How Google is Using AI and Global Collaboration to Combat Online Fraud
Online fraud is more than a technical nuisance; it is a highly disruptive force that can leave individuals facing severe financial loss and emotional distress. To counter these threats, Google has shifted toward a multi-layered defense strategy that combines cutting-edge artificial intelligence with cross-sector partnerships. This commitment was recently highlighted at the second EMEA Anti-Scams and Fraud Summit in Zurich, hosted by the Google Safety Engineering Center (GSEC), where experts from government, academia, consumer groups, and technology sectors gathered to disrupt sophisticated scam operations.
The First Line of Defense: AI-Powered Protections
While disappointing actors are increasingly using AI to craft more convincing scams, Google is deploying AI to intercept these threats before they ever reach the user. By integrating AI-driven defenses directly into its ecosystem, the company is able to block malicious content at scale.
- Gmail: AI systems currently block nearly 15 billion unwanted emails every day, stopping more than 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware.
- Chrome and Search: Chrome predicts and blocks dangerous websites in real time, while Search filters hundreds of millions of spammy pages daily to maintain a 99% spam-free environment.
- Advertising: In 2025, Google’s systems caught over 99% of policy-violating ads. This resulted in the removal or blocking of over 8.3 billion ads, including 602 million specifically associated with scams.
- On-Device Security: The “Scam Detection” feature in Phone by Google utilizes on-device AI to alert users in real time when conversational patterns typical of scammers are detected.
Empowering Users with Security Tools
Automated defenses are critical, but providing users with the tools to manage their own security is equally crucial. Google provides several intuitive features designed to help users spot scams in the moment and harden their accounts.
The Security Checkup tool allows users to quickly strengthen their account security by implementing Passkeys and 2-Step Verification. For those encountering suspicious messages, Circle to Search on Android enables users to long-press the home button and circle a text; AI then assesses the likelihood of it being a scam and provides guidance. Users on other devices can achieve similar results by using Google Lens with a screenshot of the suspicious content.
Building Resilience Through Education
Technology alone cannot solve the fraud problem; human critical thinking is a vital component of defense. Google’s Be Scam Ready initiative uses an interactive, game-based approach to simulate real-world scams, allowing users to “learn-by-doing.” This method has proven more effective at building resilience than traditional awareness campaigns. The program is currently available in English, Portuguese, Thai, and Traditional Chinese, with French, Spanish, and Arabic versions launching later this year.
Beyond interactive learning, Google has made a $5 million Google.org commitment to combat scams in Europe and the Middle East. Through partners like the Internet Society (ISOC) and Oxford Information Labs (OXIL), the company is rolling out grassroots training aimed at protecting over 7 million vulnerable individuals and providing scam resilience tools to thousands of frontline workers.
Disrupting Scams at the Source
Fraudsters often operate across borders and multiple platforms, making isolated defenses insufficient. To address this, Google is a founding partner of the Global Signal Exchange (GSE). The GSE serves as a global clearinghouse for threat data, allowing different sectors to identify and disrupt scams before they cause harm.
The GSE currently stores over 1.2 billion signals. Google contributes unique threat intelligence to the platform and uses AI models to analyze these signals to uncover hidden patterns, which in turn inform law enforcement investigations and enforcement actions.
Taking Down Criminal Networks
The final stage of fraud prevention is the total elimination of the networks that facilitate these crimes. This requires a joint effort between the private sector and public law enforcement.
- Law Enforcement Partnerships: By partnering with agencies such as the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Google recently identified and disrupted a fraud network operating out of West Africa using signals shared via the GSE.
- Industry Agreements: Google is a signatory to the Industry Accord Against Online Scams and Fraud, an agreement where industry actors share collective resources and expertise.
- Legal Action: Google takes direct legal action against major operations. Notable examples include the shutdown of “Lighthouse,” a Phishing-as-a-Service network, and legal action against the operators of the BadBox botnet.
Key Takeaways for Online Safety
| Defense Layer | Key Tool/Initiative | Primary Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Automated | AI Classifiers | Blocks 99.9% of Gmail spam/phishing. |
| User-Driven | Circle to Search / Lens | Real-time assessment of suspicious texts. |
| Educational | Be Scam Ready | Interactive simulation of scam tactics. |
| Systemic | Global Signal Exchange | Cross-sector sharing of 1.2B+ threat signals. |
Stopping scammers is a dynamic, ongoing battle. By combining advanced AI with broad international collaboration and user education, the goal is to build a safer, more resilient internet for everyone. For more information and personalized tips on staying safe online, users can visit the official Google Safety Center.