Airtel: Spam Detection Solution

The menace of spam and fraud is escalating at an alarming rate worldwide, with over 300 billion spam calls, a 250% surge in AI-driven voice scams, and $1.4 trillion in global banking fraud losses reported. India is no exception to this trend. The country has seen a dramatic rise in cyber threats, particularly spam and financial fraud propagated through malicious links. In just the first nine months of 2024, over 1.7 million cybercrime complaints were registered, with financial losses exceeding $1.2 billion (I4C). Projections for 2025 estimate 2.5 million incidents and $2.4 billion in losses (CloudSEK). Much of this activity has shifted from telco networks to unregulated platforms like OTT communication applications, where traditional security mechanisms fall short. Spam and fraud are now cross-ecosystem challenges, requiring more than reactive responses.

There is a growing need for AI-driven cybersecurity solutions that can deliver real-time detection of spam messages and calls;

These systems must not only protect users without disrupting legitimate business communication but also enable proactive and scalable threat mitigation. Achieving this demands a collaborative approach involving financial institutions, OTT providers, law enforcement, and regulators to build a secure and resilient digital environment.

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Solution

• In September 2024, Airtel launched India’s first AI-powered network solution to combat spam. This technology analyzed user behavior patterns to swiftly identify potential spammers and scamsters and alert customers, providing users the tools to make informed decisions. Shortly after, we also began alerting customers about suspicious international calls.
• This AI solution processes over a trillion records daily across calls and messages, enabling real time detection and flagging based on   behavioral patterns like: 
  • Call/SMS velocity 
  • Incoming-outgoing ratio 
  • SIM/device switching frequency 
  • Geo-spread anomalies and robocalling indicators

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Impact

• The solution has analysed 1.5B+ SMS and 2.4B+ calls every day, enabling real-time detection at national scale. 
  
• The AI system flags 4% of calls and 1.5% of SMS as spam and sends scam alerts to 92% of customers.
  
• It blocks on average 1.17 million spammers per day

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Additional information

Cost
This solution is offered to all Airtel subscribers free of charge making it impractical to evaluate ‘cost vs. outcome’. 

Participating organisations:

Bharti Airtel Limited and Bharti Hexacom Limited

Location:

Asia Pacific