Google is intensifying its efforts to combat digital fraud in India by introducing new AI-powered security features, including on-device scam detection on Pixel 9 devices and screen-sharing alerts for financial apps. The move comes amid a sharp rise in digital fraud, with the Reserve Bank of India reporting that digital transactions accounted for over half of all bank fraud cases in 2024—13,516 incidents resulting in ₹5.2 billion ($58.61 million) in losses. In the first five months of 2025, online scams caused an estimated ₹70 billion ($789 million) in damages, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs, though actual losses may be higher due to underreporting. The new on-device scam detection feature uses Gemini Nano to analyze incoming calls in real time directly on the phone, identifying potential scams without recording audio or sending data to Google’s servers. It activates only for calls from unknown numbers and plays a beep during the conversation to alert users. Initially launched as a beta in the U.S. for English-speaking Pixel 9 users in March, Google confirmed that the feature will now roll out in India—but only on Pixel 9 and later models, and only for English-speaking users. This limits its reach significantly, given that Pixel devices hold less than 1% of India’s smartphone market, while Android dominates at nearly 96% according to Statcounter. Google also announced a pilot program with Indian financial apps Navi, Paytm, and Google Pay to combat screen-sharing scams, where fraudsters trick victims into sharing their screens to steal one-time passwords and PINs. The feature, first unveiled at Google I/O, will alert users on Android 11 or later devices with a one-tap option to end the call and stop screen sharing. While Google says it plans to expand to more apps and add support for Indian languages, no timeline has been provided. In parallel, Google’s Play Protect service has blocked over 115 million attempts to install predatory loan apps this year by restricting sideloading of third-party apps that request sensitive permissions often exploited in scams. Google Pay also issues over a million fraud warnings weekly based on suspicious transaction patterns. The company is also running its DigiKavach awareness campaign, which has reached over 250 million people, and has partnered with the RBI to publish a public list of authorized digital lending apps and their associated non-banking financial companies to help users avoid scams. Despite these measures, gaps remain. Google continues to face scrutiny over the presence of fake and misleading apps on the Play Store, even after review processes. Security researchers and police have repeatedly identified fraudulent investment and loan apps that remained available until intervention. These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges of policing a vast, decentralized app ecosystem that serves hundreds of millions of users across diverse linguistic and technical backgrounds. While Google’s AI-driven initiatives represent a significant step forward, broader adoption across non-Pixel Android devices and multilingual support will be crucial to effectively addressing India’s growing digital fraud crisis.