Automatically enabled for all Airtel mobile and broadband customers, the advanced system scans and filters links across SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, email, and other browsers. It leverages real-time threat intelligence to examine over 1 billion URLs daily and blocks access to harmful sites in under 100 milliseconds.

For instance, if a resident in Pune receives a suspicious message that reads: “Your package is delayed. Track it here: http://www.tracky0urparcell.com”. And if the unsuspecting resident then clicks on the link, Airtel’s system also clicks into gear. It instantly scans the link and if flagged as suspicious, it blocks access. The user is redirected to a warning message that reads: “Blocked! Airtel found this site dangerous!” All this instantaneously. This real-time interception prevents users from falling victim to all kinds of fraud.

Commenting on the initiative, George Mathen, CEO – Maharashtra and Goa, Bharti Airtel, said, “At Airtel, our commitment lies in protecting customers from all varieties of fraud. By merging our network with an AI-based fraud detection solution, we are making certain that our customers are defended against all emerging threats without requiring any effort on their part. We believe it is imperative to take steps today to secure the digital future, and we are proud to be pioneers in this field by providing a comprehensive and safer network for our customers in Maharashtra and Goa.”

With Maharashtra and Goa ranked as one of India’s most digitally advanced states, the threat of online fraud has grown in both its urban and rural regions. Fraudsters increasingly target users through phishing links, fake deliveries, and spurious banking alerts. Cities like Satara, Nashik, Amravati, Ahilyanagar, Chandrapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Akola — as well as remote towns like Jamgaon, Ghoti, Sultanpur, Tippeshwar, among others— have seen a sharp rise in such fraudulent attempts. Airtel’s solution acts as a statewide digital shield, protecting families, senior citizens, homemakers, students, and first-time smartphone users alike.

The AI-driven platform delivers fraud warnings in the user’s preferred language, including Marathi, making it highly effective for the state’s diverse population. This multilingual support is especially impactful in districts with low digital literacy or where English is not widely used.

The solution operates silently in the background, requires no installation, and is offered free of cost. Maharashtra and Goa at the forefront of digital adoption — from online banking to government e-services — and Airtel’s initiative plays a critical role in creating a safer digital ecosystem across the state. Whether it’s a working professional in Satara, a homemaker in Nashik, a tourist in Goa, or a student in Ahilyanagar, Airtel helps make every digital interaction safer.

The post Airtel Shields 2 Lakh Customers from Online Fraud in Maharashtra and Goa appeared first on NRI News.

INDIA: Leading telecom operator Vi, today announced a significant step forward in protecting its users from spam. Starting today, the company is introducing a spam management solution powered by AI and ML. This new solution is designed to proactively detect and flag potential spam messages through a machine-based automated solution, helping Vi users maintain a secure and clutter-free mobile experience. Since its initial testing phase, the solution has already flagged over 24 million spam messages.

With spam messages on the rise, which are often used as a gateway to fraud, Vi’s Spam SMS solution will safeguard customers by identifying and managing unsolicited and potentially harmful text in real-time.

Speaking on the development, Jagbir Singh, CTO, of Vodafone Idea Limited, said: “As more customers embrace digital communication, we recognize the growing threat posed by SMS-based spams and potential scam attempts. Our AI-powered spam detection technology reinforces our commitment to customer safety by delivering proactive, real-time protection. Vi is focused on staying ahead of these threats and empowering customers with information to make their mobile experience safer.”

As part of its broader commitment to customer safety and experience, Vi is continuously working to develop solutions to curb spam, including voice calls, to ensure its users are further protected from unsolicited calls. These measures are in addition to various existing solutions and practices including making the mobile-app URL simple to use for filing spam complaints by enabling automatic pick up of spam content (SMS), sender number, and date, as well as whitelisting URLs in brand messages. Vi also uses insightful consumer feedback and complaints in conjunction with UCC (Unsolicited Commercial communication) detection, which identifies bulk call patterns (such as calls made from a single number to many distinct numbers) and limits their use to stop further abuse.

