Scam protection:
multi-layer defense

Scam protection is a combined system of software tools, threat-detection filters, and security practices designed to identify, block, and prevent fraudulent attempts to steal money or sensitive information, enhancing your overall online safety.

Scam detection identifies suspicious activity as it occurs, such as an AI tool flagging a fake email or an app sending you scam alerts, notifying you of an unverified link in a text message. 

Scam prevention uses broader strategies to stop threats before they occur, like blocking dangerous domain categories, masking your email address with Alternative ID, or removing your personal details from data broker databases.

Surfshark uses a multi-layered defense strategy. It scans incoming email content and sender information in Gmail using specialized AI tools to spot scam signals before messages reach your primary inbox or spam folder, blocks unwanted web content categories, and checks text messages for known scam indications. Additionally, tools like Alternative ID prevent your primary email address from getting into scam mailing lists in the first place.

Yes. Surfshark’s web defense tools check URLs against threat databases to identify fake websites, scam websites, and suspicious websites, and automatically block connection attempts to known phishing sites, dangerous scripts, and fraudulent web pages.

Yes. Surfshark provides a text message protection tool designed to analyze incoming SMS messages. It identifies suspicious URLs and flags SMS phishing messages, helping you avoid interacting with malicious texts and phishing links.

For now, Surfshark focuses on safer SMS, emails, and web browsing. However, reducing your digital footprint with tools like Incogni and alternative number (paid add-on) helps keep your phone number off data broker lists, indirectly reducing spam and scam phone calls you receive.

Yes. Surfshark operates under a strict privacy-first policy. Scam protection solutions operate locally or via zero-knowledge processes so that your browsing content, messages you send, and private data are never logged, stored, or shared. You can read more in our Privacy Policy.

Yes. Surfshark offers multi-platform security apps across Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and popular web browsers. Certain feature sets adapt to the capabilities of each operating system to deliver optimal security.

Yes. Scam protection features like AI email scam checker, scam text protection, web content blocker, Antivirus, and data leak alerts are included in the Surfshark One and Surfshark One+ plans.

You can also run a quick check with our free tool, Data Leak Checker, to see if your personal information has been exposed online.

No software tool can guarantee to block 100% of all evolving threats. Cybercriminals continuously create new tactics (which is why it remains important to report scams when you spot them). However, using a comprehensive multi-layered anti-scam tool significantly reduces your overall risk by catching deceptive links, emails, and websites before you interact with them.