Google has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to protecting Pixel users from spam calls, and it looks like the company isn’t done yet. According to a recent teardown of the Google Phone app by Android Authority, Google is working on a new phone number spoofing detection feature.
What is phone number spoofing?
Phone number spoofing, also known as caller ID spoofing, is when a scammer tricks your phone into displaying a familiar or saved contact’s number, even though the call is actually coming from a completely different number.
As users are more likely to pick up a call if it looks like it’s coming from family members, friends, or authorized personnel, like a doctor or a bank representative, phone number spoofing is on the rise in the scam chart. It has become a surprisingly common tactic and one that has caught a lot of people off guard.
So what is Google doing about it?
Android Authority cracked open version 222.0.913376317 of the Google Phone app and found strings of code that point to an upcoming spoofing detection system. One of the strings reads, “Someone may be pretending to call from your contact’s number,” and another suggests that users will have the option to hang up the call immediately.
It’s not entirely clear how Google plans to detect spoofed numbers, but the timing is interesting. Only a few days back, Google announced a slew of security features, including verified financial calls, OTP protection, real-time malware detection, APK scanning in Chrome, and more.
With the new call spoof detection feature and existing spam call protections, including Call Screening and spam detection, the Pixel phones have become the best anti-scam smartphones. There’s no word yet on when this feature will roll out, but it’s good to know Google is working on it.