New Scam Detection Features for Pixel Phones and Messages Set to Roll Out in March

Summary

Scam Detection Features for Pixel in March 2025:

• Phone App Update: Google is rolling out real-time Scam Detection to the Phone app on Pixel devices in March 2025. This feature will use on-device processing to identify conversation patterns common among scammers, such as pretending to be a bank representative and requesting personal information or payments.
• Warnings During Calls: When a scam call is detected, your Pixel will vibrate and alert you with an on-screen prompt saying 'Suspicious activity detected for this call.' This warning includes options to end the call or mark it as not a scam.
• Compatibility: The feature will be available on the Pixel 9 using Gemini Nano and on the Pixel 6+ using other Google machine learning models. Users can enable Scam Detection in Phone by Google Settings.

Google Messages Update:

• Enhanced Scam Protection: In addition to the phone app, Google is enhancing scam detection in Google Messages. This update aims to protect against seemingly harmless messages that could lead to fraud, particularly those related to package delivery and job seeking.
• Automated Spam Handling: Detected scam texts will be automatically moved to the 'Spam & blocked' folder, leveraging on-device machine learning models for classification.
• Enabling Protection: Users can enable this feature by going to Messages Settings > Spam protection.

Both updates are part of the March Pixel (Feature) Drop and aim to enhance user safety against scams.