What's Included in A ScamAssist^® Analysis Email?

Estimated Reading Time: 4 Minutes

It’s no secret that identity theft and scams are major problems for consumers and businesses alike. In 2023, the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network received more identity theft reports (19.2% of all reports) than any other type of complaint. What was the second most reported complaint? A subset of fraud reports: imposter scams.

Consumers submitted 853,935 reports of imposter scams in 2023 (15.8% of all reports). What’s more, 21% of those reported a dollar loss, totaling nearly $2.7 billion lost. About 1 in 5 people lost money to imposter scams that year, with a median loss of $800 per person. That’s no small change, especially in a season where consumers have seen significant cost increases for goods and services.

According to the FTC, the reported scams included “people falsely claiming to be a romantic interest, the government, a relative in distress, a well-known business, or a technical support expert to get consumers’ money.”

In this blog, we’ll explore why it’s challenging for consumers to identify scams and the tools brands can offer their customers to help them – and their brand – avoid their negative effects.

Why it’s challenging for consumers to decipher a scam message from a legitimate communication

Scam messages, whether sent via email, phone call, text/SMS, or direct mail, will appear to be from an official organization, such as the IRS, the bank, or a trusted brand. However, the communication may read or sound like something is “off” or suspicious.

• The communication may be threatening consequences unless the receiver responds or performs a specific action.
  
  
• The messenger offers a great deal or offer, but the receiver needs to act quickly or lose out on the opportunity.
  
  
• The communication appears to be a neutral notification, like one from a delivery service or brand sending a confirmation of a purchase.

Even more, consumers are often left feeling uncertain whether:

• It’s safe to ignore the message
• It’s okay to interact with it
• They should report it to the FTC or authorities.

That’s where ScamAssist from Iris^® Powered by Generali can help.

How does ScamAssist^® work?

When you provide your customers with ScamAssist, they can submit suspicious messages they’re not sure about via the tool’s easy-to-use online portal or call our U.S.-based team for assistance.

What’s more, ScamAssist can be white-labeled to reflect your brand’s identity, making the product feel like an extension of your existing business.

While other automated scam detectors are available in the market, ScamAssist is leading the pack with its combination of proprietary technology and the critical element of real human review.

When your customer submits a potential scam using the ScamAssist online portal – or via phone – one of Iris’ scam specialists is assigned to the case and analyzes the potential scam based on any contextual information your customer provided. The specialist leverages Iris’ rigorous, proprietary methodology for analysis, which considers many attributes found in scams.

After analyzing the potential scam using this combination of human and technology review, our specialist compiles the results and sends your customer an assessment of the scam risk posed by the message, a brief explanation of how they reached that estimate, and personalized recommendations for next steps.

But what’s actually included in a ScamAssist analysis email?

What information is included in a ScamAssist^® analysis email?

A ScamAssist analysis email will contain various elements, including:

• The message’s estimated scam risk level
  • High
  • Medium
  • Low

*This image is intended for illustrative purposes and does not include a real end-user’s information or case number.

• How Iris determined the consumers’ scam risk
  • This section will list specific attributes of the submitted message — including high-risk, low-risk, and inconclusive factors checked — and brief explanations as to how those attributes inform the scam risk score.

• Recommended next steps for your customer to take
  • This section includes information to help guide your customers in exercising reasonable caution when handling the potential scam they submitted.

• Additional guidance or support
  • If your customer has any questions or concerns, they can contact Iris’ Resolution team or visit their ScamAssist portal for educational materials.

The emailed ScamAssist results reflect the thoughtful work of Iris’ scam experts and position your brand as an organization that truly cares about protecting its people.

The right thing for your customers is also the right thing for your business

There is a legitimate consumer benefit to having and using ScamAssist. As scams become increasingly sophisticated and harder to discern from legitimate communications, consumers become more and more wary of engaging with a potentially fraudulent message. However, ScamAssist empowers consumers to engage with less familiar and trustworthy brands and discover a service they need and will actively use.

ScamAssist allows you to do the right thing for your customers by offering them a truly valuable tool. ScamAssist helps your customers in times of worry or doubt while also assisting your brand fortify customer trust, retention, and loyalty.

Interested in learning how ScamAssist can enhance your business strategy? Contact us today.