Google has announced a significant expansion of its Android in-call scam protection feature, bringing the safeguard to users in the United States after successful pilots in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and India. The rollout, beginning December 2025, includes partnerships with fintechs such as Cash App and banks including JPMorganChase.

How the Protection Works

The feature targets a common social engineering attack in which fraudsters impersonate banks or other trusted institutions over the phone, then manipulate victims into sharing their screen to expose banking credentials or authorize fraudulent transfers. When an Android user launches a participating financial app while simultaneously screen sharing and on a call with an unsaved number, the device automatically surfaces a warning about the potential risk. Users are given a single-tap option to end the call and stop screen sharing immediately.

Critically, the warning includes a mandatory 30-second pause before the user can proceed. Google describes this delay as a mechanism to interrupt the psychological pressure scammers apply, specifically the false urgency and panic that often precede a successful social engineering attack. The feature is compatible with Android 11 and later.

Pilot Results and Expanding Scope

According to Google, the UK pilot has already helped thousands of users terminate calls that could have resulted in significant financial losses. Building on that outcome, the company has extended coverage to most major UK banks and has begun testing the protection with peer-to-peer payment applications in addition to traditional financial apps.

The US expansion follows parallel pilots launched in Brazil and India. Google has not disclosed the specific number of participating apps in each market beyond the named US partners.

Broader Android Scam Defense Context

Google cited a YouGov survey it commissioned, conducted July through August 2025 across the US, Brazil, and India, in which Android users were reported to be 58% more likely than iOS users to say they had not received any scam texts in the prior week. The comparison applied specifically to users of each platform’s default texting application.

The in-call scam protection is part of a broader set of Android security features targeting fraud across phone calls, SMS, and messaging app notifications. Google stated its intent to expand these protections to additional users and app categories based on learnings from the current pilots.

  • Trigger conditions: Active phone call with an unsaved contact, screen sharing active, and a participating financial app open
  • User action: One-tap option to end call and stop screen sharing
  • Friction mechanism: 30-second pause before proceeding
  • Compatibility: Android 11 and above
  • US partners named: Cash App, JPMorganChase