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Phone companies have struggled to rein in the growing number of fraud calls, but Google deploying technology that it says will make certain targeted scams much harder to pull off. This week, the Android platform developer announced a feature that it’s calling an “industry first” to detect fake calls.
Google plans to launch the anti-spoofing feature before the end of June. If it lives up to the hype, it could be one of the most meaningful consumer security upgrades in recent years.
The threat that Google is targeting is real and growing fast. Scammers can now easily access AI voice cloning tools and impersonate the voice of almost anyone. That potentially includes family members, a familiar bank employee, or even your boss.
One specific scam described by Google involves a scammer impersonating the target’s grandchild with an AI-generated voice. The scammer claims that they need money urgently to get out of trouble.
Identity Verification in the Background
Google’s solution isn’t universal. It requires both users to be using Android’s native dialer app, Phone by Google, and only protects you from scammers impersonating people in your contacts. Under those conditions, however, the protection will be automatic.
When an Android user in your contacts calls you, their phone automatically sends an end-to-end encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS) confirmation to verify in real time that the call is genuinely coming from that device. The two parties won’t notice any of this happening.
If your phone doesn’t receive that signal, it will ping the contact’s actual device to double-check. If it doesn’t receive confirmation that the call is genuinely coming from that device, it will show a warning on the screen telling you to hang up.
The great part is that neither caller has to do anything extra, such as entering a verification code or opting in. The prompt only appears when something is wrong.
Google Pixel devices on Android 12 will get the update first, followed by a global rollout. This is the latest security feature Google is releasing to tackle this type of threat. It previously launched a verified financial calls feature to let users know if someone might be impersonating a bank.
This system won’t do anything about untargeted robocalls, but it will make life harder for scammers who try to exploit the trust and urgency that family emergencies can create.
Deepfake Technology is Cheap and Easy to Access
The timing of this launch comes amid the rapid advancement of AI tools that can generate convincing voice deepfakes. These are now cheap, fast and widely available. The Federal Trade Commission has documented significant growth in impersonation scams over recent years and says that AI is becoming an increasingly important and effective tool for the scammers.
There are some limitations to Google’s new feature. The obvious one is that both the impersonated caller and the intended victim need to be using Phone by Google. However, it is a step in the right direction, especially as some of the AI voice scams that could cause the most damage target older people who might not be as skeptical about what they hear.
Moving some of the burden of detection away from them and onto the technology can only be a positive thing.
It’s also part of a broader pattern of phone makers and operating systems identifying the smartphone’s role in these attacks and taking proactive steps to fight back.
Also in Consumer Tech News
Apple Takes Aim at Chrome With Privacy Provocation
While Google focuses on phone scams, Apple published a sharp new ad campaign this week framing Safari as the only browser that genuinely keeps your data private. The ad depicts people using non-Apple phones and browsers while chrome-suited figures cling to them wherever they go, including the gym, art galleries, and while eating their lunches.
It’s a direct jab at Chrome, with one of the characters in the shiny suits prompting someone to say “Ooh, Chrome.” Apple’s broader claim is that Safari blocks third-party cookies, hides your IP address, prevents device fingerprinting, and essentially functions as a VPN with its Private Relay feature. The ad pointedly states that Chrome’s Incognito mode can’t keep you hidden from trackers.
Amazon to Showcase AI-Generated Images of Products
Amazon has started showing AI-generated images in its U.S. shopping results. The catch is that these aren’t real products that people can buy.
Amazon wants to use this approach to showcase search concepts for shoppers. For example, someone who searches for a flannel shirt will see AI-generated style variants that they can tap to refine the results.
The goal is to bridge the gap between vague intent and specific search terms. The concern is that shoppers might like the AI-generated image so much that they want to buy that exact item before realizing it doesn’t actually exist.
Opal Electronics Betting Big on AI Hardware
Opal, the San Francisco-based startup that developed a cult-like following with its premium webcams, is reinventing itself as a broader consumer electronics company with AI at the center. The company raised $40 million in a Series B round from OpenAI, with the likes of Sam Altman and Peter Thiel investing.
Its first product is an AI-powered audio gadget that the company plans to launch in the next 3-4 months. Sam Altman and researchers at leading AI companies are reportedly testing it. The device will support multiple AI models.
