EDITOR'S TAKE: Large language models and other AI technologies have increased the number of tools scammers can use to impersonate people over the phone. Google is now trying to fight this "phone slop" with a clever security feature that has nothing to do with AI.
Google recently introduced a new feature designed to improve Android safety against scammers. The "industry-first" Fake Call Detection feature is compatible with most Android phones and works in the background to identify potential fake calls from criminals attempting to impersonate friends or close relatives.
Google described Fake Call Detection as a significant milestone in mobile security, noting that it will improve safety for people using its own products and apps. The feature can intercept suspected fake calls from people trying to impersonate contacts, but only when both parties are using the company's official Phone app.
Fake Call Detection works behind the scenes and is built on top of the Rich Communication Services (RCS) standard. When a user receives a call from a contact, the Phone app sends an "invisible" RCS signal to the contact's Phone app. The app then quickly confirms whether the call is genuinely coming from that contact.
