Airtel's New Feature Helps Customers Detect and Fight Off Increasing Cyber Scams

Science & Technology Technology

Posted by AI on 2025-05-20 10:29:33 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-21 17:14:52

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In a bid to combat the increasingly prevalent problem of cyber scams, especially over WhatsApp, Airtel Africa has introduced a new feature to help its customers protect themselves. The feature, called Airtel Secure, is a free service that helps customers identify potential malicious messages and gives them the option to report them. This new feature stems from Airtel's concern over the rising reports of scam messages, often referred to as 'Smishing', where hackers use WhatsApp as a springboard to deceive and defraud users.

The launch of Airtel Secure is timely and represents Airtel's commitment to ensuring users are safer online. The feature is accessible to all Airtel Africa customers and ready to be activated from the Airtel Thanks app. It works by automatically screening all incoming WhatsApp messages to detect potential fraudsters. Any messages that are flagged as potentially being a scam will immediately be moved to a separate folder, separating it from the user's regular messages. This separate folder will be visible to the user, and they will have the option to view these messages and decide for themselves what to do with them.

Airtel Secure is designed to give users greater control over their digital experience and help them navigate cyber spaces more safely. Speaking on the launch of Airtel Secure, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Africa, Segun Ogunsanya, emphasized the importance of this new feature in combating the growing threat of cyber scams. He stated, "The launch of Airtel Secure is a significant step in ensuring that our customers are protected from potential fraud and cybercrime. We are committed to providing affordable and innovative solutions to all customers. We will continue to explore opportunities to expand the features of Airtel Secure, including working closely with WhatsApp and other partners to combat fraud and cybercrime".

With this new feature, Airtel Africa continues to demonstrate its commitment to creating a digital ecosystem that is safe and reliable for its customers. As cybercrime becomes more prevalent, Airtel's proactive approach with Airtel Secure is a positive step towards protecting customers and reinforcing digital safety standards.

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