Surfshark adds scam text protection for iOS and Android users
Surfshark says the tool is built to flag suspected scam texts, filter them on iPhone, and warn Android users inside the app.
Surfshark says it has introduced a scam text protection feature for iOS and Android users to detect and filter suspected smishing messages in real time.
The feature is part of a broader scam protection hub, the company says. Surfshark says the tool screens incoming messages for patterns including URLs, sender phone numbers and message content, then alerts users when it finds a possible threat.
In its release, Surfshark cites a figure showing Americans received an average of 19.2 billion spam texts per month as of late 2023, which it says is nearly three times the 2021 level. The company also says SMS scams account for 35% of phishing attempts globally.
Surfshark says the feature uses AI-driven technology and does not retain messages, monitor the phone generally or use private data to train AI models. On iOS, detected scam messages are moved to the Spam folder in the native Messages app and do not trigger notifications. On Android, users receive a Surfshark alert and can inspect the message in an in-app window.
The dashboard includes more details about suspicious messages and, for U.S. users, an estimate of money saved by avoiding fraudulent texts, the company says. Surfshark says the feature is available to users on its One and One+ plans.
Surfshark recommends that users update the app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to see the feature right away. The release is dated Aug. 17, 2026, and is datelined Vilnius, Lithuania.
Surfshark identified Dominykas Simkus, its senior product manager, in the release and said the company has built a scam protection hub as a place for defenses against scams, phishing and identity fraud.
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Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.
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