MOUNTAIN VIEW, United States — Google has introduced a new security feature designed to protect Android users from increasingly sophisticated AI-powered impersonation scams, including fake calls that mimic the voices of family members, friends, or trusted contacts.
Okay News reports that the new fake call detection system will begin rolling out globally this month through the Phone by Google app on Android 12 and newer devices, starting with Google’s Pixel smartphones.
The technology is aimed at combating a growing trend in which fraudsters use AI-generated voices and spoofed caller IDs to impersonate people known to victims. In one common scenario, scammers pose as relatives and request urgent financial assistance during fabricated emergencies.
According to Google, the feature works by automatically verifying whether a call is genuinely coming from the contact being displayed. When both parties use Phone by Google, the caller’s device sends a secure verification signal before the conversation begins. If that signal is missing or cannot be confirmed, the recipient may receive an on-screen warning indicating the call could be fraudulent.
The company said the system operates automatically in the background and is enabled by default. Google also noted that the technology is built on Rich Communication Services (RCS), allowing other developers and communication platforms to potentially adopt similar protections in the future.
The announcement came alongside several other Android updates, including a new Google Photos feature that allows users to virtually try on outfits from their photo libraries, expanded capabilities for Circle to Search, and new AI-powered reading tools within Google Play Books. The rollout reflects Google’s broader effort to use artificial intelligence not only for productivity and consumer features but also to address emerging security threats created by the technology itself.
