Privacy and Security

What does the app do with my messages?

The app reads your message notifications on your phone, and nothing else.

There are only three things that ever leave your phone, and none of them are linked to your name or your number:

• a scam report, if you choose to submit one. This contains the reported messages and related details (e.g. the sender and the time received). You can see everything in a report before you send it.

• aggregated statistics, if you switch them on (it is off by default). These are counts, such as the number of messages scanned and the number flagged as suspicious. They contain no personal information or message content, and are used to improve the model.

• standard app analytics (e.g. crashes, app version, device model and feature usage). This contains no personal information or message content and is used to fix bugs and improve the app.

Everything else (your chats, your contacts, your message history) stays on your device.

Can the government or anyone else read my messages?

No. 

The AI that checks your messages runs on your phone, not on a government server. Your chats, contacts, and personal details are never uploaded or stored on our servers, and we cannot see them. The only time a message leaves your phone is when you choose to submit it as a scam report.

Are there messages the app might miss?

Yes. The app works from your notifications, so it can only check messages that produce one. If you have muted a chat, or you are already reading a conversation when a message arrives, it may not be scanned.

It also cannot catch everything it does see. New scam tactics appear constantly, and the AI will sometimes get it wrong in both directions. Treat an alert as a prompt to slow down, not a guarantee, and treat the absence of an alert the same way. When in doubt, check with someone you trust through another channel (e.g. face to face!), or call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.

How does the on-device AI work?

The AI model is downloaded once when you install the app, then runs locally on your device's processor. Your messages are analysed on your phone and stored on your phone. They are not sent to any server for analysis and are not written anywhere we can reach.

Which permissions are strictly required for AntiScam Pango to work?

Two, and it cannot protect you without either:

• Notification Listener (To Scan Messages): Android's built-in feature that lets an app see notifications as they arrive (from WhatsApp, Telegram, Messages, etc.). The app reads the preview text of new messages only; it cannot open your messaging apps, scroll through your chat history, or see anything you sent or received before you installed it. Without it, the app has nothing to read.

• Notification Alerts (To Warn You): Lets the app send you a notification the moment it spots something suspicious. Without it, the app has no way to warn you.

You can turn both on or off at any time in your phone's settings under Settings > Apps > AntiScam Pango > Permissions.

What are the optional permissions, and why should I consider turning them on?

These are entirely up to you. The app still reads your message notifications without them:

• Display Over Other Apps: Shows warnings as a full alert on your screen, not just a notification, so you're less likely to miss them.

• Contact Access: Lets the app tell saved contacts apart from unknown senders, so you get fewer unnecessary alerts. Suspicious messages are still flagged, even from someone in your contacts. Your contact list is read on your phone and stays on your device.

• Aggregated Statistics: Shares counts such as the number of messages scanned and the number of suspicious messages, so we can improve how well the app catches new scam tactics. These are off by default and aren’t linked to your name, your number, or your messages.

Can I choose which apps are scanned?

Yes. Under Settings > Apps to Scan in the app, you can switch scanning on or off for each messaging app individually (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram, or Messages). Anything you switch off is not read at all.

How long are scanned messages saved on my phone?

Messages are stored on your phone so you can look back at what the app has seen. You choose how long they are kept. Once the time is up, they are deleted automatically and permanently.

• 7 Days: Minimal history

• 14 Days (Recommended): Enough to look back at a recent alert

• 28 Days: Keep local history for longer if you want extra time to review alerts.

These records live only in your phone's storage. They are not backed up to us or held in any database of ours.

What happens to my data if I delete the app?

Everything the app stored on your phone (your message history, your safe senders list, your settings) is deleted with it. Scam reports you already submitted are not deleted and cannot be withdrawn.