Guwahati, June 16: Bharti Airtel has announced a major breakthrough in combating online fraud in Meghalaya and Northeast India, protecting over 1.35 million users in just 33 days through its new AI-powered fraud detection system.
As part of a nationwide rollout, the system operates silently in the background for all Airtel mobile and broadband users. It scans more than 1 billion URLs per day across platforms like SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, email, and browsers — blocking dangerous links in under 100 milliseconds.
For example, if a user in Shillong receives a fraudulent message like “Your package is delayed. Track it at: http://www.tracky0urparcell.com,” Airtel’s system immediately scans the link. If found suspicious, access is blocked instantly and the user is redirected to a warning page: “Blocked! Airtel found this site dangerous!” — preventing real-time fraud.
Rabi Shankar Mishra, CEO – Assam and Northeast, Bharti Airtel, said, “We are pleased to introduce the world’s first AI-driven fraud detection solution integrated into a telecom network. This will be a game-changer in ensuring digital safety for customers across the Northeast.”
With digital usage surging in the region — from urban hubs like Guwahati and Shillong to rural districts — phishing scams, fake delivery alerts, and fraudulent banking messages have become increasingly common. Airtel’s system acts as a digital shield, protecting vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, homemakers, students, and first-time smartphone users. It requires no installation, is free of cost, and runs automatically for all Airtel users.
Nationally, in the first 33 days since launch, Airtel has blocked over 186,000 malicious links and safeguarded 82.5 million users, setting a new standard for proactive telecom-based cybersecurity.
