ScamDetector Extension

Protect yourself from online scams with a browser extension that scans websites in real time. It uses advanced search and AI analysis to flag risk factors before you click ‘buy.’

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Inspiration

I recently got scammed when I purchased something from a website that appeared legitimate. A deeper search revealed several red flags. It's easy to forget to research before buying or investing. That's why I created this extension, to analyse websites while you browse, helping save time, money, and protect against scams. Using Perplexity's Search API and the Sonar-Pro model, the extension assesses reviews, scam reports, sentiment, complaint patterns, and fake review indicators to deliver an overall risk score.

What it does

ScamDetector is a browser extension that automatically analyzes any website you're browsing. It searches the web for reviews, scam reports, sentiment patterns, and indicators of fake content to provide a risk score in real-time, helping you make safer decisions online.

How we built it

I built the extension using JavaScript and integrated it with a Flask backend. The backend calls the Sonar-Pro model and interprets the results to generate a structured risk assessment. We also used CORS for secure communication between frontend and backend.

Challenges we ran into

  • Parsing unstructured data and transforming it into a meaningful risk score.
  • Ensuring consistent JSON responses from the LLM.
  • Handling CORS policies for smooth frontend-backend interaction.
  • Designing an intuitive yet non-intrusive UI for the extension.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Successfully integrated Perplexity's search capabilities with a custom risk analysis prompt.
  • Built a working browser extension that operates in real-time.
  • Designed structured output using Pydantic models.
  • Created a full-stack system with automatic website analysis.

What we learned

  • How to structure LLM prompts to yield consistent JSON outputs.
  • Leveraging search-based APIs for real-time data collection and analysis.
  • Developing browser extensions and managing cross-origin communications

What's next for ScamDetector Extension

  • Integrate a chatbot to answer user questions in real-time. The users dont have to go somewhere else for further search
  • Enhance UI/UX for better accessibility and experience.
  • Include an option to display in-depth reviews and tailored next steps, especially if the user suspects they’ve been scammed.
  • Consider integrating a chatbot to offer real-time assistance, so users can ask follow-up questions without needing to leave the page.

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