Bhubaneswar: Over 3.1 million people in Odisha were shielded from online fraud within 40 days of the launch of an AI-powered fraud detection system by Bharti Airtel.
The advanced system, automatically enabled for all Airtel mobile and broadband customers, 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.
Elaborating further, a company release said that if a resident in Bhubaneswar clicks on a message that reads: “Your package is delayed. Track it here: http://www.tracky0urparcell.com”, Airtel’s system instantly scans the link and blocks access if flagged as suspicious. The user is redirected to a warning message that reads: “Blocked! Airtel found this site dangerous!”. This real-time interception prevents users from falling victim to all kinds of frauds.
“In an era where digital threats are becoming more advanced and widespread, the demand for a strong and dependable secure mobile network is more essential than ever. By utilizing an AI-driven solution, we take pride in being the first and only network to integrate fraud protection directly into Airtel’s network infrastructure. We believe that this solution will provide a thorough defense against cyber threats, enabling our customers in Odisha to confidently navigate the intricacies of the digital environment,” said COO, Odisha Bharati Airtel, R. Balaji Singh.
He also met IG, CID Crime Branch & State Cyber Crime Nodal Officer, Shefeen Ahamed K, to discuss joint efforts on enhancing cyber safety in Odisha.
The threat of online fraud has grown in both its urban and rural regions with fraudsters increasingly targeting users through phishing links, fake deliveries and spurious banking alerts in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Bhadrak as well as towns like Balangir, Bargarh, Angul and Paradip.
The AI-driven platform delivers fraud warnings in the user’s preferred language, including Odia, making it highly effective for the state’s diverse population, the release further stated.
It added that the solution operates silently in the background, requires no installation and is offered free of cost.
