Andrew Bonwick
Vice President of Product Development at Relm Insurance
Madhav Sheth
CEO of Ai+ Smartphone
Stephen Rose
CEO Render Networks


Airtel Business, the B2B arm of Bharti Airtel, has implemented IQ SpamShield, its AI/ML-powered anti-spam solution, leading to a significant 98 percent reduction in SMS-based phishing and spam for a leading Indian private bank. The measure comes amid rising concerns over customer trust, data security, and increasing cases of financial fraud through deceptive SMS communications, marking a significant step forward in the fight against mobile-based phishing and financial fraud.
Also Read: Airtel IQ Enhances Message Delivery to Nearly 100 Percent for Leading Indian Private Sector Bank
Surge in SMS Spam
According to Airtel Business, nearly 60 percent of Indian mobile users receive at least three spam messages each week, many of which imitate legitimate banking communications. This surge in fraudulent messages had led to a sharp rise in customer complaints and reputational challenges for the bank. Fake messages often use urgent calls to action and spoofed sender IDs to trick unsuspecting customers into sharing sensitive financial information, resulting in direct monetary losses.
Airtel IQ SpamShield Solution
To address this challenge, the bank implemented Airtel IQ SpamShield, a solution that focuses on the detection, prevention, and suspension of fraudulent messaging activity. The system uses advanced AI/ML algorithms and social graph fingerprinting to identify and filter out non-genuine communications. It verifies sender IDs against whitelisted, DLT-approved databases and monitors for suspicious content such as unknown call-to-actions or requests for personal data.
Also Read: Airtel IQ to Integrate Generative AI and 5G for Real-Time Enterprise Experiences: Report
Solution Works at Network Level
The solution works at the network level, ensuring that fraudulent messages are intercepted before reaching customers. A secure MPLS link between the bank and Airtel also prevents tampering with message reports. In cases where fraudulent content is detected, Airtel shares actionable intelligence — including suspicious numbers and content — with the bank, relevant authorities, and other telecom providers.










