AntiScam Pango launches in Singapore to flag suspicious chats

Singapore’s Government Technology Agency (GovTech) and Google DeepMind have developed AntiScam Pango, an AI app designed to identify possible scams during message exchanges. Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau unveiled it on 4 November at GovTech’s STACK Conference 2026.

Android users can download the beta through Google Play. After receiving the required permissions, it operates in the background, checking WhatsApp, Telegram and SMS conversations and alerting users to signs of possible fraud.

The app explains why an exchange appears suspicious, leaving users to decide whether to keep talking, make a report or verify the sender independently. It neither deletes messages nor blocks them automatically, and can flag conversations with numbers not previously identified as risky.

GovTech said messages are analysed on the device and their content goes to external servers only if a user submits a report. The agency said neither it nor its partners could access private messages or personal information through the app.

The model’s training used scam scenarios and patterns, drawing on data from ScamShield and an internal AI tool for assessing suspicious links. Unlike ScamShield’s user-submitted checks, Pango assesses conversations as incoming messages appear.

GovTech is considering incorporating Pango into ScamShield, but has given no timetable. It is also evaluating additional messaging services and exploring protection for other operating systems, including Apple’s iOS, while maintaining on-device processing and its privacy and security standards.