Android users in the US are getting a new layer of protection against a sneaky type of phone scam that's been costing people money. Google is rolling out a pilot program that warns you when scammers might be trying to steal your banking info during a phone call.
The scam works like this: criminals call you pretending to be from your bank or another trusted company, then convince you to share your screen while you're on the phone with them. Once you open your banking app, they can see everything and trick you into transferring money or giving them access to your accounts. According to PhoneArena, Google says this type of scam has become increasingly common.
Here's how the new protection works: if you're on a call with someone who's not in your contacts and you have screen sharing turned on, Android will immediately show you a warning if you open a banking app. The alert takes up most of your screen with a big red button to end the call and stop sharing your screen. It tells you that the person on the phone might be a scammer and warns you not to follow their instructions or share personal information.
The smartest part? The warning forces you to wait 30 seconds before you can continue. Google says this brief pause helps snap you out of the panic and urgency that scammers use to manipulate people.
Google already tested this feature in the UK earlier this year and says it helped thousands of people hang up on potential scammers. It's now available with several major UK banks and is being tested in Brazil and India. In the US, the pilot includes Cash App and JPMorgan Chase, with more financial apps expected to join. The feature works on any Android phone running Android 11 or newer.
Source: PhoneArena
