Indian Mobile Operators Help Online Businesses Combat Scams and Identity Theft Through New Federated Network Services, Supported by GSMA Open Gateway

New GSMA report shows more than half of Indian's have been scammed, with 14% reporting financial loss

9 October, New Delhi: India's three largest mobile network operators - Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea - today provided an update on how they are further strengthening their efforts to tackle digital scams, through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.

While the three operators are running a series of individual programmes to help keep their customers safe from scams, today they outlined how they are also working together as a mobile ecosystem, through the GSMA Open Gateway initiative, to provide banks and other online platforms with new, federated ways to verify customer identities and combat digital fraud.

The updates come as the GSMA published new research at India Mobile Congress showing that digital scams are an escalating concern for consumers across India, with more than half of Indian consumers (53%) having been scammed, with 10% having fallen victim in the past year. The GSMA commissioned "India Consumer Scam Report 2025", authored by advisory firm Armidale, shows that growth in digital scams and fraud is eroding digital trust.

Indian Operators Provide GSMA Open Gateway Update at India Mobile Congress

Speaking at India Mobile Congress 2025, the operators outlined plans to provide enterprise developers at banks and online retailers with federated access to new services including the SIM Swap and Number Verification APIs (Application Programmable Interface). Federated CAMARA APIs, certified by the GSMA, help developers build services that work with every participating mobile network, while allowing each operator to keep control of its data, policy and revenue. The software provides an interface, interoperability and global cross-country coverage, so digital enterprises can easily and securely connect their services to the rich, intelligent functionality that mobile operator networks can provide.

Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have already launched the SIM Swap API, which help banks prevent account takeover attacks, where fraudsters use social engineering techniques and stolen personal data to take control of the account owner's SIM card.

All three operators also plan to launch a CAMARA-based Number Verification API before the end of 2025. This API is a more secure replacement for SMS One-Time Passwords (OTPs). It allows businesses to verify a mobile user's identity by matching their phone number against real-time network data to protect Indians against digital scams, simultaneously ensuring a seamless customer experience.

GSMA Launches India Consumer Scam Survey

The GSMA commissioned "India Consumer Scam Report 2025" published today, also highlights why the mobile industry is looking to work more closely with financial services and online retail firms to tackle scams and fraud by building new innovative services.

The report found widespread concerns over scams, as well as significant financial and emotional impact on victims. It revealed:

• Victimisation: 10% percent of respondents were scammed in the past year;
• Financial harm: 14% of victims lost material sums that still trouble them.
• Digital trust: 58% of Indian consumers said they are "very worried" about scams, with 84% believing they are increasing. Some 42% believe the threat is "increasing rapidly."
• Attack vectors: Email, SMS and Messaging Apps are the biggest channels for scammers; however, Dating App and QR code scams are more prominent in India than other parts of Asia. (Online dating scam victims: 14% vs. 7% ASEAN Average and QR Code scams: 18% vs. 10% ASEAN average).

GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon: India Connected - APIs for a Billion Lives

India's three largest mobile operators have also teamed up with Nokia and the GSMA, to an inaugural GSMA Open Gateway Hackathon at India Mobile Congress to accelerate development of new innovations and network API based services using network capabilities.

The hackathon entitled "India Connected - APIs for a Billion Lives" has received more than 2,300 registrations and 400 ideas, or solution concepts, from developers, startups, and innovators with 100 finalists invited to attend and build new API-powered solutions to address real-world challenges across India's diverse landscape. Using Open Gateway APIs, and Nokia's Network as Code platform, participants will create services that improve lives, unlock new revenue streams, and demonstrate the transformative potential of network intelligence.

In addition to developing new services that prevent fraud, participants are invited to develop and showcase new innovations, using Nokia's Network as Code platform, that show how network API services can support financial inclusion, healthcare access, emergency services, agritech and rural connectivity, education and digital inclusion in India. Previous GSMA Open Gateway hackathons in Barcelona and China have led to the development of new services including an application called, "On Time" that used location and population density APIs to analyse real-time passenger information, over-crowding and delays on Catalonia's public transport system. In Asia, China Telecom helped tackle digital exclusion by developing TeleNavi, a voice-only intelligent location technology to help the elderly hail taxis.

Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific, GSMA, said: "India is the world's second largest mobile market and home to a significant developer community. Mobile operator commitment to GSMA Open Gateway innovation can further accelerate India's digital transformation, creating secure, interoperable services that protect consumer trust and create new revenue opportunities. This week's hackathon and joint announcement are a symbol of collaboration that will collectively combat the scam economy. It will further support the creation of new innovations and network API-based services that can address real-world business and societal challenges to support India's role as a global telecoms statesman."

Sharat Sinha, CEO & Director, Airtel Business, said: "For over a year, Airtel has been at the forefront of combating spam, leveraging advanced network intelligence and artificial intelligence to restore consumer trust and ensure business continuity. The AI-powered spam defense and fraud detection solutions have already demonstrated significant efficacy, safeguarding over millions of customers by blocking over 53 billion unwanted calls, 2.5 billion SMSs and close to 4 lakh fraudulent links. Building on this established success, we are now furthering this mission through a strategic partnership with GSMA and other leading telecom providers, enabling access to our network APIs. This collaboration is designed to empower enterprises, enabling them to fortify their own protective measures for both their operations and their customer base, thereby fostering a safer, spam-free digital India."

Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vodafone Idea, said: "Consumers are at the centre of every innovation we deliver. Network APIs have the ability to redefine digital trust by bringing unmatched safety, transparency, and simplicity to everyday online experiences. From protecting individuals against fraud to enabling frictionless logins, these APIs ensure that people enjoy both security and convenience without compromise. Together with GSMA and our ecosystem partners, we are committed to empowering consumers with solutions that make their digital life safer, more inclusive, and truly effortless."

Shkumbin Hamiti, Vice President and Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, said: "We're honoured that Nokia's Network as Code has been chosen as the exclusive platform for the India Mobile Congress Hackathon. Partnering with GSMA Open Gateway and India's top MNOs, Nokia is excited to show how Network as Code empowers India's vibrant developer ecosystem to build new API-powered solutions that combat cybercrime, strengthen digital trust and address a wide range of real-world challenges."

The Indian initiative forms part of the global GSMA Open Gateway programme, which now includes more than 79 mobile operator groups representing 291 networks and nearly 80% of mobile connections worldwide. By bringing together operators from around the world, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative facilitates the design of digital products capable of operating seamlessly on all devices, regardless of the country or operator. The service APIs are available through the CAMARA repository, an open-source project by the Linux Foundation and a fundamental part of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative.

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About the GSMA
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop, and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy; tackling today's biggest societal challenges; underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work; and providing the world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.

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