Airtel Leads Fight Against Digital Frauds: Calls for United Action with Banks, RBI & NPCI

Airtel has written to RBI, NPCI, 40+ banks, and even Jio & Vi, asking them to join hands in fighting rising digital frauds in India. What is Airtel Proposing? • Create a shared list of fake/malicious financial websites • Block harmful links before they reach users • Run joint awareness campaigns to teach people how to stay safe online • Work with RBI & NPCI to strengthen fraud prevention systems Why Now? India saw 17+ lakh cybercrime complaints in just 9 months of 2024, with losses crossing ₹11,000 crore! Airtel's Role: ✅ Launched a fraud detection system to stop users from clicking on dangerous links ✅ Wants to complement NPCI's fraud alert tools with this early-warning tech ✅ Supports ***** (RBI's AI tool to catch fraud accounts), but says prevention must happen even earlier What’s the Bigger Concern? • Airtel warns that OTT apps (like WhatsApp, Telegram) are less secure than regular SMS. • Fraud links sent on OTT platforms are harder to trace or block • Airtel says financial messages must go through secure telecom networks for better safety The Goal: To build a strong, united defence system where banks, regulators, and telecoms work together to: • Catch fraud early • Educate users • Make digital payments safer Airtel wants to make digital India a safer place for all users — and they’re asking the whole ecosystem to team up for it.