Android Will Use Gemini AI to Detect and Warn Users About Scam Messages

Google is expanding its security features for Android with new tools designed to help users identify scams before they become victims. One of the key additions is an optional scam detection feature in Google Messages that uses Gemini AI to identify suspicious conversations and warn users about potentially deceptive messages.

When enabled, Scam Detection uses Google’s advanced Gemini models to assess a sender’s intentions and flag conversations that may involve fraud or social engineering. For example, a scammer might start a conversation by pretending to share a photo of the recipient with their dog. Even after being told they have contacted the wrong person, the sender continues the conversation and asks for the recipient’s name. This seemingly harmless interaction can be an attempt to build trust before launching a scam.

How Gemini AI Scam Detection Works on Android

Google says Android processes messages through Private AI Compute, a secure environment designed to protect user privacy. Messages are encrypted and analyzed in a protected space that prevents access by others, including Google.

In addition to identifying suspicious conversations, Gemini Nano will analyze links in Google Messages directly on supported devices. This on-device processing helps determine whether a link may be unsafe before a user taps it.

The feature is expected to be available on select devices, including the Google Pixel 10 series and newer, Samsung Galaxy S26 series, Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold 8, among other compatible models. Google is also redesigning scam warnings to provide more context and give users additional time to assess links received from numbers that are not saved in their contacts.

The new opt-in security setting is scheduled to roll out over the coming weeks.

Scam Warnings Expand to More Android Devices

Google is also extending Scam Detection in chat notifications beyond Pixel smartphones. The feature can display warnings directly in message notifications, allowing users to recognize potentially fraudulent messages without opening the conversation.

To bring this protection to a wider range of Android devices, Google is working with manufacturers such as Honor, Motorola, OPPO, OnePlus, realme, vivo, and Xiaomi. These companies are expected to enable the feature on supported devices later in the year.

By placing scam alerts directly in notifications, Android aims to help users recognize suspicious activity earlier and avoid engaging with potentially dangerous messages.

Android 15 Adds Automatic Privacy Protection During Screen Sharing

Google is introducing another security improvement for devices running Android 15 and newer. The automatic screen-sharing privacy feature is designed to hide sensitive information, including passwords, banking details, and credit card security codes, when users share their screens with Chrome or Android WebView open.

This protection can help reduce the risk of exposing confidential information during screen sharing, particularly when users are receiving technical support or participating in online sessions.

Google is also preparing to introduce call forwarding protection on Pixel and other selected Android devices. The feature is designed to prevent apps from secretly activating call forwarding in the background.

Users will receive a warning if someone attempts to trick them into entering an MMI forwarding code, a short sequence of characters used to activate certain phone services. Such codes can be abused by scammers to redirect incoming calls without the user’s knowledge.

Google Uses Bank Partnerships to Block Impersonation Scams

Google is also addressing phone scams through a collaboration with banks in Brazil. The initiative helps Android users verify whether an incoming call genuinely comes from a participating bank.

When a call claims to be from a bank, Android performs a verification check. If the caller fails the check, the system ends the call and alerts the user. According to Google, the feature has already blocked more than three million fake calls since its launch in June.

Google has not confirmed whether this bank verification feature will become available in the United States. However, the company has indicated that it plans to work with additional banking partners to expand the protection.

What Google’s New Android Security Features Mean for Users

These updates reflect Google’s broader effort to protect Android users from increasingly sophisticated scams. By combining Gemini AI-powered message analysis, safer link detection, notification-based warnings, screen-sharing privacy, and call forwarding safeguards, Android is adding more layers of protection against common fraud techniques.

Although these tools can help users identify suspicious activity, they cannot guarantee that every scam will be detected. Users should still avoid sharing passwords, verification codes, or banking information with unknown contacts and verify unexpected requests through official channels.

As these features roll out to compatible devices, Android users will have additional tools to recognize potential scams and protect their personal information before a suspicious interaction leads to financial or privacy risks.