iOS 27 has a hidden anti-scam setting — here’s why every iPhone user should turn it on

Apple is rolling out iOS 27, introducing a feature called Impersonation Risk Detection aimed at combating sophisticated social engineering scams. These scams can manifest as deceitful text messages or calls from imitating government agents or bank representatives. The new system-level feature serves as a built-in safety mechanism, warning users before they provide sensitive information or money.

Unlike intrusive security tools that scan personal files, Impersonation Risk Detection follows Apple's privacy-first approach. When a user attempts a sensitive action within a supported app, such as transferring money or changing critical security settings, the app can request a risk assessment from iOS 27. Apple evaluates interaction timing, behavioral patterns, context, and basic sensor data to determine if the user may be falling victim to a scam.

Based on this analysis, iOS 27 classifies potential risks into three levels: Unknown, Medium, and High. High-risk situations may prompt extra identity verification, transaction delays, or urgent warning banners. By default, the feature is disabled upon updating to iOS 27 due to its requirement for sharing event signals with app developers and system diagnostic servers.

To enable it, users must manually toggle the switch on in their iPhone settings. After activation, the feature can take up to 24 hours to fully integrate across compatible apps. Users can monitor Recent Activity to track which apps have requested risk assessments and the corresponding actions. Apple emphasizes that user privacy remains intact as the feature does not analyze the content of Messages, Photos, or Mail.