Google has just released a report focused entirely on its efforts to keep scammers at bay. Called the Fighting Scams in Search report, this details how the tech giant uses AI to work against scams in a variety of ways.
These techniques are seen not just in Google search but also on Chrome and in software on Google’s own Pixel phones.
So, what does Google do to protect you from scams? The report breaks it down into a few key areas.
Google search scams
Google explains that AI is, and has been, used to detect and block hundreds of millions of scam results each day.
The report explains that Google has put more money into this recently and made improvements to the AI classifiers, leading to a 20 times increase in the number of scammy pages caught and blocked.
As AI has advanced, it has allowed Google to analyze large amounts of data on the web, identifying scam campaigns or detecting the early stages of a scam.
In the report, Google gives the example of seeing an uptick in scams where airline customer service providers are impersonated, scamming people looking for help. It claims to have already reduced this issue by more than 80%.
Safer searching through Chrome
Google has introduced a feature called the enhanced protection mode. This, as Google states, is its highest level of protection.
For those on desktop, Google is now also using Gemini Nano, an AI model made by Google to offer an additional layer of defence against scams online. This provides instant insights into risky websites and helps protect users from new scams.
By using an AI model here, especially one as large as this, it allows Google to predict and deal with changing scams, even on more complex websites.
Scam notifications on Android
Google Chrome on your Android device lets you set up notifications from websites. However, while these can sometimes be useful and from sites you enjoy, scam-like notifications can also sneak through.
Google has added an AI-powered warning system here. When the AI model flags a dodgy notification, you’ll receive a warning with the option to unsubscribe or view the content. You can decide if the warning is unnecessary and keep getting notifications, or remove them completely.
Call and messaging scams on Google smartphones
The final point that Google lists in its scam assessment is on its Google Pixel devices. Scams have always been common via calls and texts. These seem normal at first, but quickly turn into scams.
A new feature on these smartphones, called Scam Detection, protects users from these issues.
Google is slightly vague on how this feature works, but it seems like an evolution on its existing scam features. Through this, Google will identify what it thinks is a scam call, giving you a notification on screen when texting or on the phone with a potential scam.
By applying AI to this, Google can start to learn more appropriately when you are potentially being scammed.
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