Google is introducing a new security feature for Android devices designed to protect users from a rapidly growing form of fraud: AI-powered impersonation scams.
Called Fake Call Detection, the feature can identify and flag suspected spoofed calls where scammers use artificial intelligence to clone the voice of someone the victim knows. Google says the tool is the first of its kind in the mobile industry and is aimed at combating increasingly sophisticated deepfake attacks.
The feature arrives as fraudsters increasingly use AI-generated voices and caller ID spoofing to trick people into believing they are speaking with a family member, friend or trusted contact. In a typical scam, criminals can mimic a person’s phone number and voice to create a fake emergency or financial request.
According to Google, fake call detection works automatically when both the caller and recipient use the Phone by Google app. When a legitimate call is placed, the caller’s device sends a secure verification signal to the recipient’s phone through end-to-end encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS) technology.
How the new protection works
Google describes the system as a digital handshake between devices. If a caller claims to be someone from your contacts but the verification signal is missing, Android checks with the actual contact’s device to confirm whether they are making a call.
If the contact’s device confirms no call is being placed, the recipient receives an on-screen warning that the caller may be impersonating someone they know. The alert advises users to end the call immediately.
The company says the process is fully private and relies on encrypted communication. The feature is enabled by default but can be turned off through the Phone by Google app settings.
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Why Google is launching it now
The launch comes as fears grow over AI-fuelled fraud. According to the Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment published by INTERPOL in March 2026, impersonation fraud is one of the major causes for over $400 billion in global losses. Impersonation scams have led to nearly $3 billion in losses in 2024 alone in the U.S., according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Google says traditional caller ID systems are losing their effectiveness as scammers acquire more sophisticated spoofing tools and more realistic AI voice-cloning technology.
This month, they are starting to launch Fake Call Detection globally on Android 12 and up devices, beginning with Pixel phones. If you have an Android phone that is compatible, you can download the Phone by Google app from the Play Store and set it as your default calling app to get the feature.
The rollout is the latest in Google’s efforts to beef up scam protection across Android, along with existing tools like the AI-powered scam detection in Google Messages and verified business communication via RCS.
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