Google's AI-Powered Android Security Blocks 10 Billion Scam Messages Monthly, Outperforms iOS

Google's AI Security Achievement

Google has announced that Android's built-in artificial intelligence defenses now protect users from more than 10 billion suspected malicious calls and messages every month 1

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. The tech giant has also blocked over 100 million suspicious numbers from using Rich Communication Services (RCS), preventing scams before they could even be sent to potential victims.

The company has implemented various safeguards in recent years to combat phone call scams, utilizing on-device artificial intelligence to automatically filter known spam and move suspicious messages to the "spam & blocked" folder in the Google Messages app. Earlier this month, Google globally rolled out safer links in Google Messages, warning users when they attempt to click URLs in messages flagged as spam 1

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Research Demonstrates Android's Superior Protection

A comprehensive study conducted by Google in partnership with YouGov surveyed 5,000 smartphone users across the United States, India, and Brazil, revealing significant security advantages for Android users 2

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. The research found that Android users were 58% less likely to have received a spam text message in the week before taking the survey, with Google Pixel owners showing particularly impressive results—being 96% less likely to receive spam messages compared to iPhone users 3

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Android phone owners were also 20% more likely to describe their device's scam protections as "very effective" or "extremely effective" compared to iPhone users. A separate assessment by Counterpoint Research found that Android smartphones offer AI-powered protection across ten key areas, including email filtering, browsing safety, and behavioral detection, while iOS devices were found to use AI in only two protection categories 3

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Evolution of Scam Tactics

Google's analysis of user-submitted reports from August 2025 identified employment fraud as the most prevalent scam category, where job seekers are lured with fake opportunities to steal personal and financial information 1

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. Other prominent categories include financially-motivated scams involving bogus unpaid bills, subscriptions, and fraudulent investment schemes, along with package delivery, government impersonation, romance, and technical support scams.

Scammers have increasingly shifted to using group chat messages with multiple potential victims rather than direct messages, as group conversations can appear less suspicious to recipients. Google noted that scammers often include fellow scammers in these groups to validate initial messages and create the appearance of legitimate conversation 1

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The company's analysis revealed that malicious messages follow distinct daily and weekly patterns, typically beginning around 5 a.m. PT in the United States and peaking between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. PT. The highest volume of fraudulent messages is sent on Mondays, coinciding with the start of the workweek when recipients are likely busiest and less vigilant about incoming messages.

Scammer Infrastructure and Methods

Google identified two primary scam approaches: "Spray and Pray," which involves casting a wide net to capture a small fraction of victims through urgent lures related to topical events or package deliveries, and "Bait and Wait," a more calculated approach where threat actors establish rapport over time before attempting to steal information or money 1

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The scam ecosystem is supported by various suppliers providing hardware for phone and SIM farms, Phishing-as-a-Service kits, and third-party bulk messaging services. Phone numbers for targeting are often procured from dark web marketplaces selling data from security breaches. The landscape remains highly volatile, with fraudsters constantly shifting between countries and markets that present fewer obstacles for purchasing SIM cards in bulk.