Airtel launches 'world's first' fraud detection solution
The service is currently available in Haryana circle, with a nationwide roll-out planned soon, Airtel said
Telecom major Airtel on Thursday (May 15) launched what it claims is the world’s first real-time fraud detection and website blocking solution spanning all communications platforms, including emails, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, SMS, and social media.
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The AI-powered platform is designed to automatically detect and block access to malicious websites across devices and applications used by its mobile and broadband customers. The new solution, which is integrated directly into Airtel’s network infrastructure, will be enabled by default for all users at no extra cost.
Service starts in Haryana
The service is currently available in Haryana circle, with a nationwide roll-out planned soon.
“When a user attempts to access a site flagged as harmful, access is blocked instantly and they’re redirected to an explanation page,” said Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel. “This gives customers peace of mind while browsing the internet, without fear of falling prey to scams.”
Spike in online fraud cases
The system, developed in-house by Airtel engineers, uses real-time threat intelligence sourced from global repositories and Airtel’s proprietary fraud database. It has undergone a six-month trial phase, during which it achieved what the company described as “remarkable accuracy.”
The launch comes amid a nationwide spike in online fraud cases in India, with scams evolving from simple phishing and OTP frauds to sophisticated social engineering attacks and malicious links circulated via popular digital platforms.
"We will continue working relentlessly until we have made our networks completely safe from spam and scam," Vittal said.