Scammers are getting more brazen these days. Instead of going through the same scripts, malicious actors are now going for more robust schemes to impersonate official accounts. It’s impossible to go through a single week without a warning to never trust suspicious senders or links. To fight the latest wave of malicious parties, McAfee is launching new features to more easily find and eliminate potential threats.

As reported by McAfee, 88 percent of Americans have encountered a scam in the past year. The average person sees about 14 scams on a single day. And it’s not just exclusive to the United States. Everyone all over the world is falling prey to scammers more accurately presenting themselves as legitimate accounts.

Introducing the McAfee scam detector

To fight this, McAfee now has a scam detector. Using the power of AI, the antimalware service can scan both text messages and emails for potential scams. It can also block suspicious links for you.

Now, because the software now uses AI, it can also use the same technology to more easily present why it found a threat. In the past, McAfee just showed users the errant file and called it a day. Now, the software offers readable explanations as to why the detected file might be a threat. It’s the perfect tool for those who aren’t savvy with computers.

Additionally, the same feature can analyze videos to see if they’re deepfakes. Of course, not every deepfake is a scam. But knowing if a video might be generated is a crucial skill these days.

A much lighter app

Despite adding a significant feature against modern scams, McAfee has somehow made its software lighter for modern PCs. According to a performance test from AV-Comparatives, McAfee ranks the lightest compared to other titans in the segment including Avast, AVG, and Kaspersky. Basically, using McAfee takes the least toll on your PC.

More interestingly, this comparison includes Microsoft Defender. There used to be a time when experts said that Microsoft’s built-in antivirus software was much better than most paid services. Now, it seems McAfee is fighting back against the claim by offering a much lighter service that can work in the background without interrupting whatever you’re doing.

Available on all plans

Importantly, McAfee’s new scam detector is available on all plans. It’s also available for mobile, tablet, and PC use.

However, it isn’t available for all territories yet. McAfee is still working to get the feature implemented in other languages.

SEE ALSO: BPI rolls out latest app security features

If you were on social media this past weekened, you might have noticed an urgent warning to change your Gmail passwords. According to some viral posts, Google reportedly suffered a major security breach due to a Salesforce attack. Today, the company is claiming that the reports are false and that Gmail security is still as strong as ever.

This entire story stems from a recent Salesforce breach confirmed back in June. Since Google uses Salesforce as part of its backend, the confirmed attack technically affected Gmail users. The company said that it had finished notifying affected users already in early August.

This week, the same issue popped up once again. However, this time, the viral threads are claiming that all 2.5 billion Gmail users are affected. They further suggest a change of passwords to avert potential hacks.

Today, Google has issued a statement to debunk the rumors as “entirely false.” Though the statement does not explicitly name the actual reports, the timing clearly points to the recent trends.

Of course, it’s still best practice to regularly update passwords. Google even confirms that phishing attempts happen all the time, but Google’s security blocks these threats 99.9 percent of the time (according to them, at least). At the very least, there is no reason to panic.

There are a lot more security measures available today, besides passwords. Users can add the more traditional two-factor authentication. Alternatively, devices these days can already support passkeys — a more secure method that relies on device identity, rather than a user’s identity.

SEE ALSO: Gmail now makes it easy to unsubscribe from all marketing emails

Nuki’s award-winning Smart Lock has released in the United States. This innovative product developed in Austria and manufactured in Europe offers American consumers a smarter lock choice.

The Nuki Smart Lock combines cutting-edge technology, privacy, and a customer-centric premium design. In addition, there is an intuitive app developed for an optimized user experience.

The Nuki Smart Lock allows users to unlock doors conveniently and automatically under a second. This mechanism is enabled by a cutting-edge brushless motor technology, offering the same efficiency, durability, and performance commonly found in electric vehicles.

As part of the adjustments for the market, the Nuki Smart Lock available in the United States effortlessly retrofits onto existing U.S. single-cylinder deadbolts.

The compact design is only 2.2 inches in diameter and comes with a sleek, stainless steel body and black base ring. Quick installations under 15 minutes are possible, minus drilling or modifications.

The keyless access solution has native Matter support, as well as compatibility with Apple Home, Amazon, Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and more.

Moreover, the product is designed with end-to-end encryption commonly used by online banks. Its battery life, meanwhile, can last up to 12 months.

The Nuki Smart Lock is now available via Amazon for US$ 229 including a Keypad 2. This add-on includes access code and fingerprint options.

The lock on its own retails for US$ 159. Various accessories include a Nuki Keypad with code option (US$ 89), Keypad 2 (US$ 149), and Door Sensor (US$ 59).

In addition, there is a Nuki Premium subscription available for US$ 5.90 a month. This includes full remote access via the Nuki app, real-time activity alerts, and a two-year immediate product replacement.