Avast Makes AI-Driven Scam Defense Available for Free Worldwide
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Avast debuts Scam Guardian and Scam Guardian Pro as data breaches and scams soar
TEMPE, Ariz. and PRAGUE, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by a commitment to make cutting-edge scam protection available to everyone, Avast, a leader in digital security and privacy and part of Gen (NASDAQ: GEN), has unveiled Scam Guardian, a new AI-powered offering integrated into its award-winning(1) Avast Free Antivirus.
Cybercriminals continue to abuse AI to craft increasingly convincing scam attacks at an alarming rate. Available at no cost, the new service marks a significant step forward in democratizing AI scam protection. A premium version, Scam Guardian Pro, has also been added to Avast Premium Security, giving customers an enhanced layer of AI protection against email scams.
"Today's scams aren't crude or obvious - they're tailored, targeted, and AI-enhanced, making it harder than ever to tell the difference between truth and deception," said Leena Elias, Chief Product Officer at Gen. "As scammers take advantage of rising data breaches and leaked personal information, anyone anywhere can become a victim of scams. That's why it's never been more important to make powerful AI-powered scam protection available to everyone, everywhere. We're levelling the playing field with world class scam defense that helps people strengthen their digital and financial safety."
According to the recent Q1/2025 Gen Threat Report, breached records of individuals surged by more than 186% between January and March 2025, revealing sensitive information such as passwords, emails, and credit card details. Over the same timeframe, reports of phishing scams rose by 466% compared to the previous quarter, making up almost a third of all scam submissions observed by Gen.
As data breaches rise, so do the opportunities for attackers to exploit leaked information to launch targeted, hyper-personalized scam campaigns that are harder than ever to spot. Like a seasoned scam investigator, Scam Guardian uses proprietary AI trained on scam data from Gen Threat Labs to go beyond just detecting malicious URLs--it also analyzes context and language to more effectively identify signs of deceptive or harmful intent. Scam Guardian also helps to pull back the curtain on hidden threats in website code and neutralizes them to keep people safer as they browse and shop online.
Key features available in Scam Guardian for Avast Free Antivirus, include:
-- Avast Assistant: Provides 24/7 AI-powered scam protection guidance on
suspicious websites, SMS messages, emails, links, offers, and more.
Allows people to engage in open dialogue when they're unsure about a
potential scam and uses natural language to better understand queries
and deliver clear advice on what to do next. Available on Windows and
Mac.
-- Web Guard: Uses the collective power of Gen Threat Labs telemetry and AI
trained on millions of frequently visited websites to continuously
analyze and detect hidden scams in content and code - offering unique
visibility into dangerous URLs. Available on Windows, Mac, Android, and
iOS(2).
Scam Guardian Pro includes everything in Avast Scam Guardian, plus:
-- Email Guard: Uses AI to understand the context of emails and the meaning
of words to detect scams. Scans and flags safe and suspicious emails
before you open them, helping to protect your email wherever you check
it, no matter what device you use to log in. Available on Windows, Mac,
Android, and iOS(3).
Scam Guardian and Scam Guardian Pro are available to download now as part of Avast Free Antivirus and Avast Premium Security. Later this year, additional AI-powered tools will be added to Scam Guardian Pro for greater protection against sophisticated scams targeting other communication channels, including SMS and phone calls.
For more information, please visit www.avast.com.
About Avast
Avast is a leader in digital security and privacy, and part of Gen (NASDAQ: GEN), a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom with a family of trusted consumer brands. Avast protects hundreds of millions of users from online threats, for Mobile, PC or Mac, and is top-ranked and certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and others. Avast is a member of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, No More Ransom and Internet Watch Foundation. Learn more at Avast.com.
(1) AV-Comparatives, "Top-Rated Product 2024 Award" & AV-Comparatives, "Real-World Protection 2024 Award" - Jan-Dec 2024.
(2) Content and code scanning is only available on Windows and Mac.
(3) Email Guard is included, but mobile platforms do not have the Scam Guardian user interface.
Mike Healey
Allie Thompson
Gen
Edelman for Gen
press@GenDigital.com Allie.thompson@edelman.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avast-makes-ai-driven-scam-defense-available-for-free-worldwide-302490669.html
SOURCE Gen Digital Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Identiv Completes Thailand Manufacturing Transition, Unlocking Next-Generation Multicomponent Manufacturing for Advanced IoT Solutions | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Breakthrough Progress: METiS TechBio Publishes Consecutive Research Findings in Nature Communications and the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Truvista Fiber Acquires SlyTel | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
New Report Names States Most Vulnerable to Holiday Scams | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Android Mobile Adware Surges in Second Half of 2025 | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Healthcare Industry Executives are Likely to be Personal Targets of Cybercrime | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
LG ELECTRONICS INTRODUCES 2026 LG GRAM LINEUP ELEVATED BY AEROMINUM | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Global Cyber Alliance Identifies Five Cybersecurity Forces That Defined 2025 - And Will Shape 2026 | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
pgEdge Announces pgEdge Agentic AI Toolkit for Postgres | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
Guardz 2025 SMB Cybersecurity Report: Nearly 50% of U.S. Small Businesses Have Been Hit by Cyber Attack | Jan 22, 2026
|
|
|
