How a check works
Verth’s scam check is a set of written rules that runs inside your browser. There is no hidden AI deciding behind the scenes: every result comes with the exact warning signs it found, in plain words, so you can judge for yourself.
- You paste or chooseA message, an email, a link, a phone number, a job offer or a screenshot.
- It’s read on your phoneText in a screenshot is read by text recognition running on your device, and any QR code is decoded there too.
- It’s compared with known tricks18 warning-sign rules, combinations that are almost always a scam, link checks and job-offer checks (details below).
- You see every reasonA result, the warning signs it found and what to do next. Nothing is sent anywhere to get this answer.
What the rules look for
- Serious signs on their own: asking for an OTP, PIN, CVV or password; “digital arrest” or police and CBI threats; asking you to install a screen-sharing app like AnyDesk; “scan this QR to receive money”; a “new number” asking for money; “sent by mistake, please return it”.
- Warning signs: threats to block or cut you off, deadlines and urgency, KYC or PAN “updates”, prizes and cashback, task jobs, guaranteed returns, fees to release something, parcel trouble, power cut threats, and asking you to keep it secret.
- Combinations: some signs together are almost always a scam, for example a job that asks for a deposit, a prize you have to pay for, or a loan with a fee first.
- Links: Verth compares the address with the official websites of 33 banks, payment apps and government services, spots look-alike spellings (like
sbi-yono-kyc.xyz), shortened links and website endings often used by scammers. - Job offers: the sender is compared with the official recruitment addresses of 26 large employers, and any fee for an exam, interview, training or laptop is flagged.
- Phone numbers: international numbers, marketing numbers (which can’t be your bank checking your account), and numbers that don’t look like valid Indian numbers.
What a result means
High riskOne serious warning sign, or several together. It looks like a scam. Don’t pay, click or share anything.
Be carefulSome warning signs. Don’t act on it until you’ve checked with the person or company yourself.
No obvious warning signsNone of the rules matched. That doesn’t prove it’s safe; new scams use new words.
The scam check never says a message is a confirmed scam, because a set of rules can’t know that. Only the real person, the real company or the police can confirm it. That’s why Verth also has two ways to get a real answer:
- Verify: Verth asks the real person on their own phone, and their Yes or No is signed by their device, so a stolen login can’t fake it.
- Verth codes: on a phone or video call, ask for their 6-digit code. It changes every 30 seconds and only their phone has it.
The scam database and the live numbers. When a check rates something high risk, Verth adds a scrambled fingerprint of it to a shared list. Later checks of the same thing show how many times it was rated high risk before. The live chart on the home page counts these high-risk results each day. Both are signals from Verth’s own rules, not confirmed scams, and nobody can add an entry by hand.
What stays on your phone, and what leaves it
| What | Leaves your phone? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Messages, links and numbers you check | No | Checked in your browser. Not uploaded, not stored. |
| Screenshots and photos you check | No | Text recognition and QR reading happen on your device. |
| Something rated high risk | A fingerprint | A one-way scrambled code (SHA-256) plus 1 added to that day’s count. The text can’t be read back from it, though someone who already has the exact same text or number could tell it’s on the list. |
| Questions to Verth Helper and AI Phone Doctor | Yes | What you type goes to Verth’s server and Google’s Gemini AI to write an answer. Don’t type OTPs, passwords or account numbers there. |
| Private chat, files and payment notes | Encrypted | Encrypted on your phone. The server keeps only scrambled text that nobody else, including admins and Verth, can read. |
| Verify requests | Yes | Who asked whom, what was asked in your words, and the answer are kept in your circle’s verification log, which its members can see. |
| Your account | Yes | Name, email, mobile number and your circles, stored with Google Firebase. See the privacy policy. |
How well it did on 79 messages
On 11 October 2026 we wrote 45 scam messages modelled on common scams in India and 34 genuine messages people really get, including some that look alarming. Then we ran Verth’s check on all of them once and published the results as they came out, mistakes included. The rules were not changed after seeing the results.
30 of 45scams rated High risk (67%)
7 of 45scams missed completely (16%)
0 of 34genuine messages wrongly rated High risk
6 of 34genuine messages given an unneeded “Be careful” (18%)
45 scam messages
High risk 30Be careful 8Missed 7
34 genuine messages
No warning signs 28Be careful 6High risk 0
By type of message
| Scam messages | Tested | High risk | Be careful | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank and KYC | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Family and boss impersonation | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Jobs and exams | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Police and digital arrest | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| UPI, QR and refunds | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Prizes and investments | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Bills, parcels and others | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| Genuine messages | Tested | High risk | Be careful | No warning signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank and payments | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Delivery and shopping | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Bills and services | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Jobs and exams | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Family, friends and work | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
The scams Verth missed
These got “No warning signs”. They show where the rules are weakest: requests that sound calm, threats without the usual words, and first messages that only start a conversation.
- Missed: no warning signs
Dear user your electricity and bank account will be linked to new Aadhaar rules. Call 9876501234 for verification.
