**Google Boosts AI Scam Defenses in India Amid Lingering Vulnerabilities**
New Delhi, November 20, 2025 — In the face of a surging wave...
New Delhi, November 20, 2025 — In the face of a surging wave of digital scams and cyber fraud, Google has unveiled a sweeping set of AI-powered security upgrades aimed at protecting Indian users. The tech giant’s latest anti-scam measures, announced at the India AI pre-summit, mark a significant escalation in its efforts to combat increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes, including digital arrest scams, screen-sharing fraud, and voice cloning.
India, a digital-first nation with one of the world’s fastes...
India, a digital-first nation with one of the world’s fastest-growing online economies, has seen a dramatic rise in cybercrime. Fraud related to Unified Payments Interface (UPI) alone surged by 85% year-on-year in 2024, reaching nearly $11 billion in losses. Scammers have exploited the rapid adoption of digital payments and online services, often impersonating government officials or financial institutions to extort money from unsuspecting citizens.
### Real-Time Scam Detection on Pixel Phones
At the heart of Google’s new strategy is a real-time scam de...
At the heart of Google’s new strategy is a real-time scam detection feature for Pixel phones, powered by Gemini Nano, Google’s on-device AI model. The system analyzes incoming calls in real time, flagging suspicious activity without recording audio, creating transcripts, or sending data to Google’s servers. The feature is off by default and only applies to calls from unknown numbers, ensuring user privacy. When a potential scam is detected, participants hear a beep and can choose to end the call.
“This is about building protections that are faster than the...
“This is about building protections that are faster than the scammer,” said Evan Kotsovinos, vice-president of privacy, safety, and security at Google. “By running AI defenses directly on the device, we give users an unprecedented advantage against bad actors.”
### Tackling Digital Arrest Scams and Screen-Sharing Fraud
Google is also piloting a new feature to combat digital arre...
Google is also piloting a new feature to combat digital arrest scams, a growing menace in India. When Android 11+ users attempt to share their screens with an unknown contact, a prominent alert appears, warning them of potential risks. The user is given a one-tap option to end the call and stop screen sharing. This feature, developed in partnership with fintech players like Google Pay, Navi, and Paytm, is designed to prevent scammers from coercing victims into sharing sensitive information or making unauthorized payments.
### Enhanced Phone Number Verification and SIM-Based Security
To strengthen identity verification, Google has introduced E...
To strengthen identity verification, Google has introduced Enhanced Phone Number Verification (ePNV), a new Android-based protocol that replaces vulnerable SMS-based one-time passwords (OTPs) with a secure, consented, SIM-based check. This upgrade is expected to reduce the risk of SIM-swapping attacks and other forms of identity theft, especially as more Indians rely on mobile banking and digital payments.
### AI-Powered Fraud Detection Across Google Services
Google’s Safety Charter, unveiled earlier this year, outline...
Google’s Safety Charter, unveiled earlier this year, outlines a three-pillar approach: protecting end users from online fraud, ensuring cybersecurity for governments and enterprises, and building AI responsibly. Under this framework, Google Pay now issues over one million warnings every week for suspicious transactions, while Google Messages uses AI to block more than 500 million suspicious messages each month.
Google Play Protect has also been instrumental in blocking h...
Google Play Protect has also been instrumental in blocking high-risk apps. In 2024, it prevented over 115 million attempts to install sideloaded apps that abuse sensitive permissions, often used in financial fraud. The company has also partnered with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to raise awareness about cybercrimes and expand its DigiKavach program, which targets malicious financial and predatory loan apps.
### Expanding AI Watermarking and Cyber-Defense Tools
To counter the threat of deepfakes and AI-generated misinfor...
To counter the threat of deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation, Google is expanding access to SynthID, its AI watermarking tool, to media partners such as PTI, Jagran, and India Today. The company is also pioneering CodeMender, an AI agent that autonomously identifies and patches software vulnerabilities.
### Lingering Vulnerabilities and the Road Ahead
Despite these advances, experts warn that vulnerabilities re...
Despite these advances, experts warn that vulnerabilities remain. Many Indians still use older smartphones that lack the latest security features, and digital literacy remains a challenge, especially among vulnerable groups like children, teenagers, and the elderly. Google has responded by launching digital-literacy programs and providing a $200,000 grant to the CyberPeace Foundation to develop AI-powered cyber-defense tools and institutionalize safety programs in schools.
“India’s scale and diversity make it the world’s proving gro...
“India’s scale and diversity make it the world’s proving ground for reliable AI safety,” said Preeti Lobana, country manager for Google India. “But the fight against scams is ongoing, and we must continue to innovate, educate, and collaborate.”
As India’s digital economy continues to expand, the battle a...
As India’s digital economy continues to expand, the battle against cybercrime will require constant vigilance. Google’s latest AI-driven defenses represent a major step forward, but the company acknowledges that no single solution can eliminate all risks. The path to a safer digital future, it says, will be led from India—and the world is watching.
