Google Introduces Fake Call Detection To Combat AI Deepfake Impersonation Schemes

In order to guard against AI deepfake impersonation schemes, Google said on Tuesday that Android is implementing fake call detection. This month, Google will launch the feature in Phone by Google on all Android 12+ phones worldwide, beginning with Pixel devices.

Scammers are changing their methods by impersonating trusted phone numbers and employing AI deepfake technology to sound like employers, family members, or authority officials as more consumers refuse to receive calls from unknown numbers.

For instance, someone might get a call with the caller ID "Mom," and although the caller may sound exactly like her, the caller is actually a con artist employing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to pose as her and demand money for a fictitious emergency.

The new feature operates automatically in the background and is activated by default.

According to Google, the new functionality functions similarly to a "digital handshake between devices." When a contact calls you when you are both using Phone by Google, their phone sends a discreet confirmation signal to your device to confirm that the call is genuine and coming from their phone.

“If a scammer tries to impersonate your trusted contact, that initial confirmation signal will be missing,” Google explained in a blog post. “Your device will instantly notice this and ping your contact’s actual device to double-check. If their real device says, ‘I’m not making a call right now,’ you’ll get a warning on your screen advising you to hang up immediately.”

The IT behemoth points out that it developed this feature on top of Rich Communication Services (RCS), enabling other apps and companies to use the technology.

Alongside other Android improvements, such as a new Google Photos feature that allows users to mix and match outfits and virtually try them on, the introduction of bogus call identification was revealed. The new "wardrobe" feature creates photos that you may view on your phone in order to catalog the things you're wearing in your photo library. Next week, the capability will be available to qualified Android 10+ users in the United States, India, and Brazil.

A new "Catch me up" feature that allows users to return to a tale with a summary is also being added to Google Play Books. In order to ask inquiries, users can additionally highlight a passage. For a few English titles, these features are being released today.

The “Circle to Search” feature will now be able to locate every item in an outfit simultaneously, eliminating the need to search for each item separately. All Android 14+ devices with Circle to Search can now get this update.