The latest Scam Detection features for Google Messages and the Phone by Google app are coming to Pixel with a March update.
In a recent Google Store post talking about Gemini Nano, Google says that “Scam Detection in calls and messages arrives on Pixel phones in March 2025.”
With calls, Google is referring to real-time Scam Detection that entered beta in November. On-device processing is leveraged to “identify conversation patterns commonly associated with scammers,” with the contents of the call not saved or recorded. It protects against scammers pretending to be a “bank representative” and “urgently requesting fund transfers, gift card payments, or personal information like PINs and passwords.”
When detected, your Pixel will vibrate and make noise to get you to check the on-screen “Suspicious activity detected for this call” prompt. This warning has a prominent “End call” button or “Not a scam” option.
The Pixel 9 leverages Gemini Nano, while the Pixel 6+ will use “other Google machine learning models.” To enable, open Phone by Google Settings from the top-right corner > Scam Detection. After beta testing in recent months, it looks to be getting a stable launch in March.
Meanwhile, Scam Detection in Google Messages is most likely referring to “enhanced” protections that guard “against scam texts that may seem harmless at first but can eventually lead to fraud.” This “enhanced scam detection” starts with “package delivery and job seeking messages.” Detected scam texts are automatically moved into the “Spam & blocked” folder.
This is also leveraging on-device machine learning models to classify these texts. Google announced testing for Messages beta users in October. Just make sure you have the existing Messages Settings > Spam protection enabled.
These two updates are presumably part of the March Pixel (Feature) Drop.
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