Google adds Android protection against AI deepfake scam calls

Key Points:

• Google is launching a new Android security feature called "fake call detection" that identifies and flags scam calls using AI to impersonate personal contacts, rolling out globally this month for Android 12 and later devices, starting with Pixel phones.
• The feature works when both caller and recipient use Phone by Google, sending an encrypted confirmation signal during calls; if the signal is missing, the recipient's device pings the contact’s actual phone to verify authenticity and warns the user if the call is suspicious.
• This technology combats fraud tactics involving phone number spoofing combined with AI voice-cloning, addressing a growing problem highlighted by the FTC and INTERPOL, with impersonation scams causing billions of dollars in losses globally.
• Built on the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard, the feature requires the Phone by Google, Contacts, and Google Messages apps with RCS enabled, and users can install Phone by Google from the Play Store if using other phone apps.
• Google emphasizes that traditional caller ID is no longer reliable against sophisticated scams, and this proactive alert system helps users avoid falling victim to deepfake impersonation and call spoofing in real time.