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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Distinguishing spam messages from real ones can be tricky.
- Android has a scam-fighting AI trick up its sleeve.
- Circle to Search is available on Pixel and Galaxy phones.
I don’t know about you, but I receive more spam and scam messages on my phone each day than I do legitimate messages from friends and family.
It’s out of control.
When I receive these messages, I always report them and block the sender. But sometimes, the messages are so carefully crafted that it’s not always easy to discern if a message is a scam. I’ll comb through the message, trying to spot the clues.
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Don’t get me wrong: The majority of these messages are obviously spam/scam. My general rule is that if I don’t recognize the number, it’s probably a scam, so I report it. But every so often, a message’s legitimacy eludes me.
How much does this really matter? Well, if you were to respond to the wrong message, you could wind up in a world of trouble. You don’t want that.
So, what do you do when you’re faced with a message you’re not sure about? You turn to Android.
Let me show you what I mean.
What is Circle to Search?
You might think that Android’s Circle to Search feature is nothing more than a way to find the perfect pair of shoes you’ve seen in an image. Sure, you can do that, and it’s a really helpful feature.
But Circle to Search has another very important feature: it can help you determine whether an SMS or DM is a scam. Circle to Search uses AI to read a message and decipher its meaning. If the on-board AI believes a message is a scam, it will alert you to that fact.
Also: How to use Circle to Search on Android (and what models support it now)
When in doubt, why not?
Here’s how it’s done.
How to enable Circle to search
What you’ll need: Circle to Search is available on Android version 13 or later and requires a supported device (Google Pixel 6 or newer and/or Samsung Galaxy S21 or newer). If you have a device that falls in one of those categories, read on.
Before you can use the feature, you might have to enable it (I did). To do this, open the Settings app by pulling the Notification Shade down twice and tapping the gear icon at the bottom right corner.
Within Settings, go to Display & touch > Navigation mode. At the bottom of this page, you’ll see Circle to Search and an On/Off slider. Tap the On/Off slider until it’s in the On position.
You have to enable the feature before it’s available to use.
Screenshot by Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Using Circle to Search to avoid scams
Let’s say you just received a text message and you’re not sure if it’s a scam. With the messaging app open, long-press the navigation bar at the bottom of the window (or the Home button, if you’re using three-button navigation).
Also: This silent Android feature scans your photos for ‘sensitive content’ – how to disable it
After long-pressing the area, draw a circle around the message and wait for the onboard AI to inform you if the message is suspicious.
If the message is suspicious, go ahead and immediately block and report it. If it turns out the message isn’t listed as either a scam or spam, I would still proceed with caution. Remember, this is AI, so it can make mistakes. If Circle to Search labels the message as safe and you’re still suspicious, you can do some research to verify the findings.
Also: Your Android phone just got a powerful anti-theft upgrade. Here’s what’s new
I will say that, from my experience, Circle to Search has been spot on in detecting whether a message is a scam or not; so much so that using the feature has become my default action for incoming messages that aren’t from a contact.
I highly recommend enabling and using this feature. When Circle to Search tags a message as a scam, report it and delete it.
