, Phoenix News, Science and Technology Daily, and other outlets.

A Recurring Problem

This is not the first time Chinese museums have had to confront scams tied to their names. In February 2026, during the Spring Festival holiday, three museums — Kaifeng Museum, Luoyang Museum, and Xuzhou Museum — each issued statements about third-party platforms selling “buy a guided tour, guaranteed entry” packages that left visitors unable to enter or out of pocket, as Tencent News reported. Multiple museums issued similar warnings during the May Day holiday in 2025.

QR-code group sign-ups — the “scan to join” tactic cited by the museum — are a well-documented fraud method in China. Scammers pose as officials or staff to induce victims to scan codes, then harvest phone numbers and ID numbers that can be used for telecom fraud, account theft, or targeted scams. The museum’s warning sits within China’s broader nationwide anti-telecom and online fraud campaigns.

Public Calls for Enforcement

Public reaction online included frustration that the museum had not gone further. Commenters on Chinese media asked why the museum had not reported the matter to police, with some demanding that those responsible be caught. The National Museum of China has also moved in recent years to curb abuses around its services, issuing a notice in August 2025 regulating in-museum guided tours and study-tour order, and introducing a real-name authentication system for reservation accounts in July 2025.

What to Watch

For now, the museum is asking visitors to use only official channels and to remain wary of unsolicited QR codes. Whether law enforcement acts on the reported impersonation will determine how quickly such schemes are shut down — and whether other cultural institutions must issue similar warnings of their own.