PayShield⁺ works without sign-up or a PayShield⁺ account. It combines default SMS/MMS messaging with tools for checking suspicious links, messages and apps. Start with optional-permission onboarding and open the tools without entering an email or password.

PAYSHIELD⁺ MESSAGES
Choose PayShield⁺ as your default messaging app to receive, read, store and send SMS and MMS. View conversations and open MMS attachments. Optional scam checks score message text on your phone and flag suspicious links. Android's default messaging role is required for SMS permissions. Mobile-carrier charges may apply. Choose another default SMS app in Android Settings to stop PayShield⁺'s messaging access.

LINK AND MESSAGE CHECKS
Paste a web address or email address, scan a QR code, or share supported content into PayShield⁺ for inspection. Results highlight warning signs; they cannot guarantee that a message, person or website is safe. Web addresses may be sent to Google Safe Browsing, and domains, email addresses or phone numbers may be sent to APIVoid for the corresponding reputation check.

OPTIONAL ACCESSIBILITY LINK SCANNING
PayShield⁺ uses Android's AccessibilityService API to read visible screen text, web addresses, app names and text positions in supported apps. It scores displayed messages locally and shows warnings and safety tags. Extracted full web addresses may be sent to Google Safe Browsing and domain names to APIVoid. Surrounding screen and message text is not uploaded to those services. Known password fields are excluded. If you tap a warning's back button, PayShield⁺ can use Accessibility actions to go back and close the dangerous Chrome tab. PayShield⁺ is a security app and is not an accessibility tool. Read the separate in-app disclosure and choose whether to enable this optional feature. You can withdraw consent in Settings.

OPTIONAL NETWORK FILTERING
PayShield⁺ uses Android's VpnService API for device-security DNS filtering. It reads requested domain names, answers blocked domains locally, and sends allowed DNS requests to Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 resolver using encrypted DNS over TLS. Cloudflare receives the requested domains and your network IP address. This feature does not tunnel all traffic or provide anonymous browsing. Android permits one active VPN at a time. Filtering covers apps using Android's DNS resolver; apps using their own DNS servers, browser encrypted DNS, Android Private DNS and direct-IP connections can bypass it. A separate in-app disclosure and Android VPN consent precede activation.

OPTIONAL CALL GUARD
Enable Android call screening to check incoming numbers against local rules and cached reputation, with optional caller-ID overlays. Optional Call Log access lets you review and score recent calls locally for spam; Contacts access resolves saved names. Manual number checks may send the number to APIVoid. Call screening and call-history access are separate choices.

OPTIONAL NOTIFICATION AND APP MONITORING
Notification access lets PayShield⁺ check supported notification previews for scams and identify remote-access session indicators. App Guard inspects installed apps, signatures, files and requested permissions locally. Each background capability has separate disclosure and consent. Declining optional access leaves other tools available.

PRIVACY AND CONTROL
Scan history and app results are stored locally and can be cleared in Settings. Clearing scan history does not delete messages from Android's messaging database. Settings links to the privacy policy. For accounts created in earlier PayShield⁺ versions, it lets you prepare a deletion request to support. Optional subscriptions and restoration use your Google Play account. Security checks reduce risk; they do not replace your own judgement.

Support: support@myplanetguard.com