Google Online Security Blog: How Android provides the most effective protection to keep you safe from mobile scams

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How Android provides the most effective protection to keep you safe from mobile scams

October 30, 2025

Posted by Lyubov Farafonova, Product Manager, Phone by Google; Alberto Pastor Nieto, Sr. Product Manager Google Messages and RCS Spam and Abuse; Vijay Pareek, Manager, Android Messaging & Chrome Extensions Security

¹ For years, Android has been on the frontlines in the battle against scammers, using the best of Google AI to build proactive, multi-layered protections that can anticipate and block scams before they reach you. Android’s scam defenses protect users around the world from over 10 billion suspected malicious calls and messages every month². In addition, Google continuously performs safety checks to maintain the integrity of the RCS service. In the past month alone, this ongoing process blocked over 100 million suspicious numbers from using RCS, stopping potential scams before they could even be sent. To show how our scam protections work in the real world, we asked users and independent security experts to compare how well Android and iOS protect you from these threats. We're also releasing a new report that explains how modern text scams are orchestrated, helping you understand the tactics fraudsters use and how to spot them. Survey shows Android users’ confidence in scam protections Google and YouGov³ surveyed 5,000 smartphone users across the U.S., India, and Brazil about their experiences. The findings were clear: Android users reported receiving fewer scam texts and felt more confident that their device was keeping them safe.

Android users were 58% more likely than iOS users to say they had not received any scam texts in the week prior to the survey. The advantage was even stronger on Pixel, where users were 96% more likely than iPhone owners to report zero scam texts.

At the other end of the spectrum, iOS users were 65% more likely than Android users to report receiving three or more scam texts in a week. The difference became even more pronounced when comparing iPhone to Pixel, with iPhone users 136% more likely to say they had received a heavy volume of scam messages.

Android users were 20% more likely than iOS users to describe their device’s scam protections as “very effective” or “extremely effective.” When comparing Pixel to iPhone, iPhone users were 150% more likely to say their device was not effective at all in stopping mobile fraud.

YouGov study findings on users’ experience with scams on Android and iOS Security researchers and analysts highlight Android’s AI-driven safeguards against sophisticated scams In a recent evaluation by Counterpoint Research⁴, a global technology market research firm, Android smartphones were found to have the most AI-powered protections. The independent study compared the latest Pixel, Samsung, Motorola, and iPhone devices, and found that Android provides comprehensive AI-driven safeguards across ten key protection areas, including email protections, browsing protections, and on-device behavioral protections. By contrast, iOS offered AI-powered protections in only two categories. You can see the full comparison in the visual below.

Counterpoint Research comparison of Android and iOS AI-powered protections Cybersecurity firm Leviathan Security Group conducted a funded evaluation⁵ of scam and fraud protection on the iPhone 17, Moto Razr+ 2025, Pixel 10 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Their analysis found that Android smartphones, led by the Pixel 10 Pro, provide the highest level of default scam and fraud protection.Their analysis found that Android smartphones, led by the Pixel 10 Pro, provide the highest level of default scam and fraud protection.The report particularly noted Android's robust call screening, scam detection, and real-time scam warning authentication capabilities as key differentiators. Taken together, these independent expert assessments conclude that Android’s AI-driven safeguards provide more comprehensive and intelligent protection against mobile scams.

Leviathan Security Group comparison of scam protections across various devices Why Android users see fewer scams Android’s proactive protections work across the platform to help you stay ahead of threats with the best of Google AI. Here’s how they work:

Keeping your messages safe: Google Messages automatically filters known spam by analyzing sender reputation and message content, moving suspicious texts directly to your "spam & blocked" folder to keep them out of sight. For more complex threats, Scam Detection uses on-device AI to analyze messages from unknown senders for patterns of conversational scams (like pig butchering) and provide real-time warnings⁶. This helps secure your privacy while providing a robust shield against text scams. As an extra safeguard, Google Messages also helps block suspicious links in messages that are determined to be spam or scams.

Combatting phone call scams: Phone by Google automatically blocks known spam calls so your phone never even rings, while Call Screen⁵ can answer the call on your behalf to identify fraudsters. If you answer, the protection continues with Scam Detection, which uses on-device AI to provide real-time warnings for suspicious conversational patterns⁶. This processing is completely ephemeral, meaning no call content is ever saved or leaves your device. Android also helps stop social engineering during the call itself by blocking high-risk actions⁶like installing untrusted apps or disabling security settings, and warns you if your screen is being shared unknowingly.

These safeguards are built directly into the core of Android, alongside other features like real-time app scanning in Google Play Protect and enhanced Safe Browsing in Chrome using LLMs. With Android, you can trust that you have intelligent, multi-layered protection against scams working for you. Android is always evolving to keep you one step ahead of scams In a world of evolving digital threats, you deserve to feel confident that your phone is keeping you safe. That’s why we use the best of Google AI to build intelligent protections that are always improving and work for you around the clock, so you can connect, browse, and communicate with peace of mind. See these protections in action in our new infographic and learn more about phone call scams in our 2025 Phone by Google Scam Report. 1: Data from Global Anti-Scam Alliance, October 2025 ↩ 2: This total comprises all instances where a message or call was proactively blocked or where a user was alerted to potential spam or scam activity. ↩ 3: Google/YouGov survey, July-August 2025; n=5,100 across US, IN, BR ↩ 4: Google/Counterpoint Research, “Assessing the State of AI-Powered Mobile Security”, Oct. 2025; based on comparing the Pixel 10 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, OnePlus 13, Motorola Razr+ 2025. Evaluation based on no-cost smartphone features enabled by default. Some features may not be available in all countries. ↩ 5. Google/Leviathan Security Group, “October 2025 Mobile Platform Security & Fraud Prevention Assessment”, Oct. 2025; based on comparing the Pixel 10 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Motorola Razr+ 2025. Evaluation based on no-cost smartphone features enabled by default. Some features may not be available in all countries. ↩ ↩ 6. Accuracy may vary. Availability varies. ↩ ↩ ↩