At its 10th Google for India event on Thursday, Google unveiled a suite of new security features designed to enhance user protection on Google Pay and other services, utilizing the power of artificial intelligence (AI).
These advancements are aimed at preventing fraudulent payments and safeguarding users from financial scams. Since last year, Google claims it has thwarted scams worth Rs 13,000 crore, displaying over 41 million warnings about suspicious transactions to help protect Indian users from fraud.
Google is also leveraging AI to automatically remove fraudulent reviews, a critical issue for platforms like Google Maps. The company revealed that it has successfully removed over 170 million reviews that violated its policies, improving trust and user experience on the platform.
“These numbers represent more than just data; they represent lives protected, businesses safeguarded, and trust preserved,” said Snigdha Bhardwaj, director of Search and Generative AI Trust Strategy at Google, emphasizing the real-world impact of these technological solutions.
Enhanced App Security with Google Play Protect
Google’s security measures extend beyond Google Pay, with significant updates coming to Google Play Protect. This system scans and detects threats in apps, including those that have never been seen before. Globally, Google has identified and removed over 10 million malicious apps, with a new fraud protection feature set to be rolled out to Android devices in India.
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This enhanced feature aims to prevent the installation of apps that may access sensitive permissions, particularly when users try to sideload apps from web browsers, file managers, or messaging apps—a common vector for financial scams. Google Play Protect will automatically block such installations, similar to a service already live in Singapore, where it has prevented over 900,000 high-risk app installations in just six months.
As part of a festive offer, this new security feature will soon be available on eligible Android smartphones in India, providing users with greater protection against fraudulent apps and ensuring safer transactions.
