Digital fraud is on the rise in India, with the country witnessing a significant surge in online scams and fraudulent transactions. As more people come online and rely on smartphones for payments, shopping, and accessing government services, the risk of falling prey to digital fraud has increased. According to the Reserve Bank of India, fraud involving digital transactions accounted for more than half of all reported bank fraud in 2024, resulting in losses of ₹5.2 billion. The Ministry of Home Affairs estimates that online scams caused an estimated ₹70 billion in losses in the first five months of 2025.
To combat this growing menace, Google is bringing its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to the forefront. The tech giant has announced the expansion of its real-time scam-detection feature, which uses AI to analyze calls on-device and flag potential fraud without recording audio or sending data to Google’s servers. This feature, which debuted in the US in March, is now being rolled out in India, initially for Pixel 9 devices and later models. The feature is available in both Hindi and English, making it more accessible to a wider audience.
The scam-detection feature is a significant step forward in the fight against digital fraud. It uses Gemini Nano to analyze calls from unknown numbers and plays a beep during the conversation to notify participants of potential fraud. While the feature is currently limited to Pixel devices, Google has confirmed that it is working to bring scam detection to non-Pixel Android phones as well. This is a crucial move, given that Android accounts for nearly 96% of smartphones in India, and Pixel devices hold less than 1% market share.
In addition to the scam-detection feature, Google has also announced a pilot program with financial apps Navi, Paytm, and Google Pay to limit screen-sharing scams. This feature, which was first announced at Google I/O in May, aims to prevent fraudsters from obtaining one-time passwords, PINs, and other credentials during a call. Users with devices running Android 11 or later will be able to access the alerts, which include a one-tap option to end the call and stop screen sharing.
Google’s efforts to combat digital fraud in India are not limited to these features. The company has been using its Play Protect service to restrict predatory loan apps by blocking the sideloading of third-party apps that request sensitive permissions often exploited for fraud. The service has blocked over 115 million such installation attempts this year. Google Pay also surfaces over a million warnings each week for transactions flagged as potentially fraudulent.
Furthermore, Google has launched a DigiKavach awareness campaign on digital fraud, which has reached over 250 million people. The company has worked with the Reserve Bank of India to publish a public list of authorized digital lending apps and their associated non-banking financial companies to help limit malicious actors. Earlier this year, Google launched a Safety Charter in India to expand its AI-driven fraud detection and security efforts.
While Google’s efforts are commendable, the company still faces significant challenges in curbing digital fraud in India. The presence of fake and misleading apps on the Play Store, despite review processes meant to block fraudulent submissions, is a concern. Police and security researchers have flagged investment and loan apps used in scams that remained available on the Play Store until intervention. These cases highlight the need for Google to continue to innovate and improve its AI-driven fraud detection and security efforts.
In conclusion, digital fraud is a growing concern in India, and Google’s efforts to combat it are a step in the right direction. The company’s AI-powered scam-detection feature, screen-sharing alerts, and awareness campaigns are all crucial initiatives that can help prevent online scams and protect users. However, there is still more work to be done, and Google must continue to innovate and improve its security efforts to stay ahead of malicious actors. By leveraging AI and machine learning, Google can help create a safer online environment for users in India and around the world.
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