NordVPN Launch Free SCAM Checker AI Tool Called NordBot on Messaging Platforms

The NordVPN service, which is a popular Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider, has today launched NordBot, which is described as being a free “experimental” AI tool that lets people submit suspicious messages, links or images through WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram or X for a quick risk assessment to see if they’re scams or not.

The provider highlights how Ofcom’s data shows that four in ten UK mobile users received at least one suspicious message in the past three months and UK mobile operators block more than 600 million scam messages a year. As a result, they tasked their NordLabs team to develop NordBot to give people a quick ‘second opinion’ in that moment of uncertainty, when users can’t always be sure whether the message they’ve just received is safe or not.

NordBot currently only analyses the content a user chooses to send. Depending on the platform, people can message it directly or tag it beneath a public post or reply. The tool then returns one of four signals: safe, suspicious, dangerous or AI-generated. Supported platforms at launch include Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, WhatsApp and X. Reddit support is planned for the future.

Domininkas Virbickas, Product Director at NordVPN, told ISPreview:

“People rarely act on a scam because they are certain it is genuine. They act because it looks plausible and they are being rushed. The difficult part is often not noticing that something feels wrong, but knowing what to do in the next 30 seconds. NordBot is designed to create a pause and offer a second opinion before doubt turns into action.”

However, like any AI tool, NordVPN admits that NordBot can still make mistakes. “It may miss risky content or flag something harmless, so it should be used as an additional signal rather than a replacement for independent checks, official advice or NordVPN’s built-in antivirus“, said the provider.

The company adds that users should, obviously, not send any sensitive details to their bot like passwords, payment details or one-time passcodes etc. A ‘safe’ result should also never be treated as permission to ignore warning signs or bypass normal security checks.

NordBot is currently described as being “free to use“. You can try NordBot by sending a suspicious message, URL, or image to NordBot on Telegram, AskNordLabs on Instagram, AskNordVPN on Facebook Messenger, or +1 940-616-6302 on WhatsApp. On X, tag AskNordLabs in a reply to the post you want checked. We think this is quite clever as, unlike the company’s other add-on features, you don’t need to be a user of their VPN app to benefit.