Google To Expand Android Scam Detection To More Devices

Google plans to expand its Android scam protection features to more devices beyond its Pixel smartphones later this year. The company's AI-powered Scam Detection in Phone by Google and Google Messages will analyze suspicious messages displayed in notifications to alert users before they open the relevant messaging app. This feature currently reaches hundreds of millions of users on Pixel devices and will soon be available on devices from manufacturers such as HONOR, Infinix, Motorola, OPPO, OnePlus, realme, TECNO, vivo, and Xiaomi.

Additionally, Google is introducing safeguards against phone scams, including screen-sharing protections for Chrome and Android WebView. When users share their screens, sensitive information like login fields and payment screens will be automatically concealed. Another safeguard targets call-forwarding scams, which redirect incoming calls and intercept one-time passwords. Android will block apps from secretly enabling call forwarding and warn users if they manually enter a call-forwarding code.

Google is also working with banks to combat caller ID spoofing through its Verified Financial Calls feature. This feature checks incoming calls against participating banks' official apps to verify if the bank actually initiated the call. If the call fails verification, Android can automatically end it and alert the user. Since its launch in June, the feature has blocked over three million spoofed calls targeting customers of Banco do Brasil and Itaú Unibanco.

Google plans to expand this program to more financial institutions, but has not announced partnerships with Malaysian banks.