How it works · PR & communications · live screening

One PR firm's morning, run through Counsel.

Seven emails before the news cycle wakes up - a spoofed journalist, an embargo to hold, half-year results to handle. Counsel screens out the fakes and puts the real media requests in front of the right person, scored against what's live.

The fraud verdicts on this page are the actual output of the CounselAgent screening engine run on this sample inbox - not a mock-up. Re-screen with node rescreen-demo.js pr.

01 · The Vault — the brain

Before any email arrives, Counsel knows what's live.

Each client's current situation is on file - the results due, the embargo running, the story circulating. That context is what makes triage sharp: the same media request matters more or less depending on what's live right now.

Cygnet Financial

lead · Hugh Pemberton
Challenger bank / consumer fintech
What's liveHalf-year results next week (strong, but a rising-complaints line to handle carefully).

Northwind Energy

lead · Clara Beaumont
Offshore wind & renewable energy generator
What's liveA turbine-fault story running in the trade press after an incident at the Dogger fields - managing the narrative and a possible national pick-up.

Brackenford Distillery

lead · Olivia Hartley
Premium British gin & whisky distillery, founder-led
What's liveA direct-to-consumer launch plus an awards push (shortlisted for two trade awards).
02 · The inbox — the senses

The morning's mail lands.

Seven messages. To a person they all look plausible - a journalist after a steer, a results query, a renewal invoice, a webinar. Counsel screens every one at the door before anybody opens them.

Need the Cygnet results early - off the record
Sarah Mills - Reuters <s.mills.reuters@journalist-mail.com>
scam
You've been shortlisted - pay your entry fee to confirm
UK Communications Awards <entries@ukcomms-awards.net>
scam
Your media-monitoring subscription is due - updated bank details
Meltwater Renewals <billing@meltwater-renewal.com>
scam
Northwind turbine fault - comment by 5pm?
Dani Roth <d.roth@thetimes.co.uk>
legit
Cygnet results under embargo - and an interview?
Marcus Bell <marcus.bell@ft.com>
legit
Brackenford founder profile + tasting
Lucy Glen <lucy@thespiritsbusiness.com>
legit
Free webinar: AI in the comms newsroom
PR Futures Webinars <events@prfutures-webinars.com>
noise
03 · Fraud check — the guard

The fakes caught at the door.

Every inbound is screened - deterministic rules plus an AI verdict - before anyone replies. A spoofed journalist fishing for the results early, and a "changed bank details" renewal, both stopped. A guard that runs quietly so the team can trust their inbox.

3 quarantined · 4 passed to triage · 0 reached the team
⚠ HIGH-RISK · quarantinedCygnet Financial
Need the Cygnet results early - off the record
Sarah Mills - Reuters <s.mills.reuters@journalist-mail.com>
  • criticaldmarc fail — DMARC authentication FAILED — sender likely spoofed.
⚠ HIGH-RISK · quarantined
You've been shortlisted - pay your entry fee to confirm
UK Communications Awards <entries@ukcomms-awards.net>
  • criticaldmarc fail — DMARC authentication FAILED — sender likely spoofed.
  • lowurgency language — Body uses urgency/threat language patterns (2 matches).
+ 1 more quarantined — same treatment.
04 · Triage — the heart of the day

The real media mail, scored against what's live and routed.

This is where the day is won. Only the genuine mail reaches triage. Each request is scored against its client's live situation, given a recommended posture - on the record, hold the line, escalate - and routed to the right person. An embargo mid-results-week ranks differently to a cold request on a quiet account.

Northwind EnergyMedia request
Northwind turbine fault - comment by 5pm?
Dani Roth <d.roth@thetimes.co.uk>
Impact5/5
RouteCrisis team
The Times wants comment on the turbine fault by 5pm - the national pick-up. Crisis line + CEO sign-off.
Suggested postureIssue the agreed holding line only; escalate to the CEO/crisis team now; no speculation on cause.
Cygnet FinancialEmbargo
Cygnet results under embargo - and an interview?
Marcus Bell <marcus.bell@ft.com>
Impact4/5
RouteAccount lead
FT requesting the results under embargo plus a CEO interview - manage and secure the interview.
Suggested postureOffer under embargo once figures are signed off; lock in the interview slot this week.
Brackenford DistilleryMedia request
Brackenford founder profile + tasting
Lucy Glen <lucy@thespiritsbusiness.com>
Impact3/5
RouteAccount lead
Founder profile opportunity - peg to the awards shortlist and D2C launch.
Suggested postureOffer a distillery visit + tasting with the founder this fortnight.
— 1 message dropped as noise (no client mentioned) — no AI call, the cost guard.
— 3 fakes quarantined upstream — never triaged, never allowed to enrich a client's record.
05 · Morning report → back into the vault

Everything it learned, written back.

The high-impact items become private signals woven into each client's morning brief - and the whole lot is written back into the knowledge vault, so tomorrow the brain is current. The loop closes.

Northwind EnergyMedia request (impact 5) — The Times wants comment on the turbine fault by 5pm.
Cygnet FinancialEmbargo (impact 4) — FT requesting the results under embargo plus a CEO interview.
Brackenford DistilleryMedia request (impact 3) — Founder profile opportunity.