Metro Bank Introduces AI-Powered Scam Detection Tool for Customers
New WhatsApp service enables customers to verify the legitimacy of potential scams quickly.
LONDON, UK – Metro Bank has unveiled a new AI-driven scam detection tool aimed at enhancing customer protection against fraud.
This initiative marks the first collaboration between a UK bank and the AI scam detection service Ask Silver.
The tool will be accessible to customers via WhatsApp, allowing them to submit images or screenshots of suspicious emails, webpages, letters, or leaflets for analysis.
Once submitted, the AI technology within the scam checker will assess the provided materials for signs of fraudulent activity.
It will then offer feedback and guidance on actions that customers can take to safeguard themselves from potential scams.
The launch of this tool is a response to the rising incidence of fraud in the UK, with data from UK Finance indicating that over £1 billion was lost to fraud, including scams, in 2023. This type of crime constituted more than 40% of all criminal offenses recorded in the country.
Baz Thompson, the head of fraud at Metro Bank, expressed that the partnership with Ask Silver represents a significant advancement in the bank's efforts to protect its customers from financial crime.
He stated that the bank prioritizes the security of its clients and continually seeks innovative approaches to combat fraud.
Thompson emphasized the urgency and tactics that fraudsters employ to exploit victims, highlighting the importance of the new service in providing timely information to customers.
Ask Silver was co-founded by Alex Somervell and Jonny Pryn, motivated by a personal experience where a relative lost £150,000 due to a scam.
Somervell remarked on the importance of this collaboration, suggesting that it is a crucial step in enhancing financial security for the public.
He underscored their mission to focus on human-centered anti-scam strategies while partnering with both banks and public institutions to protect communities from financial threats.
This initiative marks the first collaboration between a UK bank and the AI scam detection service Ask Silver.
The tool will be accessible to customers via WhatsApp, allowing them to submit images or screenshots of suspicious emails, webpages, letters, or leaflets for analysis.
Once submitted, the AI technology within the scam checker will assess the provided materials for signs of fraudulent activity.
It will then offer feedback and guidance on actions that customers can take to safeguard themselves from potential scams.
The launch of this tool is a response to the rising incidence of fraud in the UK, with data from UK Finance indicating that over £1 billion was lost to fraud, including scams, in 2023. This type of crime constituted more than 40% of all criminal offenses recorded in the country.
Baz Thompson, the head of fraud at Metro Bank, expressed that the partnership with Ask Silver represents a significant advancement in the bank's efforts to protect its customers from financial crime.
He stated that the bank prioritizes the security of its clients and continually seeks innovative approaches to combat fraud.
Thompson emphasized the urgency and tactics that fraudsters employ to exploit victims, highlighting the importance of the new service in providing timely information to customers.
Ask Silver was co-founded by Alex Somervell and Jonny Pryn, motivated by a personal experience where a relative lost £150,000 due to a scam.
Somervell remarked on the importance of this collaboration, suggesting that it is a crucial step in enhancing financial security for the public.
He underscored their mission to focus on human-centered anti-scam strategies while partnering with both banks and public institutions to protect communities from financial threats.
