On-device AI will flag scam chats — Google + GovTech partner

TL;DR: Singapore’s GovTech and Google DeepMind are developing an on-device, real-time AI system that can flag scam messages on phones without sending texts to the cloud.

Why it matters: Fraud and phishing steal time, money, and client trust from freelancers and small teams. On-device detection gives faster alerts and keeps message data local, reducing exposure. That lowers the chance a scam scrambles payments or kills a deal.

What to do:

• Keep Android and your messaging app up to date so the feature can arrive and run smoothly.
• When the feature appears, enable on-device scam warnings and act on flags by verifying payment requests off-chat.
• Use separate client contact channels and two-factor authentication for payments and account changes.

Source: CNA