Scam Wave Alerts Are Your Digital Early Warning System Against the Rising Tide of Scams

When a natural disaster looms—be it a hurricane, earthquake, or flood—early warning systems spring into action, providing essential alerts to help people take protective measures. These systems work by tracking and detecting early signs of danger, enabling those in harm’s way to prepare, evacuate, or find shelter. The Scam Wave Alerts feature in Scam Copilot works much like these disaster warning systems, helping to safeguard users against sudden surges of online scams.

Why does this matter?

Scam waves are orchestrated, high-volume scams that appear suddenly, often taking advantage of global events, holidays, or specific vulnerabilities. During these times, scammers deploy a high number of phishing attempts, malicious links, and fraudulent messages to exploit unaware users. Like a fast-rising tide, these scam waves can overwhelm even cautious users if they’re not adequately prepared.

How scam wave alerts work: a digital early warning system

Much like seismic sensors detect tremors, Scam Copilot constantly monitors trends in your geographic region. Using AI and machine learning, Scam Copilot identifies emerging patterns in scams and notifies users in real-time as new scam waves approach. If a new wave scam messages or a malicious link starts circulating on WhatsApp, Scam Wave Alerts let users know immediately, arming them with critical knowledge to avoid these threats.

Regional relevance offers targeted alerts for greater protection

Scam Wave Alerts are geo-targeted. This means that users in locations where scam activity is peaking will receive a heads-up to understand what they will likely face in the short-term future. For example, if a phishing scam is targeting users in the U.S. around tax season, U.S.-based users are informed first, empowering them with the right advice for their local context.

Practical steps to take when a scam alert hits

When you receive a Scam Wave Alert, consider it a prompt to secure your digital surroundings. Here’s how you can think of it as analogous to disaster preparation:

1. Stay informed – Just as staying updated with local weather news helps with storm prep, keep an eye on Scam Wave Alerts to stay vigilant.
2. Avoid risk zones – Be extra cautious around your inbox, messages, and social media. Avoid clicking on any unexpected links or downloading attachments.
3. Reinforce defenses – Ensure your accounts have robust, unique passwords, and enable multi-factor authentication where possible.
4. Educate family members – Disaster preparedness often involves family planning. Similarly, make sure family members are aware of the latest scams and encourage them to be cautious.

Availability

Scam Wave Alerts serve as a powerful shield against the “digital storms” that online scams can create. This technology is available now as part of the Scam Copilot feature in Bitdefender Ultimate Security, Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (U.S. only), Bitdefender Ultimate Small Business Security (U.S. only) and Bitdefender Premium Security with support for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.