Airtel Flags 98.4 Billion Spam Calls Amid Sharp Rise in Digital Fraud Cases
Lucknow, September 26, 2026: India’s digital economy is expanding rapidly, but the growing adoption of digital services is also being accompanied by a rise in the scale and sophistication of cyber fraud. What was once largely confined to spam calls and phishing messages has evolved into a broader fraud ecosystem involving impersonation scams, fake banking requests, malicious links, investment fraud and OTP-linked financial scams.
Government and industry data indicate that the threat has become both widespread and increasingly sophisticated. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Indians have lost more than ₹52,976 crore to cyber fraud over the past six years. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) also indicates a continuing increase in cybercrime cases, even as overall crime levels have declined.
With digital services becoming an integral part of everyday life across banking, payments, healthcare, commerce and government services, telecom networks are increasingly expected to contribute to digital safety. Users now look to network providers not only for reliable connectivity but also for solutions that can identify and help mitigate risks associated with digital communication.
Airtel expands AI-powered network-level protection
Recognising this changing threat landscape, Airtel adopted a network-level approach to customer protection. In September 2024, the company launched what it described as India’s first network-based, AI-powered spam detection solution by a telecom provider, combining network intelligence with artificial intelligence to identify and protect customers from spam calls and SMSs.
Over the past two years, Airtel has expanded its AI-powered Safe Network initiative as part of its broader efforts toward network-level fraud prevention. The company says the objective is to build security systems that operate in the background, without requiring customers to install additional applications or manually report every potential threat.
Airtel’s Safe Network has since evolved into a broader suite of network-led digital safety tools.
Key components of Airtel’s Safe Network
OTP-linked fraud protection: Airtel has introduced AI-based protection designed to identify situations in which users may be manipulated into sharing OTPs or other sensitive credentials during suspicious interactions, and intervene where appropriate.
Malicious link detection: Prior to introducing its OTP fraud protection system, Airtel deployed a real-time system to identify fraudulent websites and suspicious links. According to the company, the system has blocked more than 1.62 million malicious links shared through SMS, messaging applications, emails and browser redirects across its mobile and Wi-Fi broadband subscriber base.
Spam call and message detection: In September 2024, Airtel launched its network-level AI-powered spam detection system. The company says that since its deployment, the system has identified more than 98.4 billion spam calls and 4.4 billion spam messages.
Business Name Display: Airtel has also introduced Business Name Display capabilities to help users differentiate verified enterprise calls from potentially fraudulent or fake numbers. The company says the feature can help reduce the risk of impersonation scams involving individuals posing as banking or customer-care representatives.
Moving beyond connectivity
Airtel’s Safe Network initiative reflects a broader evolution in the role of telecom networks, as digital services become increasingly embedded in everyday life. Beyond providing connectivity, network-level technologies are being developed to identify and mitigate certain digital risks and add another layer of protection for users navigating India’s rapidly expanding digital ecosystem.