Google is rolling out a new security feature called ‘fake call detection’ to combat the growing threat of AI-generated deepfake scam calls on Android devices. This feature uses artificial intelligence to verify the authenticity of incoming phone calls and will be enabled by default on Android 12 and later devices, starting with Pixel devices.
The new feature works by sending a silent, encrypted confirmation signal from the caller’s device to the recipient’s device in real-time. If this signal is not sent, indicating that the call may be spoofed, the recipient’s device will ping the contact’s actual phone to verify the call’s authenticity. If the contact’s device confirms it is not placing a call, the recipient receives an on-screen warning to hang up immediately.
According to Google, this feature addresses two widespread fraud tactics: scammers spoofing a familiar contact’s phone number while simultaneously using AI voice-cloning technology to mimic that person’s voice. The company notes that traditional caller ID is no longer sufficient due to these new tactics.
The ‘fake call detection’ feature is built on top of the Rich Communication Services (RCS) open standard and will only work on Android devices where the Phone by Google, Contacts, and Google Messages (with RCS enabled) apps are installed. This means that users must have these apps installed and set as their default phone app to take advantage of this new security feature.
The introduction of ‘fake call detection’ comes at a time when deepfake scam calls are becoming increasingly common. Last year, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned that reported losses from impersonation scams reached $2.95 billion in 2024 alone, while INTERPOL’s March 2026 Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment flagged impersonation fraud as one of the leading threats contributing to more than $440 billion in global losses last year.
Google is also expanding support for Android in-call scam protection to multiple banks and financial apps in the United States, including Cash App (with 57 million users) and the JPMorganChase mobile banking app (with over 50 million downloads).
**What You Need to Know:**
* Google’s new ‘fake call detection’ feature uses AI to verify incoming calls on Android devices.
* The feature will be enabled by default on Android 12 and later devices, starting with Pixel devices.
* It works by sending a silent confirmation signal from the caller’s device to the recipient’s device in real-time.
* If the signal is not sent, the recipient receives an on-screen warning to hang up immediately.
**Why This Matters:**
* Deepfake scam calls are becoming increasingly common and can result in significant financial losses.
* Google’s new feature addresses two widespread fraud tactics used by scammers.
* The feature is built on top of the RCS open standard and requires users to have specific apps installed and set as their default phone app.
Source: Original article