Messaging Under Attack: How Operators and Enterprises Can Prevent Artificially Inflated Traffic’s (AIT) Impact

Artificially Inflated Traffic (AIT), also known as Artificially Generated Traffic (AGT) or SMS traffic pumping, is a costly and damaging threat impacting companies of all sizes. According to Oksana Mikhnova, Products and Services Team Leader at LANCK Telecom, combating AIT requires collective action and the implementation of advanced tools.

With 5% of international traffic now artificially inflated, isolated efforts are insufficient. Collaboration between businesses, operators, and anti-fraud platforms is essential to protect revenues, rebuild trust, and secure the future of messaging.

What Is AIT and Why Does It Matter?

AIT is a fraudulent practice where fake traffic to non-existent users, often referred to as “dead souls,” is generated to manipulate and inflate communication costs. For fraudsters, it’s a lucrative business; for enterprises and telcos, it’s an expensive problem that undermines financial stability and operational efficiency.

Globally, AIT accounts for up to 40% of traffic in some regions and, in 2023 alone, cost businesses an estimated $1.6 billion. However, the impact goes beyond financial losses. AIT distorts critical data, complicates strategic decision-making, and increases communication costs—further straining budgets. It also erodes trust, damaging relationships with customers and partners.

For OTT platforms like WhatsApp and Viber, AIT creates additional challenges. Fraudulent traffic inflates costs for these channels, forcing enterprises to reevaluate how they manage customer authentication and engagement.

The Impact of AIT on Enterprises and Telcos

For small businesses, the rising costs of critical communications—such as OTPs and marketing messages—can quickly overwhelm limited budgets. Many smaller enterprises lack the financial reserves to absorb these inflated expenses, putting them at risk of bankruptcy.

Large corporations aren’t immune either. AIT creates significant budgeting challenges. A major brand recently experienced a 256% spike in SMS costs within a single week, as reported by Enea and Mobilesquared. Such financial shocks not only erode profits but also jeopardize investor confidence and strain customer relationships, undermining long-term trust and loyalty.

For telecom operators, AIT’s effects are numerous. First, the rise of alternative authentication methods like flash calls, PIN2speech, and OTT messaging platforms reduces A2P SMS traffic, cutting into revenue streams. Second, AIT leads to disputes where clients refuse to pay for both fraudulent and legitimate traffic, further impacting operators’ bottom lines. Third, operators may face fines or penalties if they fail to effectively control fraud on their networks, adding regulatory pressure to their existing challenges.

The Path to Combating AIT

Effectively combating Artificially Inflated Traffic (AIT) requires both immediate action and long-term strategic planning. A unified, industry-wide approach is crucial. The collaboration between enterprises, telecom operators, and anti-fraud platforms is key to mitigate the risks posed by this pervasive fraud.

Advanced technologies like AI and machine learning are essential for detecting and preventing fraudulent traffic in real time. These tools enable proactive fraud management, ensuring legitimate communication remains unaffected. They also foster transparency, helping to resolve billing disputes and maintain trust between operators and clients. Stricter regulations are also reshaping the fight against AIT, requiring businesses and operators to adopt robust verification processes to validate traffic sources and remain compliant.

Looking ahead, the industry should focus on preparing for future challenges by fostering greater accountability. This involves expanding partnerships into global alliances and knowledge-sharing platforms to create scalable, adaptable solutions to emerging threats. Establishing universal standards for traffic validation and compliance will reinforce transparency and trust across the ecosystem. These standards will help businesses and operators protect revenues as they navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape.

LANCK Telecom’s Advanced AIT Protection

LANCK Telecom’s cutting-edge AI-powered fraud detection system is tailored for enterprises and telcos, providing proactive protection against AIT. The system’s monitoring and behavioral analysis capabilities happen in real time, detecting and blocking suspicious traffic without disrupting legitimate communication.

LANCK Telecom’s FMS provides:

• A 99.995% accuracy rate, ensuring near-perfect fraud detection.
• A super-low false discovery rate of 3%, minimizing unnecessary alerts.
• An almost-zero false positive rate of 0.001%, preventing legitimate traffic from being mistakenly flagged.

The system also simplifies fraud management through an intuitive Control Centre UI, offering customizable dashboards and configurable block & allow lists for tailored control. This ensures that users can respond swiftly to threats while preserving communication efficiency.

Additionally, LANCK Telecom’s FMS aligns with evolving regulatory requirements. Its robust traffic validation capabilities help enterprises and operators meet compliance standards and ensure secure, transparent communication practices.

This innovative approach to AIT earned LANCK Telecom recognition as a Platinum Winner for the “Best AGT/AIT Fraud Solution” at the Future Digital Awards for Telco Innovation 2024, hosted by Juniper Research. 

A Unified Fight Against AIT

Artificially Inflated Traffic (AIT) poses a significant threat to businesses, telcos, and the broader communications industry. Its impacts—ranging from inflated costs and skewed data to eroded trust—demand immediate action and forward-thinking strategies.

LANCK Telecom’s advanced fraud detection system provides the tools needed to tackle AIT today, offering real-time protection, exceptional accuracy, and compliance support. As well as embracing such predictive technologies, enabling global collaboration will be vital for the industry’s future success.

Don’t let AIT threaten your operations. Learn more about LANCK Telecom’s FMS, how it can safeguard your business, and optimize your operations.