New easy-to-use tool lets you check for scam messages instantly
A new easy-to-use scam detection tool has launched in WhatsApp, enabling users to send screenshots of texts, emails and websites to check if they are scams.
A new easy-to-use scam detection tool has launched in WhatsApp, enabling users to send screenshots of texts, emails and websites to check if they are scams.
Ask Silver works like chatting to any other contact within WhatsApp, and analyses screenshots in seconds, offering tips on why a message might be a scam in plain English. It could, for example, highlight messages offering jobs from unknown senders often tend to be scams.
The tool’s launch comes as online fraud booms in the UK: 40% of all crime in Britain is now scams and frauds, and 41% of people in the UK have been scammed within the last five years.
Not-for-profit anti-scam group Get Safe Online partnered with the creators of Ask Silver to launch the tool to the public and help raise awareness about staying safe from online scams.
The chatbot’s launch comes as rules come into force which make it mandatory for paying and receiving banks and payment providers to jointly refund consumers who lose money to scams, up to the value of £85,000.
How do you use Ask Silver?
To use it, simply go to the Ask Silver website and enter your details: you then get an email with a link to sign up via WhatsApp.
Within WhatsApp, Ask Silver works like messaging any normal contact - you can send a screenshot of any suspicious email, text, WhatsApp message or site, and Ask Silver will analyse it.
It then offers tips on warning signs that a message might be a scam, for example: "The message is unsolicited and comes from an unknown number, which is suspicious".
Yahoo News tested the app with two highly suspicious unsolicited WhatsApps, and the software effectively pointed out the problems with the messages.
After Ask Silver assesses the message or site, it offers the opportunity to report it to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) - at present, just 13% of scams are reported, so this will give police a clearer idea about the extent to which online scams are being used.
Ask Silver remains in your WhatsApp contacts, and you can message Ask Silver with any text, email or site you think might be suspicious.
You can also sign up to Ask Silver alerts to be alerted on new scammer tactics.
How does Ask Silver work?
The chatbot uses AI to instantly analyse whether the communication in question is a scam or not, based on information about known scams. It then delivers its answers in plain language, written by generative AI.
The service was launched by Alex Somervell and Jonny Pryn afetr a close family member of Somervell was scammed out of £150,000.
Somervell said: “In this digital age where scams are increasingly sophisticated and scammers are highly experienced, we must empower individuals with tools that enhance their vigilance and allow them to live, shop and buy without fear.
“Ask Silver provides that very support and now, by partnering with Get Safe Online, we are further strengthening our commitment to online safety and look forward to collaborating with the team a lot more in the future.”