We’re expecting Android 17 to roll out later this month, but first, Google has a batch of updates for the broader Android device ecosystem. As always, some new features are limited to specific devices, and others require using Google’s apps. But if you don’t mind the latter, you can get automatic protection against the growing threat of deepfake phone scams.
According to Google, “impersonation fraud” is one of the most common types of financial scams. The FTC is tracking nearly $3 billion in losses from such scams through 2024, and recent improvements to AI voice cloning tools have made it easier to carry out schemes. Voice models are becoming so capable that it can be difficult to identify a fake caller, even if the AI is imitating someone you talk to every day.
Google’s solution is an expansion of a system it launched last month for verified financial calls. Now, a similar feature will work with any of your contacts. Many of the most effective deepfake scams involve spoofing a contact’s number, making the call seem more legitimate when your phone lights up. Victims of these scams are greeted with an exact re-creation of the voice of the person spinning the yarn that includes an immediate need for cash.
Google’s scam call detection feature will be available on all phones running Android 12 or higher, but it requires you to have Three Installed Google apps: Phone by Google, Contacts, and Google Messages. Depending on your device, you may already have these. They’re preloaded options on Pixel and Motorola phones, and Samsung has now switched completely to Google Messages. Google claims that Phone by Google is the most widely used dialer, but that doesn’t seem to be true—Samsung has its own Phone app, and it’s the biggest Android OEM by far.
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