Google has rolled out a new feature on Android that aims to combat the rise of AI-generated deepfake impersonation scams. The feature, known as fake call detection, automatically verifies calls between users of Google’s Phone app by sending a silent confirmation signal.

The technology works like a digital handshake: if a supposed trusted contact initiates a call, their phone sends a verification request to the recipient's device. If the verification fails—suggesting the call is from a scammer—the recipient will be warned to hang up immediately.

“If a scammer tries to impersonate your trusted contact, that initial confirmation signal will be missing,” explains Google in a blog post. “Your device will instantly notice this and ping their real device to double-check.” This feature is set to launch globally on Android 12+ devices over the coming weeks.

While it’s great to see tech giants taking proactive steps against fraud, perhaps we should also be wary of our own messages and calls. After all, as AI evolves, so too must our vigilance.