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 10:40:07 PM
Indian consumers are reacting with cautious optimism to Google’s latest AI-powered scam defenses, as the company rolls out on-device scam detection for Pixel 9 users and strengthens warnings in Google Pay—features that have already blocked over 115 million high-risk app installations and surfaced more than a million weekly fraud alerts this year. However, public skepticism remains, with many users expressing concern over persistent fake apps on the Play Store and the continued prevalence of deepfake and phishing scams, despite Google’s expanded Safety Charter and partnerships with government agencies. “It’s reassuring to see warnings pop up, but I still get scam calls every day,” said Mumbai resident Priya Mehta, echoing a common sentiment among Indian smartphone users.
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 10:50:09 PM
Industry experts recognize Google's intensified AI-driven anti-scam measures in India as a crucial step amid rising digital fraud, with Google reporting its AI defenses now block over 500 million scam texts monthly and issue more than 2.5 billion suspicious link warnings via on-device AI[2][4]. Heather Adkins, VP of Engineering at Google Security, emphasized that AI is "game-changing," narrowing or eliminating the gap between attackers and defenders in real time[6]. However, concerns remain as some fraudulent apps persist on the Play Store despite review processes, highlighting ongoing challenges in fully curbing fraud across India's vast ecosystem[5].
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 11:00:07 PM
Google has rolled out on-device AI scam detection for Pixel phones in India, leveraging Gemini Nano to analyze calls in real time and flag potential fraud without recording audio or transmitting data, while also expanding its Play Protect service to block over 115 million high-risk app installations this year. Despite these advances, experts note persistent vulnerabilities, as fake and misleading apps continue to slip through Google’s review processes, with the Ministry of Home Affairs reporting ₹70 billion in scam losses in just the first five months of 2025. “When AI-powered defenses run on the device, it gives us an unprecedented advantage over bad actors,” said Evan Kotsovinos, Google’s VP of privacy, safety, and security, “but the scale and
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 11:10:07 PM
Google's recent expansion of AI-powered scam defenses in India has not significantly altered Alphabet's stock price, which showed a modest intraday change, reflecting cautious investor sentiment amid ongoing challenges in curbing digital fraud in the country. Despite Google's aggressive moves—including blocking over 115 million fraudulent app installs this year and issuing 41 million warnings on Google Pay—market analysts note that lingering vulnerabilities and regulatory scrutiny of app-store oversight temper bullish reactions. As of today, Alphabet's shares edged up approximately 0.3%, signaling steady confidence but acknowledging the complexity of India's cybersecurity landscape[3][7].
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 11:20:07 PM
Google is scaling up AI-driven fraud detection across India with real-time scam detection on Pixel phones powered by Gemini Nano, as online scams caused an estimated ₹70 billion ($789 million) in losses during the first five months of 2025.[5] The company's comprehensive Safety Charter initiative—anchored by a new security-engineering hub in Bengaluru, the first in Asia—aims to address the exponential growth of digital fraud, particularly UPI scams which surged 85% in FY 2022-23, resulting in damages exceeding ₹11,000 crore.[2] However, security researchers and police have flagged persistent gaps in
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 11:30:13 PM
Google's expanded AI scam defenses in India, including real-time call analysis and SIM-based verification, aim to counter ₹70 billion (approximately $789 million) in estimated fraud losses in 2025, while the company processes over 500 million suspicious messages monthly and blocks more than 115 million risky app installs in India alone[1][2][5][7]. The global tech community is closely watching these developments, as Google views India as a "proving ground for reliable AI safety" with implications for the Global South, highlighting the international significance of lessons learned and technologies piloted there[1]. In response, Google has established its first AI-powered security-engineering hub in Bengaluru, the fourth worldwide, and is collaborating with local partners and government
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 11:40:09 PM
Google has unveiled an expanded AI-powered fraud defense strategy in India, introducing real-time scam detection on Pixel 9 devices using Gemini Nano and Enhanced Phone Number Verification to replace vulnerable SMS-based OTPs, as digital fraud losses reached ₹70 billion in the first five months of 2025[1][7]. The company's multi-layered approach includes blocking over 115 million high-risk app installation attempts, issuing more than 1 million weekly fraud warnings through Google Pay, and filtering billions of spam and phishing emails daily, though critics note that advanced protections remain limited to approximately 1% of Android devices, leaving significant accessibility gaps[1][5][
🔄 Updated: 11/20/2025, 11:50:07 PM
Google has partnered with India's Ministry of Home Affairs and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to strengthen user awareness on cybercrimes through a phased approach over the coming months[2][4]. The collaboration builds on existing government coordination efforts, as Google works with the Department of Telecommunications, Home Ministry, and SEBI to support cybersecurity through centralized intelligence sharing[6]. However, despite these regulatory partnerships, significant gaps remain—scams cost over ₹70 billion in the first five months of 2025 alone, with Google's new protections currently limited to just 1% of Android devices[1].
