← Back to home Features

Is this WhatsApp message a scam?

Forward any suspicious message, screenshot, link or QR code to ScamShield AI on WhatsApp and get a risk verdict reply in seconds. No app to install.

By Darshil Thummar, MSc Information Security & Digital Forensics · CTO, ScamShield AI

Start free trial

A “bank” message says your KYC is suspended, click here to reactivate. A supplier forwards a payment QR. A customer sends a screenshot of a “refund.” Most fraud reaches Indian SMEs through WhatsApp, and in the moment it is hard to tell a genuine message from a well-made scam.

ScamShield AI turns that into a simple habit. Save one WhatsApp number, forward whatever looks off, and get a clear verdict back before anyone clicks a link, scans a code, or pays. Nothing to install, and it reads text, screenshots, links and QR codes for you.

What you can forward to have checked

What can you check by forwarding it on WhatsApp?

Forward-to-scan any message

Forward any suspicious WhatsApp message straight to the ScamShield AI number. Plain text is checked against India fraud patterns and returned with a clear risk level, no copy-pasting into a portal.

Screenshot & QR forensics

Forwarded screenshots get image forensics plus on-image text reading, so an edited “payment successful” slip is caught. Payment QR codes, including “collect request” traps that pull money, are decoded and checked before you scan them.

Link & UPI ID checks

Forward a link or a UPI ID such as refunds@paytm-helpdesk and it is scored for lookalike bank, wallet and government-portal handles and malicious login pages that impersonate trusted brands.

Instant verdict reply

You get a reply in seconds with a risk level and a plain-English reason, so your team knows whether to trust it. Replies work in English, Hindi and Gujarati.

What the reply tells you about the message

How does ScamShield AI check a WhatsApp message?

Illustrative example of the reply you get after forwarding a “KYC suspended” message.

HIGH RISK · 85/100Category: Account phishing (CAT-12)

The forwarded link points to a lookalike bank-login page, not the real bank domain.
The message uses “KYC suspended” urgency to push you to act before you can check.
The sending number is unverified and does not match the bank it claims to be.

✓ Reply in seconds ✓ Message not stored

How to check a WhatsApp message before you act on it

Save the number

Add the ScamShield AI WhatsApp number to your phone contacts. That is the whole setup: no app to install, no IT team.

Forward the message

Forward the suspicious message, screenshot, link or QR code straight to that number, exactly as you would forward to any contact.

Get a verdict reply

Get a reply in seconds with the risk level, the fraud category, and a plain-English reason, before anyone clicks, scans or pays.

Questions about WhatsApp scams, KYC links and QR codes

How do I use ScamShield AI on WhatsApp?

Save the ScamShield AI WhatsApp number to your phone, then forward any suspicious message, screenshot, link or QR code to it. You get a risk verdict reply back in seconds, with a plain-English reason. There is nothing to install and no per-number setup: you simply forward the content you are unsure about.

What can I forward to it?

You can forward plain text messages, forwarded screenshots, links and UPI IDs, and QR code images. ScamShield AI reads the on-image text, runs image forensics on screenshots, and checks links, UPI handles and QR codes, then replies with a risk level and reason.

Do you store the WhatsApp messages I forward?

No. In line with India’s DPDP Act 2023, the messages and images you forward are processed in memory and are not written to the database. Only the fraud verdict and analysis metadata are retained. The content of what you forward is not stored. Forwarded messages pass through Meta’s WhatsApp platform, and masked message text may be sent to Anthropic for a second-opinion review; both are outside India.

Which plans include it and is it live?

WhatsApp fraud protection is live now and is available on both the Starter and Professional plans. You can try it during a 30-day free trial with no card required. Replies work in English, Hindi and Gujarati.

Check any WhatsApp message before you act.

Forward a suspicious message, screenshot, link or QR code and get a verdict in seconds. Free during your trial.

Start free trial Book a demo

✓ 30-day free trial ✓ ₹1 verification, auto-refunded ✓ Servers in India

More checks

Supplier email check →Invoice fraud check →GST notice checker →GSTIN checker →