Airtel Launches AI-Powered Fraud Detection Solution for OTT Platforms and Websites

Airtel Introduces Fraud Detection Solution for Emails, WhatsApp and More

It is enabled by default for all Airtel mobile and broadband users Bharti Airtel on Thursday introduced a new fraud detection solution which aims to safeguard consumers against rising risk of online fraud. It is said to work across OTT apps and communication platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, shielding them any potential threats. When a customer tries to access a website that has been flagged as malicious by Airtel's security system, the page loading process is blocked and they are redirected to a page which details the potential threat. In a press release, Airtel announced that it has implemented a multi-tier intelligence platform which leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to safeguard its consumers against scams and fraud. With its threat detection platform, the telecom operator carries out domain filtering across all platforms which intercepts and inspects Domain Name System (DNS) queries to check if it is listed in a known blocklist or violates a predefined security policy. The safe links are shown to be a secure website, while it blocks the link, which is found to be malicious, across devices. The company emphasises the rising threat of online fraud due to digital platforms becoming ubiquitous. What began with simple OTP frauds and fraud calls has evolved into complex online scams targeting millions of people globally. It is due to this growing threat that the telecom operator has introduced its latest proactive measure. As per the telecom operator, the service works in real time across all platforms such as emails, browsers, SMS, and over-the-top (OTT) apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram, It is claimed to be integrated and auto-enabled for all Airtel mobile and broadband customers without incurring any extra cost. The new fraud detection solution is currently live in the Haryana circle and will be rolled out nationwide soon, says Airtel. This builds upon the recent expansion of Airtel's network-based AI solution for spam calls and messages detection to 10 Indian languages. It automatically identifies and detects spam calls and SMSes and sends a notification to users to alert them. Now, users in India will get these alert notifications in ten regional languages, including Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, in addition to the existing English option.

Airtel Launches Fraud Detection Tool for OTT Communications

The telco will also detect and block websites that are fraudulent in nature if they are shared over OTT communucation platforms. Bharti Airtel, India's second-largest telecom operator, has launched a new OTT fraud detection tool. The unique thing about this tool is that it works on OTT (over-the-top) communication platforms. So far, the spam solution that Airtel had launched was working on the mobile network layer wherein the telco flagged users about the potential spam commmunications which included calls and messages. But now, the telco will also detect and block websites that are fraudulent in nature if they are shared over OTT communucation platforms. Read More - Bharti Airtel ARPU Remains Flat in Q4 FY25, What Does it Say Bharti Airtel said, "In continuation of its fight against spam, Airtel today unveiled a new cutting-edge solution that will detect and block malicious websites across all communication Over-The-Top (OTT) apps and platforms including emails, browsers, OTTs like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, SMSes etc., in real time." This is a great initiative from the telecom operator. It will help the company in safeguarding the customers from potential online frauds or giving away personal information or getting their personal accounts hacked across different platforms. Airtel said, "When a customer tries to access a website flagged as malicious by Airtel's advanced security system, the page load is blocked, and customers are redirected to a page explaining the reason for the block." Read More - Airtel Africa is Growing Faster than Airtel India OTT platforms handle a major part of communications that happen today. Thus, this solution from Airtel is the need of the hour. Gopal Vittal, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel said, "Over the last few years, we have come across several instances where unsuspecting customers have been defrauded by ingenious criminals of their hard-earned money. Our engineers have tried to solve this problem through the launch of our Fraud Detection Solution. We believe this will provide our customers total peace of mind while browsing the internet without the worry of getting scammed. Our AI based tool scans internet traffic, checks with global repositories and our own database of threat actors in real-time and blocks fraudulent websites. Our solution has already reached a remarkable level of accuracy in the 6 months of trials. We will continue working relentlessly until we have made our networks completely safe from spam and scam."

Airtel Launches AI-Powered Real-Time Fraud Detection Solution in Haryana

Currently available in Haryana, with plans for nationwide expansion. Airtel has introduced a new security solution designed to detect and block malicious websites across all communication platforms, including emails, browsers, Over-The-Top (OTT) apps, and platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, and SMSes -- in real time. This AI-powered service, which the company claims is a world first, will be seamlessly integrated and automatically enabled for all Airtel mobile and broadband customers at no extra cost, the telecom company said in a statement on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Also Read: Airtel Deploys AI Based Speech Analytics Solution to Improve Customer Experience "When a customer tries to access a website flagged as malicious by Airtel's advanced security system, the page load is blocked, and customers are redirected to a page explaining the reason for the block," Airtel added. Currently, this service is available in the Haryana circle, with plans for a nationwide rollout soon. As digital platforms become increasingly pervasive, the threat of online fraud has escalated, with millions falling victim to sophisticated scams far beyond simple OTP frauds or deceptive calls. To combat this, Airtel said it has implemented an AI-powered, multi-tiered intelligence platform to protect users from a broad spectrum of scams and fraud. This platform uses state-of-the-art threat detection and domain filtering across all devices and platforms. Also Read: Airtel Enhances AI-Powered Spam Detection with Vernacular Alerts and International Call Scanning "Our AI-based tool scans internet traffic, checks with global repositories and our own database of threat actors in real-time and blocks fraudulent websites. Our solution has already reached a remarkable level of accuracy in the 6 months of trials. We will continue working relentlessly until we have made our networks completely safe from spam and scam," said Gopal Vittal, vice chairman and managing director, Bharti Airtel. Also Read: Airtel Launches AI-Powered Network Solution for Spam Detection In September of last year, Airtel launched an AI-powered spam detection solution to alert its mobile users about suspected spam or unsolicited commercial communications (UCC).

