Airtel Cracks Down on Online fraud in Tamil Nadu: Blocks 180,000 malicious Links, Shields 3 million Users in Real Time

Posted on: 11/Jun/2025 4:46:13 PM

Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”) has announced significant progress in its mission to protect customers in Tamil Nadu from rising online frauds. As part of the nationwide rollout of its AI-powered fraud detection system, Airtel has successfully blocked more than 180,000 malicious links and safeguarded more than 3 million users across the state within just 25 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 Salem 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, Tarun Virmani, CEO – Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Bharti Airtel, said; “We are proud to introduce the world’s first Fraud Detection Solution now live in Tamil Nadu to safeguard our customers against emerging threats. At a time when digital threats are becoming more advanced and widespread, the need for a strong and dependable secure mobile network is more essential than ever. We believe that our solution will provide a thorough defense to customers in Tamil Nadu against cyber frauds, enabling them to confidently navigate the digital environment.”

Commenting at the event, Dr. Sandeep Mittal, IPS, ADGP of the Cyber Crime Wing, stated, “We are pleased that the Airtel team informed us and offered a comprehensive overview of their initiative for fraud detection solutions, detailing its goals and operational methodology.” The Cyber Crime Wing has praised the company`s efforts to combat the increasing issue of spam and scams within the state, as well as its commitment to protecting millions of residents. The Tamil Nadu police department has provided valuable feedback for the development of future-ready solutions aimed at addressing telecom-related fraud. 

With Tamil Nadu 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 Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Salem and Madurai as well as remote towns in the Nilgiris, Villupuram and Ramanathapuram 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 e smartphone users alike.

The AI-driven platform delivers fraud warnings in the user’s preferred language, including Tamil, 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. Tamil Nadu is 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 Chennai, a homemaker in Erode, or a student in Thanjavur, Airtel helps make every digital interaction safer.