Airtel Cracks Down on Online fraud in Telangana

Telangana: Bharti Airtel has announced significant progress in its mission to protect customers in Telangana from rising online frauds. As part of the nationwide rollout of its AI-powered fraud detection system, Airtel has successfully blocked more than 180,000 malicious links and safeguarded more than 5.4 Million users across the state — within just 25 days of launching its advanced fraud-detection system.

Automatically enabled for all Airtel mobile and broadband customers, the advanced system scans and filters links across SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, E-mail 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 Hyderabad 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 frauds.

In her remarks regarding this initiative, Ms. Shikha Goel, IPS, DG & Director of the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau, stated, "The cybersecurity initiative in Telangana is amplifying its endeavors to address scams, understanding the critical need for strong fraud prevention strategies. The state has commended Airtel for its efficient fraud detection solution, underscoring the importance of partnership in strengthening security measures.

With Telangana 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 Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Warangal, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Nalgonda and Suryapet 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 Telugu, 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.