Airtel Cracks Down on Online fraud in Assam and Northeast: Shields 1.35 Million Users in Real Time

Guwahati : Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) has announced significant progress in its mission to protect customers in Assam and Northeast from rising online frauds. As part of the nationwide rollout of its AI- Guwahati, June 16th 2025: Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) has announced significant progress in its mission to powered fraud detection system, Airtel has successfully safeguarded more than 1.35 Million users across the state — within just 33 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 Guwahati 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.

Commenting on the initiative, Rabi Shankar Mishra, CEO – Assam and Northeast, Bharti Airtel, said;” We are thrilled to advance our efforts in combating all emerging digital threats. Today, we are pleased to introduce the world’s first AI-driven fraud detection solution integrated into our network infrastructure. We are confident that this solution will serve as a significant differentiator and provide a completely new, safe, and secure digital experience for customers in the Assam and Northeast region.”

With Assam and Northeast 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 Guwahati, Shillong, Kohima, Itanagar as well as remote towns in the Morigaon, Nagaon and Dhubri 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 Assamese, 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.

The solution operates silently in the background, requires no installation and is offered free of cost. Assam and Northeast at the forefront of digital adoption — from online banking to government e-services — and Airtel’s initiative plays a critical role in creating a safer digital ecosystem across the state. Whether it's a working professional in Guwahati, a homemaker in Shillong, or a student in Itanagar, Airtel helps make every digital interaction safer.