Airtel launches Fraud Detection Solution, a First in the World

Detects and blocks malicious websites across all communications platforms including email, OTTs and SMSes in real time In continuation of its fight against spam, Airtel today unveiled a new cutting-edge solution that will detect and block malicious websites across all communication Over-The-Top (OTT) apps and platforms including emails, browsers, OTTs like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, SMSes etc.,in real time. This safe service will be seamlessly integrated with, and auto- enabled for, all Airtel mobile and broadband customers at no additional cost. When a customer tries to access a website flagged as malicious by Airtel's advanced security system, the page load is blocked, and customers are redirected to a page explaining the reason for the block. The threat of online fraud is growing everyday as a result of digital platforms becoming increasingly ubiquitous across the country and posing a serious risk to consumers. There is an alarming surge in such threats in the last few days. Fraudulent schemes have evolved far beyond mere OTP frauds and deceptive calls, with recent reports indicating that millions of individuals have fallen victim to malicious online scams. Recognizing the gravity of this situation, Airtel has implemented an AI-powered, multi-tiered intelligence platform designed to safeguard customers from the full spectrum of scams and fraud. It intends to do so by introducing a state-of-the-art threat detection platform that will conduct domain filtering across all platforms and block the link across devices. Commenting on the initiative Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Airtel, said, "Over the last few years, we have come across several instances where unsuspecting customers have been defrauded by ingenious criminals of their hard-earned money. Our engineers have tried to solve this problem through the launch of our Fraud Detection Solution. We believe this will provide our customers total peace of mind while browsing the internet without the worry of getting scammed. Our AI based tool scans internet traffic, checks with global repositories and our own database of threat actors in real-time and blocks fraudulent websites. Our solution has already reached a remarkable level of accuracy in the 6 months of trials. We will continue working relentlessly until we have made our networks completely safe from spam and scam." Pictorial Representation of the Workflow The service is currently available in Haryana circle, with a nationwide rollout planned soon. About Bharti Airtel Limited: Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 550 million customers in 15 countries across India and Africa. The company also has its presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through its associate entities. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India's largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel's retail portfolio includes high-speed 4G/5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, streaming services spanning music and video, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT, Ad Tech and cloud based communication. Within our diversified portfolio, we offer passive infrastructure services through our subsidiary Indus Tower Ltd. For more details visit www.airtel.com

New Airtel Network-Level System Blocks Malicious Links

Airtel has rolled out a network-level system that blocks malicious links across WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, email, browsers, and SMS. The feature is auto-enabled for all mobile and broadband users. It is currently live in the Haryana circle. The system scans internet traffic in real time. Instead of opening flagged websites, the system directs users to a screen that informs them about the reason for blocking the link. According to the company, the system uses data from global threat repositories, banks, and other institutions to block malicious websites sent across apps. Airtel confirmed to MediaNama that the feature has been in testing for the past six months. It also said the tool has achieved close to 100% accuracy in internal trials, making way for possible wider rollouts in the coming weeks. Some iPhone users have posted screenshots on X showing their network label changed from “Airtel†to “The Safe Network.†Airtel confirmed to MediaNama that this change is part of the new system’s deployment. This is not the first time Airtel has tried to block such spam containing malicious links. Earlier in September, the telecom operator launched its AI spam call detection tool, which flagged over 27.5 billion spam calls until April 2025. This was the first step in Airtel’s shift toward AI-led spam prevention. Airtel expanded the spam detection system last month to issue spam alerts in 10 Indian languages. It also started scanning calls from international numbers. The company said overseas spam calls had risen by 12% over six months. The new fraud detection tool goes a step further in spam detection as it not only alerts the users about suspicious activity but also blocks malicious websites before they start loading. The system works at the network level, across services not owned or controlled by Airtel. In February 2025, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI ) amended its regulations to require AI-based detection of unsolicited commercial communication (UCC) â€" messages sent without user consent or against stated preferences. The rules also require telcos to suspend unregistered senders and maintain honeypots in high-spam zones. In addition, telcos must trace and act on message header or template misuse. Telecom companies now have to ensure that all commercial communication passes through registered headers and designated number series. TRAI also empowered telcos to blacklist repeat offenders and disconnect services in cases of misuse. The regulator can also impose financial penalties if it finds that a telco has failed to take sufficient action against spammers. Although these requirements focus on calls and SMS, Airtel’s link-blocking system may reflect a broader interpretation. As spam shifts from messages to web links, network-level blocking becomes a way to stay ahead of fraud. MediaNama asked Airtel how its system determines a malicious website and how it operates on encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp. We also enquired about users' data retention and if users can appeal against blocked links. In response, Airtel said the tool uses an advanced platform to detect and block malicious links across SMS, browsers, and encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. It assigns a spam score to each website based on internal signals and threat intelligence from sources such as global repositories and banks. If the score is high, the system blocks the site before it loads. Regarding MediaNama’s question on the retention of browsing activity or access logs, Airtel revealed that the tool operates entirely on AI and does not log or store any user-level data. The company also confirmed that a grievance mechanism exists for users to report incorrect blocks. However, it did not provide details on how complaints are handled, what timelines apply, or what kind of resolution users can expect. Airtel’s system is auto-enabled and works at the network level, blocking access to flagged websites across apps and platforms, including encrypted messaging services. The company says it can detect threats even in end-to-end encrypted messages. However, it has not explained how the system identifies links in such environments without accessing message content. Airtel has been transparent with MediaNama about the system’s overall design, including its use of spam scores, AI-based detection, and the absence of user-level data logging. Even so, several operational details remain unclear. The company has not said what kinds of signals the tool relies on (for example, metadata or link previews) or whether more advanced methods such as Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) are involved. The company has also not published documentation on how the spam score is calculated, what classes of links are typically flagged, or how its grievance mechanism works in practice.