According to ExtremeTech, Google has launched a new Android feature in the US designed to prevent banking scams during screen-sharing sessions. The feature triggers a full-screen, bright red warning when a user on Android 11 or newer receives a call from an unsaved number while actively screen-sharing and then opens a banking or fintech app. The warning includes a prominent “End call now” button that instantly stops both the call and the screen sharing. It also forces a 30-second pause before the user can proceed to their app, disrupting the scammer’s urgency tactics. This follows a successful pilot in the UK earlier this year, where it helped thousands of users. The US rollout includes partnerships with Cash App and JPMorgan Chase.
Why this actually works
Here’s the thing: most security features are about complex encryption or behind-the-scenes authentication. This one is brilliantly simple. It targets the human element—the panic. Scammers are experts at creating that “Oh no, your account is compromised, you must act NOW!” feeling. That 30-second forced pause is a psychological masterstroke. It gives your rational brain a chance to catch up to your panicked lizard brain. You can’t just click through. You have to sit there, looking at this glaring red alert, and that alone breaks the scammer’s spell. It’s a guardrail for a moment of poor judgment, and we all have those.
The broader trend
This isn’t just a nifty feature. It signals a major shift in how platforms are thinking about security. For years, the focus was on protecting the device and the data on it. Now, the battleground is the interaction layer—the specific context of how a user is being manipulated in real-time. It’s behavioral security. And if Google is baking this into the OS for specific high-risk scenarios (banking app + screen share + unknown caller), what’s next? Could we see similar interventions for phishing links in messages when you’re in a hurry, or for app permissions when a sketchy app requests them? Probably. The future of security is looking less like a vault and more like a savvy friend tapping you on the shoulder saying, “Hey, wait a minute.”
The rollout game
Starting with Chase and Cash App is smart—it covers a huge chunk of US users right out of the gate. But the real test will be how quickly they can onboard regional banks and credit unions, where older demographics might be even more vulnerable to these “tech support” screen-sharing scams. The UK pilot proving it helped “thousands” is a powerful data point to get those smaller institutions on board. So, while this is a US-focused announcement, the underlying tech is clearly ready. The question is one of partnerships and prioritization. I’d expect this to become a standard, expected layer of protection on Android within a couple of years, globally. Basically, the red screen of scam death is coming to a phone near you. And that’s a very good thing.
