Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Imagine receiving a call from your mother. Her name appears on the screen, the phone number matches the one saved in your contacts, and the voice sounds exactly like hers. She tells you there is an emergency and urgently needs money.
But what if the caller is not your mother at all?
To help users spot such scams, Google has introduced a new fake call detection feature for Android devices. The tool is designed to identify calls in which scammers use AI-generated voices and spoofed phone numbers to impersonate trusted contacts such as family members, friends, or colleagues.
How scammers are changing their tactics
The feature arrives as cybercriminals increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to make their scams more convincing. For years, fraudsters relied on spam calls, phishing attempts, and fake customer support schemes to trick victims. But as people became more cautious and stopped answering calls from unknown numbers, scammers began looking for new ways to gain their trust.
Their latest tactic combines two powerful technologies.
First, scammers spoof phone numbers, making a call appear as though it is coming from a familiar contact. They then use AI voice-cloning tools to mimic the voice of a family member, employer, or authority figure. Experts say AI-generated voices have become so realistic that many people struggle to tell them apart from genuine human voices.
This creates a dangerous situation in which victims may trust both what they see on their phone screen and what they hear on the other end of the line.
Google’s answer: Verify the device, not just the voice
Google believes the answer is to verify not just the voice, but the device making the call.
The company says its new system works like a digital handshake between phones. When a trusted contact calls you, and both devices are using Phone by Google, the caller’s phone silently sends a verification signal confirming that the call is genuinely originating from that device.
If a scammer is impersonating a contact by spoofing their number, that verification signal will be missing. Your phone will then automatically check with the contact’s actual device. If the real device confirms that no call is being made, Android will display a warning that the caller may be an impersonator and advise you to hang up.
In other words, even if scammers manage to copy someone’s voice, they may not be able to fake the phone behind it.
Rolling out globally
The feature is rolling out globally this month through Phone by Google on Android 12 and newer devices, starting with Pixel smartphones. Google has also built the technology on top of Rich Communication Services (RCS), which means other apps and companies could potentially adopt similar protections.
As AI tools make scams more sophisticated, the familiar advice to “trust your ears” is becoming less reliable. Google’s latest feature is built around a new idea: when voices can be cloned, verifying the source of the call may be the best way to separate a loved one from a scammer.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
