Trend Micro launches app to combat online scams in Australia

Trend Micro has introduced a new mobile application, Trend Micro Check, designed to aid Australian consumers in navigating potential online scams and emerging artificial intelligence threats such as deepfakes.

The app aims to address growing concerns about online scams and their prevalence.

Recent research conducted by Trend Micro reveals that a significant 77% of Australian respondents believe the volume and risk of online scams have increased over the past year. Additionally, 73% expressed worry about a family member potentially falling victim to an online scam. In response to this escalating issue, Trend Micro Check offers a suite of features intended to provide users with tools to assess and verify the authenticity of various digital content.

Tim Falinski, Vice President of Consumer Business for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) regions at Trend Micro, highlighted the rising threat posed by online scams. "Scams are at the top of the list of online threats to consumers, and AI has made it easy for cybercriminals to scam innocent people. While they take advantage of new technology to cause harm, we do the opposite. We are leading the race against these threats and working tirelessly to stay ahead of them with our own AI capabilities," he stated.

The study underscored that although 79% of participants felt somewhat or very confident in their ability to identify scams, a notable 63% indicated that they would still utilise an application to aid in verifying the authenticity of emails, social media posts, text messages, and other communications. This trend supports the introduction of tools like Trend Micro Check, which offers real-time evaluations of digital content's trustworthiness.

The application incorporates several AI-driven features to enhance consumer protection against digital threats. These include Scam Check, which provides a real-time assessment of the potential scam risk associated with content such as social ads, text messages, and website URLs. Another feature, Deepfake Scan, identifies potential AI-generated "face-swapping" attempts during live video calls. Additional functionalities include an SMS Filter to automatically detect and block spam or fraudulent messages and Web Guard to block risky websites and suspicious advertisements.

Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, commended Trend Micro for its proactive approach. "With more than USD $1 trillion lost by consumers worldwide to scams last year, more must be done to protect them," he noted. "As our first Foundation Partner, Trend Micro is clearly committed to stopping this problem by delivering tools like the AI-powered capabilities in Trend Micro Check, and by supporting and participating in the important work we do. We applaud Trend's dedication to this cause and their technical leadership in using AI against the misuse of AI."

Trend Micro will also take a leadership role in addressing online scams through its participation in the upcoming Global Anti-scam Alliance Summits, where it will chair the Cybersecurity Scam Prevention and Investigations track. These events are scheduled to take place in Singapore and Washington D.C. during October and November 2024, respectively.

The Trend Micro Check app is available on iOS and Android platforms in selected countries, aiming to empower users with tools to shield themselves from digital fraud and deception. Such initiatives reflect Trend Micro's ongoing efforts to combat the growing threat of online scams and AI-driven fraudulence.