- Brand Impersonation Protection is the latest call-scanning tool coming to Microsoft Teams
- Teams already scans URLs and executable files to identify potential attacks
- Microsoft says it's committed to tackling social engineering
Microsoft Teams is adding new fraud prevention features to try and tackle social engineering scams by flagging external callers which pretend to be trusted organizations – otherwise known as brand spoofing.
An official Microsoft message center update confirms the change is on course to roll out, and a separate roadmap entry from January 8, 2026 details what's new.
"Identify if an external user is impersonating a brand commonly targeted by phishing attacks, during their initial contact with an enterprise user via Teams calling," the entry summarizes.
Microsoft Teams will alert you to brand impersonation calls
The feature works by scanning first-time external callers for any signs of brand impersonation. Warnings will appear for Microsoft Teams users if calls are perceived to be suspicious. Users can then choose to accept, block or end flagged calls.
Desktop versions of Teams, including Mac, will be the first to get the update, which is on target for a February 2026 general availability.
"This helps reduce social-engineering risks and improves tenant security when users receive first-contact external calls," the company wrote in a status update.
Microsoft has already been busy rolling out other features to its video conferencing app to prevent potential attacks. In September 2025, Malicious URL Protection hit general availability, scanning links shared in chats and channels for malicious intent.
That same month, Microsoft also started pushing its Weaponizable File Type Protection tool, which scans executables in chats and channels to further protect users.
Speaking about Brand Impersonation Protection, Microsoft reiterated its commitment to "caller identity protection and secure collaboration."
Looking ahead, the Microsoft 365 roadmap has already set out plans for further security updates, including support for suspicious call reporting which is set to arrive around March 2026.
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Source: TechRadar
