You used to be able to spot a scam from a mile away. But over the past few years, scammers have gotten more clever, utilizing new tactics in order to try and fool people into giving away their money or divulging private information.
The good news is that companies are aware, and are also working on tools to combat these types of interactions. Scam Detection has already been a thing on Android, but it now looks like Google is looking to take things even further with new in-call protections.
Protection we all need
While this feature was being tested in the UK, it will now roll out to those in the US as well (via 9to5Google). As far as how it works, it’s actually quite simple. Android will now present a new warning screen if you’re on a phone call with someone that’s not saved as a contact, while also having screen sharing enabled with a financial app open.
Since it’s pretty rare that you would normally have all of this going on at once, a warning message will appear on-screen indicating that there may be a scam in progress. The message explains that someone on the call might be posing as someone they are not, while also discouraging following any instructions or making any payments.
In addition, Google will include a button that will automatically end the call and cancel screen sharing. If you’re still looking to continue with what you’re doing, there will be a 30-second timer put in place in order to slow down the interaction. This will allow the user to gather their thoughts and think about what might be happening at the moment.
For the most part, it’s a simple way to prevent scams from happening. However, it’s important to note that brands need to be on board in order for the protection to function. For now, Google shares that Cash App and Chase products will offer this type of protection. The protection will also expand in the UK, and will begin testing in Brazil and India.
