Google Phone app rolling out Android fake call detection that uses RCS

Phone by Google wants to combat the “growing threat of impersonation scams” and protect Android users against “sophisticated, AI-powered deepfake attacks” with fake call detection.

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Imagine your phone rings. The caller ID says “Mom.” You answer, and it sounds exactly like her; she has the same tone, the same voice. However, the person on the other end isn’t your mom — it’s a scammer using AI tools to impersonate her and demand money from you for a fake emergency.

1. Scammers spoof the phone number, routing calls through internet-based software to make it appear as though the call is originating from a familiar, trusted contact.
2. Then they use easily accessible AI deepfake technology to sound exactly like an authority figure, family member, or employer. In fact, experts say AI audio deepfakes have become so realistic that most people can no longer reliably distinguish them from real human voices.

Fake call detection requires that both parties are on Android and use the Phone by Google app, while Google Messages and Google Contacts also have to be installed. When a contact calls, their phone “sends a silent confirmation signal in real time to your device to verify the call is legitimate and truly coming from the contact’s device.” This digital handshake uses end-to-end encrypted RCS (Rich Communication Services).

If you’re being scammed by an impersonator, your phone will notice that the “initial confirmation signal will be missing,” and ping the contact’s real 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.

This feature will be available globally on Android 12+ phones starting with Pixel devices this month. Fake call detection is enabled by default but can be turned off at any time.

Google says it’s “possible for other apps and device manufacturers to adopt this technology” given the RCS underpinnings.