Google adds a warning for scammy phone calls on Android

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Google is rolling out a new safety feature for Android users, and it basically acts like that friend who whispers “don’t do it” when you’re about to buy something questionable online at 2 AM. 

The feature? Expanded in-call scam protection, designed to keep people from getting conned mid-conversation with someone pretending to be their bank or a “concerned Amazon security specialist” who somehow always sounds suspiciously like a YouTuber with a voice changer.

Here’s how it works: if you’re on a call with a number that’s not saved in your contacts and you open a banking or payment app, Android will now flash a giant warning that says, essentially, “Something sketchy is happening, want to stop?” 

With one tap, you can hang up or stop any screen sharing. If you ignore it, the system forces a 30-second wait before you can proceed, giving your brain a chance to override panic mode and remember that real banks do not ask you to “just quickly open Cash App.”

The feature works on phones running Android 11 or later, which means most modern Android devices are covered. 

Google says this will protect against one of the most common scam playbooks: callers impersonating trusted institutions while rushing victims into transferring money or exposing sensitive apps.

There’s a strategy behind that forced pause, too. 

Scammers rely on pressure and urgency, and 30 seconds is apparently just enough time to go from “Oh no my money!” to “Wait… this seems shady.”

Google also claims Android users are already falling for fewer scams than iPhone users, a very subtle flex in the ongoing Apple vs. Android rivalry.

The feature first launched in the UK earlier this year, where Google says it prevented thousands of potential fraud attempts. 

Now it’s rolling out in the US, starting with big names like Cash App and JPMorgan Chase, with more financial apps joining soon.