The ultimate scam-baiting bot
Most companies use AI to get work done, but the Australian startup Apate is using it to go undercover. Founded in 2024 based on research from Macquarie University, Apate deploys thousands of AI agents that masquerade as unsuspecting victims. These bots are programmed to be everything from tech-illiterate elders to busy professionals, and they speak multiple languages to keep fraudsters on the hook.
Instead of hanging up, these agents answer scam calls, reply to shady texts, and join suspicious social media groups. The goal? Keep the scammer talking long enough to extract intel like malicious websites, bank account details, and crypto wallet addresses.
Why it matters
Real talk: AI has made life harder for the rest of us, with scammers using deepfakes and automated scripts to commit fraud. In 2025 alone, the FBI logged over 22,000 complaints of AI-related crime, resulting in nearly $900 million in losses. Apate’s approach is a total shift in strategy—the company says it has already wasted 17 years of scammers' time across 2.5 million conversations.
It’s giving 'main character energy' when Apate staff celebrate every time a scammer gets annoyed enough to swear at their bots. By feeding this gathered data to banks, telcos, and government agencies, the startup helps companies block fraud before it happens to a real person. Commonwealth Bank of Australia has already seen a 76% drop in reported scam losses using the tech.
Currently a finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt’s Startup Battlefield, Apate has raised nearly $10 million to date, with plans to expand into the U.S. and London. Consider it the ultimate W against the people trying to drain your bank account.
