One of the most pervasive methods of digital theft today isn’t some high-level hacking; it is social engineering. Fraudsters call unsuspecting users, create a sense of urgency, often disguised as bank officials or delivery agents, and dupe them into revealing a One-Time Password (OTP).
To combat this, Airtel has announced a significant upgrade to its network security layer. Today, the telco unveiled a new AI-powered Fraud Alert system designed to provide real-time protection against OTP-related bank fraud.
While the feature has launched specifically for Airtel India, the company’s history of porting successful security features to its African markets suggests this could eventually land in Kenya, a market heavily reliant on mobile money and digital banking.
How the ‘Fraud Alert’ works
The premise is simple but clever. The system addresses a specific vulnerability: the moment a user is on a voice call with a potential scammer while simultaneously receiving a sensitive banking OTP.
Airtel’s new AI solution operates autonomously at the network level, just like its spam SMS alert tool. If the system detects that a customer is on a potentially risky call and a bank OTP is generated at the same time, it triggers an immediate intervention. The customer receives a “fraud alert check” warning them that they are at risk of giving consent for a transaction while still on the call.
According to Airtel, this combination of AI intelligence and alerts gives users “crucial time to think, verify, and stay firmly in control,” effectively breaking the psychological pressure scammers use to extract information quickly.
Shashwat Sharma, Managing Director & CEO of Airtel India, emphasized the necessity of this network-level intervention:
“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.”
Will it come to Kenya?
For readers of Techish, the big question is always availability. Currently, this solution is live in Haryana, India, with a nationwide rollout planned there over the next two weeks. There has been no official word from Airtel Africa regarding a local launch.
However, there is a strong precedent for these features crossing the ocean. Airtel India often serves as the launch pad for tech that eventually secures African networks. For instance, in 2024, Airtel India launched AI spam detection for SMS. By March 2025, the feature was unveiled in Africa, and it went live in Kenya by early May. In March 2025, when Airtel India announced a partnership with Starlink to boost coverage, Airtel Africa followed suit just weeks later for rural connectivity.
However, it is not a guarantee. In May 2025, the Indian arm launched a system to block suspicious website links in real-time, a feature that has yet to grace African shores.
Why Kenya needs this
Given that Africa is one of the fastest-growing smartphone markets and Kenya is a global leader in mobile money usage, the attack vector for OTP fraud is massive here. From “Wangiri” scams to sophisticated mobile banking heists, the need for network-level protection is arguably just as high in Nairobi as it is in New Delhi.
Shashwat Sharma noted that despite previous safeguards, “fraudsters have continued to exploit human vulnerabilities through impersonation and social engineering.”
If the trials in India, which reportedly demonstrated a “remarkable level of accuracy”, translate well to the diverse device ecosystem, we’d wager it won’t be long before Airtel Africa adapts this technology for local subscribers.
Until then, the advice remains the same: Never share your OTP with anyone over the phone.