🔄 Updated: 11/21/2025, 12:00:16 AM
Google's expansion of AI-driven scam defenses in India, including real-time call analysis and SIM-based verification, targets over ₹70 billion (approximately $789 million) in digital fraud losses projected for 2025, yet these protections currently reach only about 1% of Android devices in the country[1][7]. This initiative, anchored by Google's new AI-led Safety Charter and its first AI-powered security engineering hub in Asia located in Bengaluru, has garnered international attention as a potential model for combating emerging cyber threats in the Global South, with Google's VP of privacy, Evan Kotsovinos, calling India a "proving ground for reliable AI safety"[1][2][4]. Global partners, including fintech giants Paytm and Googl
🔄 Updated: 11/21/2025, 12:10:14 AM
Google is expanding its AI-powered scam defenses in India, aiming to curb ₹70 billion in estimated 2025 fraud losses by deploying real-time call analysis on Pixel 9 devices and SIM-based verification, though current coverage is limited to about 1% of Android users in the country[1]. Globally, Google processes over 500 million suspicious messages monthly and blocks nearly 60 million harmful app installs in India alone, with its Bengaluru security-engineering hub reinforcing cybersecurity efforts that also serve as a "proving ground" for AI safety applicable across the Global South, as noted by Google's VP of privacy, Evan Kotsovinos[2][7]. The initiative has drawn international attention for its scale and model combining product protections, ecosystem collaboratio
🔄 Updated: 11/21/2025, 12:20:13 AM
Google is scaling up its AI-driven scam defense in India by launching real-time scam detection on Pixel 9 phones using Gemini Nano AI, which analyzes calls entirely on-device to alert users to potential fraud without recording audio[1][3][9]. Despite these advancements, the technology currently covers only about 1% of Android devices, while digital fraud losses in India surpassed ₹70 billion in the first five months of 2025, with over 13,500 reported fraud cases persisting[1]. Google’s "360-degree approach," as described by country manager Preeti Lobana, combines product protections, cloud defenses, and digital literacy programs, alongside partnerships with Google Pay, Paytm, IIT Madras, and the CyberPeace Foundation t
🔄 Updated: 11/21/2025, 12:30:15 AM
Google has rolled out real-time scam detection on Pixel phones powered by Gemini Nano, analyzing calls on-device to flag potential fraud without recording audio, while simultaneously launching Enhanced Phone Number Verification to replace vulnerable SMS-based OTPs with secure SIM-based authentication.[3][5] Despite these advances, the company's protections remain limited to just 1% of Android devices, leaving millions vulnerable as digital fraud costs India over ₹70 billion in 2025 alone, with 13,516 reported fraud cases and countless unreported scams persisting due to accessibility gaps.[1] Google is strengthening its ecosystem approach through new partnerships with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (
🔄 Updated: 11/21/2025, 12:40:13 AM
Google has expanded its AI-powered scam defenses in India by introducing real-time call analysis on Pixel 9 devices using Gemini Nano AI and launching screen-sharing fraud alerts in financial apps like Google Pay, Navi, and PayTM, aiming to combat ₹70 billion in projected digital fraud losses for 2025[1][5][7]. Despite these efforts, only about 1% of Android devices currently have access to these protections, leaving significant accessibility gaps amid 13,516 reported fraud cases and many more unreported[1]. Evan Kotsovinos, Google's VP of privacy and security, emphasized India as a "proving ground for reliable AI safety," with a "360-degree approach" combining product protections, cloud-based defenses, and digita
🔄 Updated: 11/21/2025, 12:50:13 AM
Google's announcement of expanded AI-powered scam defenses in India had a muted immediate effect on its stock price, with Alphabet shares closing flat at $146.80 on November 20, 2025, reflecting cautious investor sentiment amid persistent vulnerabilities in the Indian digital fraud landscape[5]. Market analysts noted that while Google's enhanced on-device scam detection for Pixel phones and partnerships to combat fraud are promising, ongoing gaps in app store fraud control and the ₹70 billion loss to scams in early 2025 highlight continuing risks, leading investors to await measurable impact before driving stock gains[1][5].
🔄 Updated: 11/21/2025, 1:00:16 AM
**Google Bolsters AI Scam Defenses in India as Fraud Losses Mount**
Google unveiled its Safety Charter for India this week, deploying real-time scam detection on Pixel phones powered by Gemini Nano to analyze suspicious calls on-device, while introducing Enhanced Phone Number Verification to replace vulnerable SMS OTPs with secure SIM-based checks—moves aimed at combating digital fraud that cost Indians over ₹70 billion in the first five months of 2025 alone[1][2]. Despite these advancements, accessibility gaps persist, with real-time call analysis and verification features remaining limited to just 1% of Android devices, leaving millions vulnerable as 13