Google is expanding Android’s tools for detecting scams in calls and messages, bringing the Scam Detection feature to the Samsung Galaxy S26 series in the United States, while Google Messages’ scam protection is expanding to more than 20 countries and supporting several languages, including Arabic, English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish.
Google says Android’s multilayered defenses, powered by Google AI technologies, protect users around the world from more than 10 billion calls and messages suspected of being harmful each month. This figure includes cases in which a message or call was proactively blocked, or in which a user received an alert about potential spam or scam activity.
Expanding Scam Detection in Calls
Scam Detection monitors speech patterns commonly associated with scams, then displays a warning during the call when the phone suspects an attempted deception. The feature was available on Google Pixel devices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico and Spain.
Google is beginning to expand the feature to other manufacturers through Samsung Galaxy S26 devices in the United States, while continuing to work with its partners to make it available to additional users and devices. The protection relies on an on-device Gemini model, enabling real-time alerts while keeping processing on the phone.
According to Google, the phone conversation processed by Scam Detection is not stored on the device or shared outside it. The feature is also disabled by default, and when enabled, it works only on calls that the system identifies as potential scams; it is not used for calls with saved contacts. Users can manage these settings from the Phone app at any time.
Broader Protection Against Scam Messages
Google has expanded Scam Detection in Google Messages to more than 20 countries, adding support for several languages, including Arabic. It has also improved the identification of scam messages using an on-device Gemini model on the latest flagship Android phones in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The model’s capabilities enable it to analyze threats that develop through long and complex conversations, such as fake job offers or advanced romance scams, also known as “pig butchering.” In this method, the scammer builds a long-term relationship with the victim to gain their trust, then pushes them toward a fraudulent investment. Google explains that this type of deception may not include the usual warning signs because it relies on gradual manipulation.
This advanced protection began rolling out on the Google Pixel 10 series and select other devices, and will also be available on the Samsung Galaxy S26 series.
AI and On-Device Processing
The new expansions are part of Google’s focus on using on-device artificial intelligence to detect threats as they occur, reducing the need to send call or message content outside the phone. The company says a recent assessment conducted by Counterpoint Research concluded that Android phones provide the most comprehensive AI-powered protection among mobile phone platforms.
Google highlights the story of a user named Majik B. from Sunnyvale, California, who received a call that appeared to be from his bank before a Scam Detection warning appeared. The user ended the call and checked the banking app directly, confirming that there had been no fraudulent transaction. The company presents this case as an example of how an alert can give users a moment to pause and verify before continuing to interact with a scammer.