What is HoaxHound?

HoaxHound is a free online tool that uses artificial intelligence to analyze email content and help users identify potential scams. By examining language patterns, suspicious requests, and other red flags, our service provides an assessment of whether an email is likely legitimate or fraudulent.

Is HoaxHound free to use?

Yes, HoaxHound is completely free for personal use. We believe everyone should have access to tools that help protect them from online threats.

How accurate is HoaxHound?

While we strive for high accuracy, no automated system can detect 100% of scams. Our service identifies many common scam patterns and suspicious elements, but should be used as one tool in your security toolkit, not as the sole determinant of an email's legitimacy. Always exercise caution with suspicious emails.

Can HoaxHound analyze emails in languages other than English?

Currently, HoaxHound is optimized for English-language emails. While it may identify some suspicious patterns in other languages, the accuracy will be significantly lower. We're working on expanding our language capabilities in future updates.

How do I use HoaxHound?

Simply copy the content of a suspicious email and paste it into the text box on our homepage. Click the "Analyze" button, and our AI will evaluate the content and provide an assessment of whether it's likely a scam or legitimate.

Do I need to create an account to use HoaxHound?

No, you don't need to create an account or register to use our basic scam detection service. Simply visit our website and start analyzing emails immediately.

Can I use HoaxHound on my phone or tablet?

Yes, HoaxHound is fully responsive and works on desktop computers, tablets, and mobile phones. You can access our service from any device with a web browser.

Is there a limit to how many emails I can analyze?

For most users, there are no strict limits. However, to prevent service abuse, we may implement rate limiting during periods of high usage. If you need to analyze large volumes of emails, please contact us to discuss your needs.

Is my email data stored by HoaxHound?

We temporarily store email content submitted for analysis to process your request. This data is not retained. For complete details, please review our Privacy Policy.

Is it safe to paste my email content into HoaxHound?

Yes, we use secure connections (HTTPS) to encrypt data transmitted between your browser and our servers. However, for your privacy, we recommend removing any sensitive personal information (like account numbers, passwords, or identification numbers) before submitting email content for analysis.

Do you share my data with third parties?

We do not sell or share your data with third parties except as necessary to provide our service (such as with our AI provider). For complete information on how we handle your data, please review our Privacy Policy.

Can HoaxHound access my email account?

No, HoaxHound cannot and does not access your email account. Our service only analyzes the specific email content that you manually copy and paste into our tool.

How does HoaxHound identify scams?

HoaxHound uses artificial intelligence powered by Anthropic's Claude API to analyze email content for common scam patterns, suspicious language, urgency tactics, and other red flags. The system evaluates various aspects including suspicious links, requests for personal information, grammar and spelling inconsistencies, impersonation attempts, and unusual requests.

Can HoaxHound analyze email attachments?

Currently, HoaxHound only analyzes email text content. We cannot scan attachments for malware or phishing attempts. As a general security practice, you should be cautious about opening attachments from unknown or suspicious sources.

Can I use HoaxHound for business emails?

Yes, individuals can use HoaxHound to check suspicious business emails. However, for organizations looking to implement email security solutions at scale, we recommend professional security services specifically designed for business environments.

Does HoaxHound work on spam emails too?

Yes, HoaxHound can help identify both phishing scams and spam emails. However, our primary focus is on detecting potentially harmful scams rather than merely annoying but harmless spam.

What should I do if HoaxHound identifies an email as a potential scam?

If an email is identified as a potential scam, we recommend:

• Do not click on any links or download any attachments
• Do not reply to the sender
• If the email appears to be from a company you do business with, contact them directly using their official website or phone number (not the contact information in the suspicious email)
• Report the email to the appropriate authorities (see below)
• Delete the email

Where can I report email scams?

Please check with your local consumer protection agencies for reporting procedures.

What if I've already clicked a link or responded to a scam email?

If you've interacted with a scam email:

• If you provided passwords, change them immediately on all accounts where you used the same or similar passwords
• If you provided financial information, contact your bank or credit card company immediately
• Monitor your accounts for suspicious activity
• Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit reports
• Run a virus scan on your device
• Report the incident to the appropriate authorities

What if HoaxHound says an email is legitimate, but I'm still unsure?

Always trust your instincts. If something feels suspicious, it's better to be cautious. HoaxHound is a helpful tool, but it's not infallible. For emails requesting sensitive information or action, verify through official channels before proceeding, regardless of our assessment.

How can I provide feedback about HoaxHound?

We welcome your feedback! You can share your thoughts, suggestions, or report issues through our Feedback page or by emailing us directly at feedback@hoaxhound.com.

What if HoaxHound incorrectly identifies an email?

While we strive for accuracy, misidentifications can occasionally occur. If you believe our system has incorrectly analyzed an email, please let us know through our feedback form. Your input helps us improve our detection algorithms.

Are you planning to add new features?

Yes! We're continuously working to improve HoaxHound and add new capabilities. Future updates may include support for additional languages, enhanced detection algorithms, attachment scanning, and more.