Stop Aadhaar card from getting MISUSED; know how

Are you afraid of your Aadhaar card getting misused? If so, you can follow the tips revealed by UIDAI in order to prevent the misuse of Aadhaar card.

Know ways to prevent your Aadhaar card from getting misused. (Mint)

Every official document that can be used to prove your identity and other details is important and needs to be kept and used safely. Aadhaar card is one of many such important documents. It comprises of a 12-digit random number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority. It also contains some important details related to the holder like name, date of birth, address, mobile number, among others. As your Aadhaar card contains these crucial details it is very important for you to keep your Aadhaar secured.

The data of all Aadhaar holders is safe and secure in the UIDAI's Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR). However, your Aadhaar can be misused if you do not take proper care of it. Here are some of the tips provided by UIDAI which can be followed to secure your Aadhaar card. Check the tips below:

1. Do not share your OTP with anyone

UIDAI has asked Aadhaar card holders to never share their OTP if they want to keep their Aadhaar credentials safe and private, and if they don't want their Aadhaar authentication process disrupted. It can be known that Aadhaar OTP is a convenient and powerful tool to use Aadhaar authentication from anywhere.

2. Lock your Aadhaar biometrics

You can lock your Aadhaar biometrics in order to prevent any unauthorised access. One can lock Aadhaar biometrics through UIDAI portal or mAadhaar app. You can also click on the link provided here to lock/unlock your Aadhaar: https://resident.uidai.gov.in/aadhaar-lockunlock.

3. Not all 12 digit numbers are Aadhaar

UIDAI has informed that not all 12 digit numbers are Aadhaar and recommended that the Aadhaar should be verified before accepting it as an identity proof. You can click on https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/verifyAadhaar and verify it online in 2 simple steps.

4. Keep your mobile number updated in Aadhaar

You should always keep your mobile number updated on Aadhaar, so that when you generate an OTP, it is messaged to the right person. If you have any doubt about whether your correct mobile number or email has been linked with Aadhaar, you can verify the same using this link: https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/verify-email-mobile.

5. Do not download your Aadhaar using a public computer

Using a public computer to download Aadhaar and then forgetting it to delete it from there can land you in trouble as your Aadhaar credentials can be exploited. Therefore, you are advised to download your Aadhaar only from the official UIDAI portal- https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/genricDownloadAadhaar. However, if you use a public computer to download, do not forget to delete the downloaded file.