Hyderabad: Bharti Airtel has made rapid strides in protecting its customers in Telangana from online fraud with the launch of its AI-powered fraud detection system. Within just 25 days of its rollout, the system has blocked more than 180,000 malicious links, shielding over 5.4 million users across the state.
The advanced technology is automatically activated for all Airtel mobile and broadband customers, scanning links across SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, email, and browsers. Leveraging real-time threat intelligence, the system examines over a billion URLs daily and blocks harmful sites in under 100 milliseconds.
For example, if a Hyderabad resident receives a message reading, “Your package is delayed. Track it here,” with a suspicious link, Airtel’s system intervenes instantly. It scans the link, flags it if harmful, and redirects the user to a warning message, effectively blocking potential fraud attempts.
Ajay Ananthapadmanabhan, CEO of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh at Bharti Airtel, highlighted the company’s commitment to customer safety: “Protecting our customers from all forms of fraud is our highest priority, and we are dedicated to offering this solution free of charge. The AI-driven fraud detection system will be essential for enhancing our capabilities and delivering innovative solutions to meet our customers’ urgent needs.”
Shikha Goel, IPS, DG and Director of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau, praised the initiative, noting that Telangana is intensifying efforts to combat scams and that partnerships like this are key to strengthening cybersecurity.
Telangana’s rapid digital adoption ranging from online banking to e-governance has also attracted fraudsters, particularly in cities like Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Warangal, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Nalgonda, and Suryapet. Residents have been targeted through phishing links, fake deliveries, and fraudulent banking alerts.
Airtel’s system serves as a digital shield, protecting users statewide from families and homemakers to students and first-time smartphone users. It delivers fraud warnings in the user’s preferred language, including Telugu, making it highly effective even in districts with low digital literacy.
The system operates silently in the background, requires no installation, and is free of cost, offering a seamless, secure digital experience for every Airtel customer in Telangana.
