Google is working on new protections to help prevent Android users from falling victim to phone scams. During its I/O developer conference on Tuesday, Google announced that it’s testing a new call monitoring feature that will warn users if the person they’re talking to is likely attempting to scam them and encourage them to end such calls.

Google says the feature utilizes Gemini Nano — a reduced version of the company’s Gemini large language model for Android devices that can run locally and offline — to look for fraudulent language and other conversation patterns typically associated with scams. Users will then receive real-time alerts during calls where these red flags are present. 

Some examples of what could trigger these alerts include calls from “bank representatives” who make requests that real banks are unlikely to make, such as asking for personal information like your passwords or card PINs, requesting payments via gift cards, or asking users to urgently transfer money to them. These new protections are entirely on-device, so the conversations monitored by Gemini Nano will remain private, according to Google.

There’s no word on when the scam detection feature will be available, but Google says users will need to opt in to utilize it and that it’ll share more information “later this year.”

While scam calls may seem easily detectable to some after years of awareness campaigns and accessible guidance on how to avoid them, there’s always a risk of getting caught out. A report from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance last October found that 1 in 4 people globally had lost money to scams or identity theft over the prior 12-month period, losing over $1 trillion during that time.

So, while the candidates who might find such tech useful are vast, compatibility could limit its applicability. Gemini Nano is only currently supported on the Google Pixel 8 Pro and Samsung S24 series, according to its developer support page.

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