Google is rolling out Android alerts for AI-faked phone calls and giving $6 million to groups that teach people in Asia Pacific to spot scams.
Google announced a set of moves against scams in the Asia Pacific region. They include an Android feature that tries to spot phone calls where AI imitates someone's voice, and $6 million in funding for groups that help people and small businesses stay safe online.
A recent UN report found that scam losses across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand reached up to $114.1 billion in 2025. The report also said over 40% of consumers in the ASEAN group of countries were experiencing scams. Google says organized crime groups are using more sophisticated tactics.
Android launched Fake Call Detection this year. It is meant to flag phone calls that use AI to pretend to be someone else. Google says it is built on open technology called RCS, so other platforms can adopt the same protections.
Google.org, the company's charity arm, announced $6 million for The Asia Foundation and the Tech for Good Institute. The money will fund training for local communities, early versions of AI-powered defense tools, and research to help policymakers strengthen protections.
Google also joined the Industry Accord Against Online Scams and Fraud earlier this year, where companies share information about threats. It helped set up the Japan Anti-Scam Alliance and the Global Anti-Scams Philanthropy Collaborative.
Be Scam Ready is a game that simulates common scams so people can practice spotting them. It is already available in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan. It is now expanding to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The announcement does not say how well Fake Call Detection works or how many people can use it today. The wider rollout of Pixel's messaging alerts is only described as coming later this year. Phone alerts can help, but they are one layer. Knowing the common tricks, like a fake call from someone you trust, still matters.
Phone alerts can help catch scams, but a call that sounds like someone you trust is still worth doubting until you confirm it another way.
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