Google is stepping up its fight against digital fraud in India by expanding its AI-powered scam detection tools. The tech giant has introduced on-device scam detection for Pixel 9 devices and launched new screen-sharing alerts for popular financial apps. These measures come as more Indians rely on smartphones for payments, shopping, and government services, a trend that has also fueled a sharp rise in digital fraud.
Digital scams are a growing concern in India. According to the Reserve Bank of India, fraud involving digital transactions accounted for over half of all reported bank fraud in 2024, resulting in losses of ₹5.2 billion (around $58.61 million). The Ministry of Home Affairs reported that online scams caused an estimated ₹70 billion ($789 million) in losses in the first five months of 2025 alone, with many cases likely going unreported due to confusion or fear of scrutiny.
Google’s on-device scam detection uses its Gemini Nano AI to analyze calls in real-time, flagging suspicious activity without recording or sending audio to servers. The feature, which debuted as a beta in the U.S. in March, will initially be available only on English-speaking Pixel 9 users in India. While Android dominates India’s smartphone market, Pixel devices hold less than 1% share, highlighting a limitation in reach. Google has confirmed plans to expand the feature to other Android devices in the future.
In addition to call detection, Google is piloting alerts for screen-sharing scams with financial apps such as Paytm, Navi, and Google Pay. These scams trick users into revealing one-time passwords, PINs, and other sensitive credentials. Android users on version 11 or later will receive alerts, including a one-tap option to end calls and stop screen sharing. Google has pledged to extend these alerts to more apps and Indian languages in the coming months.
Beyond AI tools, Google continues to combat fraud through Play Protect, which blocked over 115 million risky app installation attempts this year, and through awareness campaigns like DigiKavach, reaching over 250 million people. Yet challenges remain, including the persistence of fraudulent apps on the Play Store and the need for broader access across devices and languages. Despite these gaps, Google’s expanded AI scam detection reflects a growing commitment to protecting India’s increasingly digital population.
source: Techcrunch