What happens if a fraudster obtains a copy of my PAN or Aadhaar card?

 PAN Card and Aadhaar Card are two government-issued IDs with a unique identification number awarded to the residents of India. An individual can use the Aadhaar card or PAN card as identity proof and avail of numerous services and government schemes.

No individual or entity can have more than one of each ID. To avail of these services, we share our personal information and IDs with banks, government agencies, private companies, etc.

While availing of such services, we are prone to pan card frauds and Aadhaar card frauds. In the past few years, there has been a hike in PAN card frauds in India. You are advised to be cautious when sharing your personal information or copy of ID proofs with anyone. With the Aadhaar and PAN card frauds & scams becoming too common, many questions pop-up in the minds of users:

• Can someone misuse my personal information?
• Will I suffer a monetary loss if a fraudster has my Aadhaar or PAN card copy?
• Can someone withdraw money from my account linked with my Aadhaar card?
• Is identity theft possible with a copy of just an Aadhaar card or PAN card?
• Has any PAN cardholder suffered any financial loss due to misuse of his ID proof?

Recently, the government discontinued 11.44 Lakh PAN cards in the name of non-existent individuals and entities. This shows how to pan card frauds in India are on a rise.

In a recent case of Mr. Gupta from Madhya Pradesh, he received a payment notice from the Income Tax Department for Rs. 134 Crore. With only Rs. 84,00/- as a yearly income it came as a shock to Mr Gupta that he has to pay such an extreme amount as a loan.

In a similar case, a person received a loan payment notice from a private bank that he had never visited in his life. In both cases, fraudsters misused the PAN card & Aadhaar card information of Indians to take loans and open businesses.

However, is it that easy to withdraw money from your account with just a copy of your ID cards? The answer is NO. Banks have strict regulations in place to verify a transaction with your signature, OTP or fingerprints.

Most online payment methods and ATM cards require further authentication to debit your account. This ensures the safety of your financial transactions that use your personal information.

The Aadhaar issuing authority, UIDAI, has assured that no Aadhaar holder has suffered any financial or other loss or identity theft due to misuse or impersonation of Aadhaar.

Safeguard your privacy by trusting authorised PAN card agents like Alankit to apply for new, lost or duplicate PAN card in India. For your ease, you can just Dial-A-PAN and get a resolution to all your PAN Card queries and grievances.

How to Prevent Aadhaar Frauds in India?

 The introduction of Aadhaar Cards in India is touted as a major milestone in the history of India. Today, more than 95% of 1.3 billion Indians are covered in the UIDAI database. With the centralization of such large amounts of data comes a greater threat of theft. And the government of India has also realized how important it is to secure this data and protect the identity of Aadhaar cardholders.

For this purpose, multi-level security controls have been applied to avert any disclosure of confidential information. However, it is also the responsibility of every citizen to safeguard their Aadhaar card and protect themselves from fraud. Very often lack of proper information, awareness, and sometimes ignorance can lead Aadhaar cardholders to fall into the traps by fraudsters. Several cases of Aadhaar fraud where people have been duped of their money have been reported in India.

To ensure the protection of your confidential information and Aadhaar card, we have listed some steps that you can follow to prevent Aadhaar fraud:

Secure your Aadhaar details

As a government recognized photo ID proof, Aadhaar cards are required to avail several services like rent registration, bank accounts, insurance, loans, etc. However, it is important to realize when and where it is necessary to use your Aadhaar card. You shouldn’t share your Aadhaar details with anyone and everyone. Almost ensure that you know and understand the reason why you have been asked to give your Aadhaar details. Chances are your Aadhaar number may have been misused. Remember, do NOT provide the OTP you receive on your phones to anyone.

Lock Biometric Details

Every Aadhaar card contains the biometric details of an individual like their photograph, retinal scan, and fingerprints. These biometrics are used to link your bank accounts, mobile numbers, etc. With the introduction of Aadhaar enabled Payment system, AePS, bank transactions are also now possible using Aadhaar, therefore, it becomes imperative to see to it that your details are safe and cannot be misused. To ensure that your Aadhaar biometrics is locked, follow these simple steps:

• Visit the official website of UIDAI: resident.uidai.net.in/biometric-lock.
• Enter Aadhaar number and the security code.
• Click on ‘Send OTP’. Soon you will receive a code on your registered mobile number.
• Enter the code and click ‘Verify’.
• On the new page, click ‘Enable Biometric Locking’ and then click ‘Enable’.

Note: If you wish to unlock your biometrics, visit the website mentioned and click ‘Disable Biometric Locking’.

Mobile and Email Registration for OTP

The Aadhaar card authentication has made online transactions very easy. During an online transaction, an OTP is sent to the registered mobile number which has to be entered to be eligible for the various services. Therefore, it becomes all the more important to link your mobile number and your Aadhaar card. Many cases have reported fraudsters asking for the OTP received and then using them for fraudulent activities. To reduce such practices, a Time-based OTP feature has been introduced. By using this feature you can generate a code in your mobile through Aadhaar app for the authentication process.

Aadhaar Virtual ID

The virtual ID is a temporary code of 16 digits that acts as a substitute for your Aadhaar number. The Aadhaar Virtual ID adds an extra layer of security to your Aadhaar biometric details. It can be used for Aadhaar authentications and also for your e-KYC at government and private agencies. A virtual ID can be generated once your Aadhaar application is verified. It only takes a day to generate the virtual Aadhaar ID.

Aadhaar card online frauds in India have become a major concern for the citizens and the government. While several steps are taken to prevent Aadhaar fraud, it is all the more important that we protect our details at every step.

Source - https://rashmi-joshi-57430.medium.com/how-to-prevent-aadhaar-frauds-in-india-edc6a12e15fd