Google said Tuesday that it has updated Android phones to detect new text scams, including fraudulent messages warning of unpaid tolls.
The tech giant said in a blog post that its scam detection system powered by artificial intelligence can now recognize “dangerous crypto and financial scams, toll road scams, gift card scams and more to help keep you safe.”
Google also announced a new Find Hub to help users locate lost devices and tagged items, as well as additional security features.
Toll scams have become increasingly pervasive in recent years. The FBI, which has warned Americans to delete the messages, received more than 60,000 complaints about toll scams in 2024, according to The Hill’s sister outlet Nexstar Media Group.
The messages usually contain “almost identical language” and a similar “outstanding toll amount,” the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center noted in a public service announcement last April.
The unpaid toll messages are part of a group of scams, known as smishing scams, that target victims with text messages seeking to convince them to click a malicious link or provide sensitive information.
A March report from the threat intelligence arm of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks found that cybercriminals had registered more than 10,000 domains for smishing scams.
The domain names indicated they aim to pose as toll services and package delivery services in at least 10 U.S. states and one Canadian province, the report noted.
