Phone scams have evolved from simple spam calls to sophisticated AI-powered impersonation attacks. Now, Google is rolling out a new Android feature that leverages the RCS communication standard to verify whether an incoming call truly comes from your contact's smartphone — and warns you if it might be a scam.
In a demo for WIRED, Google showed how the feature works, including a startling example where the reporter's own cloned voice asked for money via Venmo. The system uses RCS to digitally bind a phone number with the actual handset. When calling another Android user, your device sends a “real-time, silent background confirmation signal” to verify the call’s legitimacy, according to Dave Kleidermacher, Android's vice president of security and privacy.
The Growing Threat of AI-Powered Phone Scams
Attackers are increasingly using AI voice-cloning tools to mimic acquaintances or family members in real time. Traditional robocall detection has improved but still fails to catch all spam, leaving a dangerous gap for impersonation scams. Eugene Liderman, director of Android security and privacy product, noted that there was “a real desire within Google to move defenses for victims forward.” The company considered using AI to detect voice clones but deemed it insufficient due to false positives and an endless arms race.
“If you’re calling me and we’re in each others’ mutual contacts databases, and we’re both using the Google dialer that has this capability built into it, then I will always know if it’s really you.” — Dave Kleidermacher, Android vice president of security and privacy
How Android’s New Verification Works
The feature is built on the RCS standard and baked into the Google Dialer. When a call arrives, if the hardware-based confirmation is missing, the Dialer flags the call with an overlay: “This may not be [contact name]. Someone may be pretending to call from your contact's number.” The contact photo is removed from the background, and the call is logged as “Unknown” instead of the contact name. The pop-up simply offers the option to hang up.
Rollout and Availability
Starting today, the feature will roll out in updates for all Android phones running Android 12 (released in 2021) or later. For it to have broad impact, both the caller and receiver must use the Google Dialer and be in each other’s mutual contacts. While Android 12+ devices are ubiquitous globally, the feature’s success depends on widespread adoption of the Google Dialer and RCS.
This move represents a proactive approach to a mounting security challenge, shifting from detection to provable caller identity.
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