What Steps can I take to Protect my Aadhar card?
1
Keep your Aadhaar number and personal information confidential
Do not share your Aadhaar number or other personal information with anyone unless it is absolutely necessary. Here are some of the scenarios where Aadhaar is mandatory:
- Government Welfare Schemes: Aadhaar is required to avail benefits under various government welfare schemes such as the Public Distribution System (ration card), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (LPG connection), and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme.
- Income Tax and PAN Card: Linking Aadhaar with Permanent Account Number (PAN) is mandatory for filing income tax returns and for various financial transactions.
- Bank Accounts: Aadhaar linkage is mandatory for opening new bank accounts. Existing bank accounts need to be linked with Aadhaar as well.
- Mobile Connections: Aadhaar is required to verify and activate new mobile connections or to re-verify existing mobile numbers.
- Digital Services: Aadhaar is used for authentication and verification purposes for various online services, including eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) procedures.
- School Admissions and Scholarships: Aadhaar may be required for admission to educational institutions and for availing scholarships and educational benefits.
- It’s important to note that government policies and requirements regarding Aadhaar may change over time.
2
Register your Mobile number
Link your Mobile number with Aadhaar to login to your account using OTP and access Aadhaar services
3
Know about Aadhaar security services
- Use the UIDAI Lock/Unlock your biometrics service to avoid any misuse of aadhaar account
- Use the UIDAI VID service to generate a temporary Virtual ID that can act as your Aadhaar ID without divulging your Aadhaar number
- Check your Authentication history to know who is accessing your Aadhaar details
Here are some additional steps you can take to protect your Aadhaar card:
- Update your information regularly: Regularly update your information such as your address, phone number etc. on the UIDAI website to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date.
Check for authenticity: Make sure you are visiting the official UIDAI website, www.uidai.gov.in, when accessing your Aadhaar information online.
Do not respond to unsolicited emails or messages: Be wary of unsolicited emails, calls, or messages asking for your Aadhaar information. Do not respond to these and immediately report them to the authorities.
Securely store your Aadhaar card: Keep your Aadhaar card in a safe and secure place and make sure that it is not accessible to unauthorized individuals.
By following these steps, you can help protect your Aadhaar card and prevent unauthorized access to your personal information.