Google’s Phone app will tell you if a scammer is impersonating one of your contacts


Google is launching a new feature for its Phone app that aims to protect you from AI impersonation scams. Now, when you receive a call from a scammer that appears to be coming from the same number as one of your contacts, Phone by Google will flag the call as suspicious so you can hang up.

In a post explaining the Phone app update, Google describes impersonation scams as a growing threat, with the FBI reporting that Americans lost over $893 million to scams using AI in 2025. To carry out the attack, scammers spoof one of your contacts’ phone numbers and then use AI-powered tech to make their voice sound like a friend, family member, or authority figure. The Phone by Google app will display a notification if you receive one of these fake calls, saying “Someone may be pretending to call from your contact’s number,” along with the option to end the call.

Google is turning on this feature by default for users with Android 12 and later, starting with Pixel phones. This feature only works if you and a trusted contact both use Phone by Google, as a contact’s device will send a “silent confirmation signal” that verifies the call is actually coming from your friend or family member. If a scammer tries to spoof your contact’s number, “that initial confirmation signal will be missing,” according to Google. The company notes that it built this feature atop end-to-end encrypted rich communication services (RCS) technology, allowing other apps to adopt it.

Several other features are coming to Android devices in this June update, including the ability for kids under 13 to access Google’s Personal Safety app. Kids will soon be able to display emergency contacts and medical information on their devices’ lockscreens, as well as turn on car crash detection. Google is more widely rolling out support for its AI-powered clothing try-on feature in Photos, and the ability to find items in an outfit with Circle to Search. Google Play Books users can also use a new AI-powered insights feature that can summarize what you’ve read so far in select titles or answer questions about a specific passage.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    He Blew the Whistle on DOGE. Then His Brakes Were Cut

    On April 14, 2025, Dan Berulis, an IT staffer at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), filed a Congressional whistleblower complaint with an extraordinary and urgent claim: The so-called Department…

    Uber caps employee AI spending after blowing through budget in four months

    AI is getting expensive, and some companies are cutting back on usage in an attempt to moderate costs. That cohort includes Uber, which recently instituted internal usage caps as a…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    Federal court hears arguments over efforts to halt Trump’s mail-in executive order

    Federal court hears arguments over efforts to halt Trump’s mail-in executive order

    Trump administration proposes 25% tariffs on Brazil despite US trade surplus | Tariffs

    Trump administration proposes 25% tariffs on Brazil despite US trade surplus | Tariffs

    The Cracked Crystal Ball II: The Smith Referenda In October

    One-time GST top-up lands this week as part of new grocery benefit – National

    One-time GST top-up lands this week as part of new grocery benefit – National

    Much of southern Manitoba under severe thunderstorm watch

    Much of southern Manitoba under severe thunderstorm watch

    He Blew the Whistle on DOGE. Then His Brakes Were Cut

    He Blew the Whistle on DOGE. Then His Brakes Were Cut