Knowledge-Sharing Between OTTs, Telcos to Help Combat Scam: GSMA’s Julian Gorman

Why It Matters

By closing information gaps between network operators and OTT services, the task force reduces fraud exposure for consumers and builds the trust foundation required for next‑generation 6G services.

Key Takeaways

• GSMA launches cross‑sector anti‑scam task force in Asia‑Pacific
• Airtel partners Google to extend AI spam filtering on RCS
• DoT’s AI tool cut 8.8 million suspicious connections
• Financial fraud indicator saved roughly $170 million since May 2025
• Collaboration aims to protect digital trust for future 6G

Pulse Analysis

Mobile fraud has evolved from simple SMS spam to sophisticated attacks that span traditional carrier networks and over‑the‑top (OTT) platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and RCS. Regulators worldwide are struggling to keep pace because most anti‑spam rules still target only carrier‑originated traffic, leaving OTT services largely unregulated. Recognising this blind spot, the GSMA launched the Asia‑Pacific Cross‑Sector Anti‑Scam Task Force, a forum that unites telecom operators, OTT providers and tech giants like Google and Meta to exchange real‑time threat intelligence. This coordinated approach aims to seal the loopholes that scammers exploit across ecosystems.

In India, the Department of Telecommunications deployed the AI‑enabled ASTR system, which has already disconnected more than 8.8 million suspicious SIMs and prevented billions of rupees in illicit activity. The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator, another GSMA‑backed tool, has helped financial institutions avert approximately $170 million in fraud since its May 2025 rollout. A landmark partnership between Bharti Airtel and Google extends Google’s AI spam‑filtering to the RCS messaging layer, demonstrating how telco‑OTT collaboration can deliver immediate consumer protection. These pilots illustrate the tangible financial and operational benefits of shared intelligence across the mobile value chain.

The GSMA warns that the same collaborative model will be critical when 6G networks launch, as higher bandwidth and AI‑driven services will create new attack surfaces. By establishing a global “United Against Scams” framework, industry players can standardise data‑sharing protocols, reduce response times, and reinforce digital trust—a prerequisite for monetising immersive applications and IoT ecosystems. Stakeholders should therefore invest in interoperable security platforms and advocate for regulatory updates that bring OTT services under the same anti‑fraud umbrella as traditional carriers.