Google is rolling out a new feature called Scam Detection to the Phone app on Pixel 6 and newer devices. This feature was first shown at I/O 2024 and is now becoming available to users in the U.S. who speak English. Scam Detection is designed to help you identify potential scam calls in real time.
Scam Detection listens for specific signs or patterns in a phone conversation that are usually linked to scams. For example, if someone calls pretending to be from your bank and says there’s an emergency with your account, Scam Detection will analyze the conversation to check if it’s a scam.
If it detects something suspicious, it will send you an alert on your phone. This alert will notify you that the call is likely a scam, and you will see an option to either hang up or mark it as “Not a scam” if you think it’s a legitimate call.
The feature works by using machine learning models that process the conversation on your phone.
It doesn’t store or send any audio or conversation data to Google servers, ensuring your privacy is protected. Scam Detection is turned off by default, so you will need to enable it manually through the settings in the Phone app.
In addition to Scam Detection, Google is also improving its Play Protect system, which checks for harmful apps on your device.
One new feature called “live threat detection” can now spot apps that secretly collect personal information or monitor your activity without your consent.
This is especially focused on “stalkerware” apps at first, but Google plans to expand this feature to detect other types of harmful apps in the future.
The Scam Detection feature is available now for Pixel 6 and newer models, and it’s expected to expand to more phones soon.