Google recently announced a security feature coming to Messages. The scam detection feature, centered around texts that lead to fraud, has been enhanced. The company says the update provides “improved analysis of fraudulent texts.” For now, the tool will prioritize scams involving package deliveries and job offers.
When Google Messages suspects a scam, it will move the message to the spam folder or issue a warning. The app uses on-device machine learning models to detect these scams, meaning the conversation will remain private. This enhancement is now being rolled out to beta users who have enabled spam protection.
Google is also set to widely roll out intelligent warnings, a feature that has been in the pilot phase for some time. The tool warns users when they receive a link from an unknown sender and automatically “blocks messages with links from suspicious senders.” The updated security tools also include new sensitive content warnings that automatically blur images that might contain nudity. This is an opt-in feature and also keeps everything on the device. It will appear over the next few months.
Finally, a tool is coming that will let people turn off messages from unknown international senders, eliminating the possibility of scams at the source. It will automatically hide messages from international senders who aren’t already in the contact list. The feature is entering a pilot program in Singapore later this year, after which it will be expanded to more countries.
In addition to the above tools, Google says it is currently working on a contact verification feature for Android. This will help curb scammers trying to impersonate one of your contacts. The company has said the feature will be available sometime next year.
After CES and ahead of Samsung’s Unpacked, the Engadget crew had a quick chance to catch its breath this week. But we’ve still kept an eye on the deal machine to see which tech sales are worth your money. Right now, we’re looking at some good Apple deals – one on the latest iPad mini and another on the new 15-inch MacBook Air – as well as a first-time discount on the Kindle Colorsoft ereader.
There are some discounts on Bluetooth trackers that will help you keep track of your keys and bag. And Best Buy is still running a promotion to give away three free months of Apple TV+ so you can start watching the just-released season two of Severance. Here are this week’s best tech deals you can still get today.