Google has unveiled a new security feature for Android devices that can detect and flag suspected impersonation calls in real time, as concerns grow over the rise of AI-powered voice cloning scams worldwide.
The feature, known as Fake Call Detection, was announced on Google’s official blog and is set to roll out globally this month on Android 12 and newer devices, beginning with Pixel smartphones.
According to Google, the feature works automatically by default and does not require users to manually activate it.
The development comes amid a surge in impersonation fraud, which has become one of the fastest-growing forms of cybercrime globally.
According to INTERPOL’s Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment released in March 2026, impersonation fraud contributed significantly to more than $400 billion in global financial losses last year. In the United States alone, the Federal Trade Commission reported losses of $2.95 billion from impersonation scams in 2024.
Google said the new technology acts as a digital verification system between devices. When a contact places a call using the Phone by Google application, the caller’s device sends a silent encrypted confirmation signal to verify that the call is genuinely originating from that device.
If a scammer attempts to spoof a trusted contact’s phone number, the verification signal will be missing. In such cases, the recipient’s phone automatically checks with the real contact’s device. If the contact confirms they are not making the call, the user receives an on-screen warning advising them to end the call immediately.
The verification process is powered by end-to-end encrypted Rich Communication Services (RCS) technology, ensuring the exchange remains private and inaccessible to third parties.
Google noted that the feature is built on the open RCS standard, allowing other smartphone manufacturers and app developers to adopt similar protections.
“Security shouldn’t be limited to just one type of phone or app. We want to raise the bar across the industry to help protect as many people as possible,” the company stated.
Cybersecurity experts have warned that scammers increasingly combine caller ID spoofing with AI-generated voice cloning technology to impersonate family members, employers, government officials, and other trusted individuals.
These attacks are often convincing enough to deceive victims into sharing sensitive information or transferring money.
Google said Fake Call Detection is designed to identify both threats simultaneously, reducing the burden on users to determine whether a call is genuine.
The feature is expected to provide additional protection for Android users in Nigeria, where reports of voice cloning and caller ID spoofing scams have become more common in recent years.
Phone by Google is already the default calling application on most Android devices. Users with alternative phone applications can download it from the Google Play Store and set it as their default calling app to access the feature.
The company added that users who prefer not to use the protection can disable it through the app’s settings.
Fake Call Detection joins a growing suite of scam-prevention tools developed by Google. The company already offers AI-powered scam detection in Google Messages and scam call alerts for Pixel and Samsung devices through the Phone by Google app.
In 2024, Google also introduced real-time scam detection capabilities powered by its Gemini Nano artificial intelligence model, enabling Android smartphones to identify suspicious calls and alert users before they fall victim to fraud.
The company said the latest innovation reflects its broader effort to strengthen user safety as cybercriminals increasingly exploit artificial intelligence to carry out sophisticated scams.
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