MOUNTAIN VIEW — Google announced a new scam call detection feature designed to protect users from AI deepfake impersonation scams. The system is now available on all phones running Android 12 or higher.
The feature operates by verifying a silent confirmation signal sent from the caller’s Google dialer app. If that signal is missing, the system sends an authenticated RCS ping via Google Messages to the supposed caller’s device to confirm whether a call is actually being placed. If the caller’s device responds that no call is underway, the recipient sees a warning that the caller may not be who they appear to be.
For the verification process to function, both the caller and the recipient must have three Google apps installed: Phone by Google, Contacts, and Google Messages. The feature is enabled by default and works automatically without user intervention.
According to a Google spokesperson, “Impersonation fraud is one of the most common types of financial scams.” The Federal Trade Commission tracked nearly $3 billion in losses from impersonation scams during 2024. Google noted that advances in AI voice cloning tools are making these scams easier to carry out.
The scam detection system is built on Rich Communication Services (RCS), a standard that Google says enables adoption by other apps and companies beyond its own ecosystem. Phone by Google, Contacts, and Google Messages are preloaded on Pixel and Motorola devices. Samsung has fully switched to Google Messages as its default messaging app.
No independent assessment was available for this report.