Android Strengthens Scam Defenses for Calls and Texts

Google is launching new Android security features, including built-in protections for Google Messages and call forwarding, to block scams before they happen. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company said it’s using its AI technology to offer some of these protections and is already flagging 5 million suspected scam calls and texts every month in its Phone and Google Messages apps.

The scam-detection updates include:

• An optional setting for Google Messages that enables an enhanced protection mode. This uses AI computing power, which Google says is handled privately with encryption on its servers, and can evaluate more of the message content to “understand a scammer’s intent more quickly when you’re in a conversation with an unknown sender.” It will also screen for malicious links and unfamiliar numbers. This option isn’t immediately available. Google says it will roll out over the next few weeks.
• Later this year, Google will bring scam detection to chat notifications on smartphones from other manufacturers, including Motorola, OnePlus and Xiaomi, as well as on its Pixel devices.
• Screen sharing will prevent sensitive info from being shown in login fields. For instance, if you’re screen sharing and need to enter a password, those fields will automatically be hidden to guard that information.
• Proactive call-forwarding protection will block apps from forwarding your calls without notifying you. This stops scammers from using call-forwarding tricks to intercept your passcodes and hijack accounts.

Google says it commissioned a study to gauge how concerned its users are about scams and found that 40% of the 4,500 adults who took a YouGov survey are “very” or “extremely” concerned about mobile fraud.

The updates could affect former users of Samsung Messages. That service shut down in July, and users were urged to switch to Google Messages.