McAfee Launches AI-Powered Scam Detector to Stop Scams Before They Strike

McAfee announced the launch of AI-powered McAfee Scam Detector — the most comprehensive protection against text, email, and video scams. Today’s scams are smarter, sneakier, and more convincing than ever — and they’re everywhere. 59% of Americans say they or someone they know has fallen for an online scam in the last 12 months, with scam victims losing an average of $1,471.

The rise of deepfakes and ease of access to the AI tools to create them further complicates things. A McAfee Labs study of 17 different deepfake creation tools shows that for just $5 and in 10 minutes — the price of a latte and in less time than it takes to drink it — a scammer can create realistic-looking deepfake video or AI voice scams.

That's where McAfee Scam Detector comes in, giving control back to consumers and stopping scammers in their tracks with proactive, real-time protection against suspicious texts, fake emails, and deepfake videos that look incredibly real — all cleverly designed by scammers to steal people’s money and personal information.

Beginning this Spring, McAfee’s Scam Detector will be included at no extra cost for McAfee customers. This must-have product uses the latest in advanced AI technology to proactively analyze and flag risky messages in real time. That ‘Hi, how are you?’ text from a stranger? It’s one of the top text scams of 2024. An urgent email about a failed delivery? Probably fake. And no, Elon Musk doesn’t have a unique investment opportunity for you. McAfee makes it easy to tell real from fake in seconds and gives you the winning combination of tips and technology to keep scams out of your life for good.

Every day, scammers trick people with fake texts, emails, and videos, and the results can be devastating. Americans report receiving 14 scam messages daily, with 1 in 5 (19%) losing over $1,000 and 4% losing over $10,000 when they fall for one — and they spend 94 hours a year simply trying to figure out if the onslaught of messages they receive are real or fake.1 Deepfake scams, which use AI to create fake videos, can be even worse – some people have lost over half a million dollars.2 It’s clear that scams have become a drain on people’s time, energy, and finances:

“Scammers are getting smarter every day, using technology like artificial intelligence to make their tricks more convincing and harder to spot,” said Steve Grobman, Chief Technology Officer, McAfee. “They play on people’s emotions – like fear, urgency, or trust – to get what they want. That’s why we created McAfee Scam Detector, powered by AI. It warns you about scams before they can cause harm, helps you stay in control of your personal information, and helps you build the skills needed to outsmart scammers for good.”

McAfee’s Scam Detector is powered by McAfee Smart AITM, the same technology that makes McAfee’s online protection award-winning and so reliable. Here’s what this all-in-one protection does to keep people safe from email, text message, and video scams:

Source: McAfee media announcement