Ask Silver is a new tool thatis made to help people recognise scams before they fall for them. It’s easy to use, working through WhatsApp, so users don’t need any special apps or tech skills. Once signed up, users get a QR code through email, which opens a chat in WhatsApp. From there, they can send screenshots of emails, websites, or texts they find suspicious. Ask Silver’s AI checks these for any danger signs.
If the tool finds something suspicious, it gives users tips on what to do next. One option is to report the scam automatically to the authorities. The goal is to make staying safe online simple for everyone, whether they’re tech-savvy or not. Ask Silver was created by Alex Somervell and Jonny Pryn after Alex’s relative lost £150,000 to several scams. This personal experience drove them to create a solution to protect others.
How Does Ask Silver Protect Users?
Ask Silver helps users stay alert to new scams by sending out regular scam warnings. These updates help people recognise the newest tricks scammers are using. If someone receives a suspicious email or text, they can simply snap a photo or take a screenshot and send it to Ask Silver. Within moments, the AI will check for any red flags.
Reporting scams is also easy through the tool. Users can report any scam with a quick reply, and Ask Silver handles the process of notifying the proper authorities. This makes it less stressful for people to act on scams and help stop them from spreading. Graham Knight, who works with Neighbourhood Watch, mentioned that Ask Silver has made a real difference in his community. He pointed out that before, people often lost money because they couldn’t tell a real email from a fake one. Now, they have a tool to help them avoid falling into traps.
What Are The Latest Figures On Online Scams?
The numbers around online scams found that scams and fraud now make up for 40% of all crime in the UK. Over the last 5 years, 41% of people in the UK have been scammed, while globally, scammers cause more than $1 trillion in losses every year.
Just in the UK, retail fraud was at around £11.3 billion last year, with online fraud making up a big part of that. Scammers always are on a mission to find new ways to scam and trick people, in fact, types of scamming like romance scams and investment fraud went up by 12% last year.
Why Is It Different From Other Tools?
One thing that makes Ask Silver stand out is how simple it is to use. Many people are already comfortable using WhatsApp, and Ask Silver works like any other contact in the app. There’s no need to download or install anything extra. Once the chat is set up, users can easily send any suspicious content for a quick check.
The AI-powered tool offers real-time scam detection. There’s no long wait or complex process involved, making it accessible to everyone. Ask Silver also keeps users updated on the latest scams, helping them stay informed and ready to deal with new threats. This makes it a practical tool for anyone who wants to protect themselves from online fraud.
Alex and Jonny, who founded Ask Silver, have been friends for 15 years and business partners for almost a decade. Their personal connection to the problem of online scams inspired them to come up with a solution that could help others. The two even appeared on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den with their first business idea.
