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UK households lose billions of pounds to every single year - but a new tool could help you detect whether you’re being .

Ask Silver is a free AI-powered scam-checking service that allows you to check any suspected scam attempt through . How it works, is you just send a photo or screenshot of the email or text message you've received to the Ask Silver number.

It will then use AI to scan the information and check it against official websites to determine whether it is likely a scam or not. If the details you’ve flagged are definitely a scam, Ask Silver will respond with a red flag. You can ask Silver to report the scam to relevant agencies on your behalf.

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You’ll be sent an amber flag if there isn't a match on the database, but there are suspicious elements that suggest the details you’ve sent are likely a scam.

If you receive a yellow flag, this means the details are likely legitimate, but you should still be careful. To get access to the service, you need to sign up with your mobile number through its website, .

You will then automatically receive a message on WhatsApp from Ask Silver, which has its own number. Ask Silver was set up last year by 32-year old tech entrepreneur Alex Somervell and his business partner Jonny Pryn.

The previously reported how Chris Cooper, 34, a wedding photographer based in London, stepped in to help his parents Des and Wendy Cooper, who are in their 70s and live in West Sussex, after they started to receive phishing emails, asking for their bank account details.

A phishing email is a type of scam where a fraudster pretends to be from a reputable company, and then they ask the recipient to provide personal or financial information, or to click a dodgy link that gains access to their device.

Chris used Ask Silver to double check the emails his parents were receiving were definitely from scammers.

According to research from CIFAS, published in November 2024, UK consumers lost £11.4billion to scams in the 12 months prior. This is an increase of four billion from the 12 months before that.

If you suspect a scammer is calling you, hang up immediately and search for the contact details online of the place you're supposedly being called from.

Never call back the number provided by the caller. Contact your bank straight away if you think a fraudster has got access to your account. You can call the 159 hotline, which will connect you to your bank.

Passwords that have been leaked or compromised should be changed immediately. Make sure you report scams and fraud to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or through the website.

If you're in , report a scam through Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or on the website. You can also report scams to on 101.

For scam emails, forward them to [email protected], and for scam text messages, forward them to 7726 for free. You can report dodgy websites to the .