Should I still download the ScamShield app?
We highly recommend you download the ScamShield app so that you can protect yourself from scam calls and scam SMSes coming from confirmed blacklisted scammers.
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We highly recommend you download the ScamShield app so that you can protect yourself from scam calls and scam SMSes coming from confirmed blacklisted scammers.
No, the Bot will not be able to read your other WhatsApp messages.
We started the Bot with WhatsApp as it is the most popular messaging platform in Singapore. We may consider other messaging platforms like Telegram, but are currently focusing our efforts on the WhatsApp Bot to ensure it is successful.
You can use either! We wanted to ease reporting of scams for everyone, hence we created more reporting channels to do so. Reporting on either the ScamShield Bot or App, depending on which is easier for you, will go through the same channels to inform the authorities for action.
We also encourage users to add the Bot on WhatsApp and download the App, so that you easily check and reports scams on the Bot while receiving protection from scam SMS and calls via the App.
The ScamShield Bot identifies messages based on whether similar messages, numbers, and URLs have been previously reviewed and blacklisted by SPF. We also gather information from the public and check how many reports there are for similar messages. Lastly, the Bot uses a machine learning classifier to identify if a message is a scam or contains suspicious URLs.
When you report a scam, your reports are sent to the Singapore Police Force for review. Your report will also help others spot scams whenever they check for a scam.
When SPF blocks suspicious numbers from your report, the ScamShield App will then detect scam SMSes from these numbers, and block their calls.
We encourage you to report scams as you keep the authorities informed, and other users safe from scams.
When you submit a report to the ScamShield Bot, the SPF will be able to see only the information you have submitted through the ScamShield Bot and the time stamp at which the report was submitted. For example, here is what the SPF can see:
For Message Reports: A copy of the submitted message, the reported sender information, and the channel submitted for the report.
For Call Reports: The caller’s number or ID, info submitted about the call, where the call was received.
At the moment, the ScamShield Bot can only reply to users in English. You can report scam messages in non-English languages, but non-English scam reports will not be as easily understandable by the reviewing team, and therefore may not provide sufficient information for determining whether scam or not. Expanding the app and Bot to other languages will depend on user feedback and demand.