McAfee rolls out AI scam detector for Australians amid surge

McAfee has released its Scam Detector feature in all core plans, aiming to help Australians identify and prevent online scams across text, email, and video platforms.

The Scam Detector is designed to counter a surge in online threats. Recent research by McAfee indicates that nearly one in three Australians has experienced an online scam in the past year. The new tool uses artificial intelligence to analyse messages, links, and videos, offering real-time protection and customisable settings that adapt to individual user needs.

The platform supports on-demand scam checks, allowing users to upload messages, screenshots, or links for immediate analysis and context, even when no URL is present. According to McAfee, only around 10% of detected scams involve URLs, highlighting the importance of more holistic content assessment. Users can access protection across a wide array of apps and browsers, including iMessage, WhatsApp, Gmail, and Messenger, on both desktop and mobile devices.

"At McAfee, we believe everyone should be able to live their lives online with confidence," said Tyler McGee, Head of APAC at McAfee. "The reality is that the volume, speed, and sophistication of today's AI-driven scams have become a drain on people's time, energy, and finances. By including text, email, and video scam detection within all core McAfee plans, we're helping to democratise scam protection and empowering people to take control over their digital lives."

McAfee's research estimates Australians receive an average of 10 scams daily. The cost of falling victim to just one scam can average AUD $1,851. Between February and March 2025, McAfee Labs saw a near quadrupling of scam texts, with nearly half of scam messages containing URLs that were hidden to disguise malicious activity. The Scam Detector's AI-driven approach moves beyond simply scanning for suspicious links by interpreting the broader context around a message. The company claims a text scam detection accuracy rate exceeding 99% and AI-generated deepfake video detection at 96% accuracy.

The Scam Detector can be tailored through High, Balanced, and Low protection levels, allowing users flexibility in adjusting their security settings. Deepfake detection is supported for videos originating from platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, and all analysis is performed on-device to protect user privacy. Data gathered by McAfee in February and March 2025 showed that most deepfake scams, 59%, were found on YouTube.

For mobile users, McAfee designed the Scam Detector with a mobile-first approach, recognising that text messages are often read more quickly than emails. On Android devices, SMS messages are automatically scanned, with alerts triggered before content is opened. On iPhone, users can manually scan messages or have suspicious texts filtered. In addition to mobile and instant messaging, email scam detection works across Gmail, Microsoft, and Yahoo accounts, and users receive explanations when a message is flagged to encourage scam-spotting skills development.

The Scam Detector launch aligns with McAfee's 'Keep it Real' campaign, aimed at raising awareness and reducing the stigma associated with falling for scams. The initiative encourages survivors to share their experiences in a bid to educate the public and help others recognise potential threats. The campaign is supported by actor Chris Carmack and performer Erin Slaver, who have publicly recounted their own encounters with scams, including mistaken identity of a real bill and a fake shopping scam.

"Shame keeps victims silent, and that silence is exactly what scammers count on," said Ally Armeson, Executive Director of FightCybercrime.org. "Scam Stories is about making space for honesty, healing, hope, and help. We're proud to partner with McAfee to help survivors speak out and share stories that will help others stay safe, and we look forward to working with them as we continue to help people recognise, report, and recover from cybercrime."

Chris Carmack added, "Scams aren't just stories, they're happening to people we love. It's getting harder to tell what's real, and that's especially scary when we think about our parents and kids. That's why we're proud to share our scam stories – because every story shared helps break the stigma, raise awareness, and protect more people from falling into the same traps."

As part of the campaign, McAfee is working with organisations such as Vivid Seats to support scam survivors and highlight cases where the Scam Detector could have prevented losses. McGee said, "Scams steal more than money - they shake your confidence. That's why we're pairing powerful AI scam detection with real-world education through our Keep it Real campaign. This call to action empowers people to spot scams, share their stories, and stay safer – and end the silence scammers count on."