Google has announced that Android 17 — expected later this year — will include a new layer of automatic protection against banking scam calls. The feature uses on-device analysis to recognise when a caller is trying to trick you into handing over banking details, and it will warn you or block the call before the scam can succeed. The same update expands privacy controls so apps have less ability to track your location and activities in the background.
This is good news for anyone who has ever received a suspicious call from someone claiming to be their bank. You won’t have to do anything special once you update — the protections kick in automatically. Affected versions include Android 16 and earlier, which don’t yet have these built-in defences; once you upgrade to Android 17 you’ll be covered.
How to check if you’re affected
Affected devices are Android phones and tablets running versions before Android 17. To see where your phone stands:
- Open Settings on your Android phone.
- Tap About phone (or Software information).
- Look for Android version. If it shows 16 or earlier, your phone does not yet have these protections.
- When Android 17 becomes available for your device, you’ll see a notification to update — install it as soon as you can.