Understanding the new security features on iPhone and iPad to avoid scammers

Apple is reported to have introduced a new security feature for iPhone and iPad through its latest operating system updates, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, named ‘Impersonation Risk Detection’.

While this is not the primary feature introduced in Apple’s OS updates, it provides highly useful benefits for avoiding digital fraud that frequently employs social engineering schemes.

According to a report from Engadget on Tuesday (29/9) local time, this feature runs entirely on the device, ensuring that Apple never sees the photos, text messages, or private content of iPhone and iPad users.

The feature is optional and serves as a supplement to Apple’s other efforts to protect users in the digital space.

For instance, when users perform sensitive actions such as making payments or changing account security details, supporting applications can request a real-time risk assessment.

Users’ phones that have activated the feature will generate a risk assessment by analysing interaction patterns, time, context, and basic sensor data, all of which are processed on-device.

The first level of assessment is ‘low’, where the feature detects minimal signs of suspicious activity.

The second assessment is ‘medium’, where the feature detects several signs of suspicious activity.

Finally, there is ‘high’ risk, which occurs when too many security red flags are detected on the user’s device.

The feature will detect suspicious behaviour during critical moments that criminals often rely upon.

Nevertheless, the decision regarding the next course of action remains in the hands of the application developers.

Depending on the level of risk detected by ‘Impersonation Risk Detection’, applications may require users to perform identity verification, implement a short waiting period, or display notifications.

To use it, users should scroll down to find ‘Impersonation Risk Detection’ and activate the ‘Share with App Developers’ service.

Apple warns that if someone contacts an iPhone or iPad user and insists that they disable this feature, the user should treat it as a red flag.

This is also why Apple designed the feature so that when a user disables it, a 24-hour delay is required before the change takes effect.

This feature only works with applications designed to support it, and Apple has not yet published a list of such applications.