Airtel embeds AI at network layer to curb OTP-led banking fraud

Solution goes live in Haryana; nationwide rollout in two weeks as telco strengthens network-layer fraud detection.

Bharti Airtel launches an AI-powered fraud alert system to combat OTP-related banking fraud, shifting fraud detection from apps and endpoints to the telecom network layer.

The system detects when a bank OTP is triggered during a potentially risky incoming call, a common tactic used in social engineering scams.

When such a scenario arises, Airtel intervenes in real time, issuing a fraud alert check to the customer before OTP delivery while the call is active.

The objective is to disrupt scam workflows at the moment of execution.

Unlike conventional app-based fraud monitoring, Airtel’s solution operates autonomously at the network level.

Security intervention is moving deeper into telecom infrastructure, creating integration opportunities for banks, fintech platforms, fraud analytics providers, and enterprise cybersecurity partners.

As telecom networks embed AI-led fraud controls, collaboration between carriers and BFSI players is likely to intensify real-time risk orchestration.

Network-layer AI detects OTP fraud in real time

The AI engine analyses contextual risk signals during live calls and prompts users to reconsider sharing sensitive OTPs.

The company says extensive trials demonstrate high accuracy and measurable impact in preventing such scams.

The solution is currently live in Haryana. Airtel plans to extend it to 100 percent of its customer base over the next two weeks.

Commenting on the initiative, Airtel’s managing director and CEO, India, Shashwat Sharma, said, “We are on a mission to make Airtel the safe network. While working towards this, we have realised that despite the foundational role played by One-Time Passwords (OTPs) in securing digital transactions, their efficacy is frequently being undermined by criminal tactics. We are, therefore, pleased to announce a significant advancement in Airtel’s network layer that is designed to strengthen protection against banking frauds.”

According to Airtel, the launch builds on the company’s two-year push to integrate AI across infrastructure stacks, including spam-call detection and malicious link blocking.

The telco acknowledges that fraudsters increasingly exploit human vulnerabilities through impersonation and urgency-driven tactics, particularly around banking OTPs.