Google is trying to get rid of phone scams on Android. Here's how to tell if a call is fake before you answer it
Phone fraud remains one of the most persistent threats in the digital age, and now Google wants to curb it with a new layer of security in the Android system.
The company is working on developing a more sophisticated system capable of detecting fraudulent calls even before the user answers, thus enhancing protection against identity theft.
For years, cybercriminals have used techniques that enable them to spoof phone numbers to make it appear that the call is coming from a legitimate source, such as a bank or government agency.
Google's new solution includes an enhanced authenticated call system. Until now, this feature has been limited to the company's own phone app, but the next step will be its direct integration into the system via Google Play services. This will allow the security to function even when the user is using third-party calling apps, significantly expanding its reach.
One of the most important aspects of this technology is the detection of DNO numbers. These are official numbers belonging to companies or organizations that are only for receiving calls, not making them. For example, the customer service number of a bank. Scammers often impersonate these numbers to gain users' trust, but with this new system, Android will be able to identify them and alert the user.
Furthermore, protection can be partially configured via installed applications. For example, if you have your bank's app, it can tell the system which numbers should be considered suspicious if they make outgoing calls.
Currently, this feature is still under development and there is no official release date.