Recognizing the importance of customer education, Vi also regularly runs customer awareness campaigns to help users spot phishing attempts, report spam, and encourage overall caution. 

How Vi’s SMS spam solution works:

1. Real-time analysis: The system continuously analyzes incoming SMS messages using AI algorithms trained on millions of examples, identifying potential threats, including fraudulent links, unauthorized promotions, and identity theft attempts. Real-time monitoring allows for immediate action against suspicious activities.
2. Pattern Recognition: By leveraging sophisticated machine learning algorithms, the predictive system learns from incoming data patterns such as phishing links, unusual sender details, and phrases commonly used in spam messages to enhance its detection capabilities over time.
3. Spam tagging: Messages identified as spam will be tagged as ‘Suspected Spam’, to instantly warn the users, helping them make informed decisions about their communications. This intelligent approach not only enhances security but also ensures that genuine communications aren’t lost in a sea of unwanted messages.
4. Continuous improvements: Via Machine Learning, it will continually improve by adapting to new spam trends, improving accuracy and effectiveness. This means it evolves and adapts to new types of spam as they emerge, shielding users from new threats.

Benefits for customers

1. Enhanced safety: By flagging potentially harmful spam, the service empowers customers with the information of suspected spam messages, thus protecting them from potential phishing and scam attempts.
2. Seamless integration: The service is automatic and requires no setup, app installation, or payment from customers.

The post Vi Unveils Innovative AI Solution to Combat Spam SMS and Protect Customers appeared first on NRI News.

PUNE: Bharti Airtel through its AI-powered spam detection solution has given much-needed relief to its customers in Maharashtra. In the last 7 days since its launch, the system, a first-of-its-kind solution by a telecom service provider, has been able to successfully identify 70 million potential spam calls and 1.2 million spam SMS in Maharashtra.

The solution, which is free of cost, has been auto-activated for all Airtel customers without them having to raise a service request or download an app. 

Commenting on the launch, George Mathen, Chief Executive Officer, Maharashtra and Goa, Bharti Airtel, said, “Every scam begins with a spam call. As a result, most people are reluctant to receive calls from numbers they do not recognize or to click on a link shared via SMS. With Airtel’s AI-powered solution, all such fears can be put to rest. 33 million Airtel customers in Maharashtra no longer have to worry about any such frauds since Airtel has empowered them with a defense mechanism that will alert them to all such spam calls and SMSes in real-time. Available only to Airtel customers, this solution will be one of the key differentiators compared to other service providers in the state. We are committed to working towards removing all annoying disturbances for our customers.”

Developed in-house by Airtel’s data scientists, the AI-powered solution uses a proprietary algorithm to identify and classify calls and SMSes as “Suspected Spam”. The network powered by a state-of-the-art AI algorithm analyses various parameters such as the caller or sender’s usage patterns, call/SMS frequency, and call duration amongst several others, on a real-time basis. By cross-referencing this information against known spam patterns, the system flags suspected spam calls and SMSes accurately. 

A dual-layered protection, the solution has two filters – one at the network layer and the second at the IT systems layer. Every call and SMS passes through this dual-layered AI shield. In two milliseconds the solution processes 1.5 billion messages and 2.5 billion calls. This is equivalent to processing 1 trillion records on a real-time basis using the power of AI.

Additionally, the solution also alerts customers to malicious links received via SMS. For this, Airtel has built a centralized database of blacklisted URLs and every SMS is scanned in real-time by a state-of-the-art AI algorithm to caution users from accidentally clicking on suspicious links. The solution can also detect anomalies such as frequent IMEI changes – a typical indicator of fraudulent behavior. By layering these protective measures, the company is ensuring its customers receive the maximum level of defense against the evolving landscape of spam and fraud threats.

The post Maharashtra Takes a Stand Against Spam Calls and SMS with Airtel’s Innovative AI Network Solution appeared first on NRI News.