Google launches Fake Call Detection on Android

Google has launched a new security feature for Android designed to detect and warn users about scam calls that use artificial intelligence to impersonate trusted contacts. The feature, called Fake Call Detection, began rolling out globally this month, starting with Pixel devices before expanding to other smartphones running Android 12 or newer.

The system operates automatically within the Phone by Google app. When a user receives a call from a contact, the caller’s device sends a silent, encrypted verification signal to the recipient’s device using the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard. This signal confirms the call is genuinely originating from the contact’s smartphone. If a scammer attempts to spoof that contact’s phone number and voice, the verification signal will be absent. The receiving device then checks with the legitimate contact’s phone; if that phone is not making a call, a warning appears on screen advising the user to hang up.

The launch addresses a growing threat as scammers increasingly use AI voice-cloning tools to make deceptive calls more convincing. These impersonation scams, where fraudsters pretend to be family members, friends, or authority...