Meet SAM: ScamAvert’s new Scam Analysis Model
SAM looks at the wider situation, recognises the techniques scammers use and gives you a clearer warning when something may be wrong.
Already using ScamAvert? SAM has been released automatically, so there is nothing extra to install.
How SAM sees the situation
- What it says
- “Your device is infected”
- Where it appears
- A pop-up on an unfamiliar website
- What it asks you to do
- Call a support number immediately
SAM warning
Possible technical support scam
Genuine security warnings do not normally ask you to call an unknown support number.
What SAM is
A detection engine that reads the situation, not just the words
SAM stands for Scam Analysis Model. It is ScamAvert’s new AI scam detection engine, working alongside our other protection layers to understand suspicious activity in context and recognise the techniques scammers use.
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Signals
What is on screen
The text you can see, the request being made and any warning signs the app has already noticed.
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Context
Where it is happening
Which app or site the content appears in, and whether that request makes sense there.
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Scam technique
What it resembles
Whether the pattern matches a known technique: impersonation, pressure, a push to another channel.
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Clear warning
What you should know
A short, plain-language explanation of what looked wrong. Or no interruption at all when it does not add up to a scam.
Why we rebuilt it
Scams got more personal. Detection had to get smarter.
Today’s scams are patient, personal and good at looking legitimate: a refund notice that mentions a real retailer, a “security alert” in your bank’s colours, a delivery message on the day you are expecting a parcel.
Catching those means understanding what is happening, not only recognising familiar phrases. So instead of extending the previous engine, we built a new one around contextual scam detection.
Scam techniques SAM is designed to recognise
Examples of common techniques, not a complete list.
Refunds you never requested
“We have issued a refund for your order.” You did not place one, and the link wants your card details.
Fake device warnings
Pop-ups and ads claiming your computer is infected, “at risk” or needs urgent repair.
Impersonated support
Phone numbers, chats and “agents” pretending to be companies you already trust.
The push to another channel
“Let’s continue on WhatsApp.” Moving the conversation somewhere with fewer protections.
How SAM works
How SAM improves scam detection
Four differences you will notice in everyday use, without needing to know anything about what happens underneath.
Understands context, not isolated words
SAM considers which app or site the content appears in and whether the request makes sense there. Urgent wording on your bank’s own site reads differently from the same words in an unexpected email.
Checks suspicious situations more carefully
Content that raises concern goes through further verification before a warning is shown, which is designed to reduce false alerts on ordinary pages.
Distinguishes scams from discussions about scams
A news article about fraud, a forum post quoting a scam text or a block page from your own security software is not treated as an attack.
Explains warnings in plain language
Each warning includes a short reason: what looked wrong and what to be careful of. No threat scores and no jargon.
Built with users
Built using real customer feedback
SAM was shaped by what ScamAvert users told us: the scams that were missed, the warnings that were wrong and the messages they forwarded to us. Before switching it on for everyone, we tested and refined it with a group of those users first.
Alongside user testing, we compared SAM and the previous engine using the same curated internal benchmark of labelled safe and scam captures. SAM produced substantially fewer unnecessary warnings while continuing to identify the great majority of the defined scam cases.
This was an internal development benchmark rather than independent real-world certification. Results will vary depending on the content and situation being analysed.
How we tested SAM
Before release, we ran SAM and the previous engine against the same 1,374 labelled screen captures from our curated internal test corpus: 1,194 expected-safe captures and 180 expected-scam captures.
SAM reduced unnecessary warnings on the safe captures from 278 to 49. It identified 170 of the 180 defined scam captures, compared with 175 for the previous engine.
This is an internal development benchmark rather than independent real-world certification. Individual results will vary, and improving the remaining missed cases remains a priority.
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Reported
Users sent us real scams, missed detections and warnings that should not have appeared.
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Tested and refined
A group of ScamAvert users ran the new engine first, and their feedback shaped the final version.
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Released
SAM is now active for everyone, with nothing extra to install.
Thank you to everyone who reported an issue or helped us test. You played a real part in making ScamAvert smarter.
Privacy
Smarter detection, the same privacy commitments
A better engine does not mean collecting more about you. Here is how ScamAvert handles what it analyses.
The full detail is in the ScamAvert privacy policy.
- Checks start on your device. The ScamAvert apps run local checks first, and SAM is one layer of protection alongside them.
- Text, not images. SAM analyses the text of what is on screen, cleansed of personal details before it is sent. The apps do not upload pictures of your screen.
- Encrypted and processed securely. Text sent for analysis is encrypted in transit and processed on ScamAvert’s secure servers. Content from trusted sites and apps is cleared without AI analysis.
- Used only to protect you. Analysis is used for protection and alerts. We never sell your data.
- Your reports improve future updates. Reports from ScamAvert users help our team identify new scam techniques and improve future detection updates.
Availability
Where SAM is active today
SAM runs on ScamAvert’s servers, so the current versions of these products already use it.
ScamAvert for Windows
Emails, chats, pop-ups and web pages on your desktop.
ScamAvert for Android
Messages, links and screens on your phone. About the Android app.
Live Call Protection
Spots pressure and impersonation while a suspicious call is still happening. How Live Call Protection works.
SAM is live. Put it to work.
Get ScamAvert’s protection for free, or choose Beta Plus to protect yourself while helping us keep ScamAvert available to others.
Found something we should investigate?
Report it to us. Your feedback helps our team improve ScamAvert’s future detection updates.
Report a scam or mistakeFrequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about SAM and what it means for you.