Bharti Airtel has identified 86.7 billion spam calls and 3.5 billion spam messages through its AI-powered network-level detection system since its launch in September 2024, according to data shared by the telco. It also said that its malicious link detection system has blocked more than 1.1 million malicious links across SMS, messaging apps, emails and browser redirects, as the telecom operator steps up efforts to tackle the growing threat of digital fraud.
The company said these interventions have contributed to a 68.7% reduction in financial losses among customers on its network. The development comes amid a sharp rise in cyber fraud across the country. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Indians lost more than Rs 52,976 crore to cyber fraud over the past six years, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
The telco has expanded its AI-powered Safe Network initiative over the past 22 months as part of a broader push towards network-level fraud prevention that does not require customers to install additional applications or manually report threats.
Among the interventions, the telecom operator has introduced AI-based protection designed to identify and intervene when users are being manipulated into sharing one-time passwords (OTPs) or other sensitive credentials during suspicious interactions. It has also deployed a system to detect fraudulent websites and suspicious links in real time, blocking malicious links across SMS, messaging apps, emails and browser redirects.
Its AI-powered spam detection system identifies suspected spam calls and messages at the network level, while a business name display feature enables users to distinguish verified enterprise callers from potentially fraudulent numbers, helping reduce impersonation scams involving fake banking and customer care representatives.
Airtel said the initiative reflects the growing role of telecom networks in strengthening digital safety as online services become increasingly integral to banking, payments, commerce and government services.