Airtel Seeks Unified Front With RBI, NPCI and 40 Banks to Combat Digital Frauds
8 Jun 2025 5:42 PM IST8 Jun 2025 5:42 PM IST
Airtel has reportedly reached out through a letter to the RBI for collaboration to create a repository of known fraudulent financial domains.
Airtel Seeks Unified Front With RBI, NPCI and 40 Banks to Combat Digital Frauds
New Delhi: In a move to curb digital frauds, leading telecom operator Bharti Airtel Ltd has requested over 40 banks, as well as banking regulator Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and government’s umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), proposing a close collaboration and a unified front, including sharing intelligence over repository of known fraudulent financial domains.
The Sunil Mittal-led telecom has dialled NPCI, proposing a ‘closer collaboration’ to create a repository of known malicious financial domains, to enable proactive blocking of malicious and rogue sites and to build a multi-layered defence to combat digital frauds. “Airtel has also done a similar outreach with major banks, including SBI, HDFC and others,” sources said.
The company has reportedly also reached out through a letter to the RBI for collaboration to create a repository of known fraudulent financial domains. Airtel has also favoured regulatory consultations, offering its support to the RBI in building frameworks that hold OTT platforms accountable for consumer safety -- especially in the context of financial communication, according to the letter.
The letter, however, has also mooted joint public education campaigns to raise awareness about evolving digital fraud tactics and safe practices. In a separate letter to NPCI, Airtel also said it believes there is a strong potential for a partnership between Airtel and NPCI to further strengthen the security of India's digital payment systems.
The NPCI has been at the forefront of securing digital transactions in India, deploying cutting-edge AI/ML-based models that offer an advanced real-time Fraud Risk Monitoring and Management solution (FRM) that generates alerts and allows banks to detect and prevent fraud across all online NPCI products.
“Airtel commends this proactive approach and NPCI's efforts in reducing the growing risks of fraud in an increasingly digital financial landscape, where threats are constantly evolving," Gopal Vittal, vice chairman and managing director of Airtel, said in a communication to Dilip Asbe, MD and CEO, NPCI.
On the launch of Airtel’s fraud detection solution to combat consumer fraud via malicious links, the telco said the solution could significantly complement NPCI's existing fraud monitoring initiatives. By blocking access to malicious websites and phishing links at the point of access, Airtel can help prevent users from unknowingly engaging with fraudulent sites that could compromise their financial data,” the telco said.
“Additionally, during these programs as well as our overall telco acquisition and experience, we believe that we have strong signals that could lead to identification of potentially fraudulent transactions or users,” the Airtel top honcho wrote, adding that the company believes there is strong potential for a partnership between Airtel and NPCI to further strengthen the security of India's digital payment systems.
“We propose the following actions to enhance this partnership... Closer collaboration between Airtel and NPCI to create a repository of known fraudulent financial domains, enabling proactive blocking of these malicious sites and creating a multi-layered defence against digital fraud,” said the letter dated May 16.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle with agency inputs )
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