Signs found: Generic greeting - Missed: no warning signs
Hello sir I am calling from your bank, your debit card is being upgraded. Please share the 16 digit number and CVV for verification.
No rule matched. - Missed: no warning signs
Sir your son has been caught by police in a rape case. Send 50,000 now on this number or he will be taken to jail. Don't call anyone.
No rule matched. - Missed: no warning signs
I'm an army officer posted at the border, want to buy your sofa on OLX. I'll send a payment request, just approve it to receive the money.
No rule matched. - Missed: no warning signs
Hi, is this Rahul? We met at the wedding last month. I got your number from a friend.
No rule matched. - Missed: no warning signs
Your WhatsApp account will be banned for violating terms. Verify your account by sending the 6 digit code we sent you.
No rule matched. - Missed: no warning signs
Video call recording of you has been made. Pay Rs 30,000 or I will send it to all your contacts and family.
No rule matched.
Scams that only got “Be careful”
Verth warned about these, but not strongly enough. Most are fake family members or bosses asking for money, which is exactly what Verify is for: ask the real person before paying.
- Be careful
Mummy I am in trouble, can't talk now. Please send 15000 to this UPI id rahul.k22@ybl, I will return tomorrow. Don't tell papa.
Signs found: Asks you to pay a fee or send money - Be careful
Hi, this is Anil Sharma (MD). I'm in a meeting and can't take calls. I need you to buy 5 Amazon gift cards of Rs 10,000 each for a client. Keep this confidential.
Signs found: Asks you to keep it secret - Be careful
Priya, please process a payment of Rs 4,80,000 to Sharma Traders before 3 pm today. I'll approve it later. Very urgent, I'm travelling.
Signs found: Rushes you - Be careful
Bhaiya mera phone kho gaya, ye mera naya number hai. Thoda paisa bhejo jaldi, hospital mein hoon.
Signs found: Rushes you - Be careful
Uncle namaste, I am Sunil's friend. He had an accident and is in hospital. Doctors need Rs 25,000 deposit immediately. Please send on GPay 9812345670.
Signs found: Rushes you - Be careful
Railway recruitment 2026: direct joining without exam in TC post. Contact agent Mr. Verma, processing charges Rs 50,000 only.
Signs found: Asks you to pay a fee or send money · Asks for an exam fee - Be careful
TRAI: your mobile number will be disconnected in 2 hours due to illegal activity. Press 9 to speak to the officer.
Signs found: Threatens to block, cut off or penalise you - Be careful
Hello dear, I am Jessica from Singapore. I trade crypto with my uncle's secret signals. I can teach you, you will earn very much.
Signs found: Guaranteed or fast investment returns
Genuine messages that got a warning
None were rated High risk, but these real messages got “Be careful”, mostly because they mention a deadline, KYC or cashback.
- Be careful
Your periodic KYC update is due. Please visit your nearest branch with your Aadhaar and PAN, or update it in the official mobile app. -Canara Bank
Signs found: KYC, PAN or Aadhaar “update” - Be careful
Cashback of Rs 25 credited to your Paytm wallet for your electricity bill payment.
Signs found: Prize, lottery, refund or cashback bait - Be careful
Reminder: your car insurance expires on 30 October. Renew on our website or call your advisor.
Signs found: Rushes you - Be careful
SSC CGL 2026 admit cards are available on the official website ssc.gov.in. Download yours before the exam date.
Signs found: Asks for an exam fee - Be careful
Reminder: the last date to fill the university exam form is 15 October. The fee can be paid on the university portal.
Signs found: Rushes you - Be careful
Urgent: the server is down, please call me as soon as you see this. -Arjun
Signs found: Rushes you
Read these numbers with care. 79 messages is a small test, and we wrote them ourselves, so it shows the kind of mistakes Verth makes rather than an exact accuracy. We will add new, unseen messages to each future test and publish every round here.
What Verth can’t guarantee
- A clean result is not a guarantee. Scammers change their wording, and a new trick can pass every rule. When money is involved, ask the real person anyway.
- Language. The rules work best on English and Hindi written in English letters (“jaldi”, “paisa bhejo”). Messages in Devanagari or other Indian scripts are mostly not understood yet.
- It can be wrong about genuine messages. A real reminder with a deadline can get “Be careful”. The test results above show how often.
- It can’t see who really sent a message. Sender names and numbers can be faked. Verify and Verth codes exist for exactly this.
- Verify needs the other person. It only works when the real person has Verth set up on their phone and answers.
- It can’t stop a call, block a number or get money back. If you’ve lost money, call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in straight away. See what to do in the first hour.
Open for anyone to inspect
- Source code: all of Verth’s code, including every scam rule, is public on GitHub. The rules are in src/scamcheck.js.
- Security: SECURITY.md explains who Verth defends against, how, and what is still open.
- The test: the test messages and the full results are published. Anyone can run it again with
node tools/benchmark.mjs test/benchmark/messages-2026-10.json. - Found a mistake? Send the message Verth got wrong (remove personal details first) to umeshdk22@gmail.com. Real examples are how the rules get better.
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