Scammers are taking advantage of loopholes in the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) to empty your bank account completely. The fraud does not require SMS or OTP authentication, which is much more concerning. According to the reports, the Indian market has apparently seen an increase in a new type of scam employing Aadhaar cards.
Last date to update Aadhaar for free extended again; check details
The Bengaluru Police commissioner warned about this new scam on social media X ( previously known as Twitter) and asked individuals to lock Aadhaar biometrics to avoid any fraud. The post also said to use locking feature in Aadhaar to prevent misuse of Aadhaar biometric. Lock your biometrics on the official UIDAI website/App of Aadhaar.
The post was reposted from Cybercrime CID.
— CybercrimeCID (@CybercrimeCID)
— abhidnbd (@abhidnbd)
State Bank of India warned its customer by sending SMS stating, “Dear Customer, Lock your biometric at m-Aadhaar app/UIDAI portal to prevent unauthorized access to your account. You can unlock it anytime if required. SBI”According to Times of India new report from June 2023, “Kolkata Police has issued an advisory to the state finance department regarding AePS frauds. The police has recommended masking biometrics, fingerprints, and Aadhaar numbers on official documents to prevent theft of private data.”“While probing recent cases, our cyber cell of port division has come across innocent people losing their hard-earned money from their bank accounts through Aadhaar Enabled Payment Systems (AEPS) without their knowledge, from a distant place, without sharing any OTP or PIN, or downloading screen sharing apps, with neither an Aadhaar card nor its holder being present at the APES centre. The explanation is that somehow, their fingerprint impressions may have been compromised from some source, and they are unaware of it. The learning is that every one of us must keep the biometrics option locked for Aadhaar authentication through the Aadhaar website or the mAadhaar app,” said teh Times of India news report quoted DC (port) Zafar Ajmal Kidwai.
How AePS fraud works
In Aadhaar Enabled Payment System fraud, criminals are using victim’s Aadhaar biometrics data to siphon off amounts from bank account.
How to lock Aadhaar online
Biometric locking is a service that allows an Aadhaar holder to lock and temporarily unlock their biometrics. This facility aims to strengthen privacy and confidentiality of Resident’s Biometrics Data.
Step 1: Visit the Uidai website or visit direct link https://resident.uidai.gov.in/bio-lock
Step 2: Click on ‘My Aadhaar’ tab and under the ‘Aadhaar services’, click on ‘Aadhaar lock/unlock’.
Step 3: Enter Aadhaar number or VID
Step 4: Enter Captcha and click on Send OTP
Step 5: Enter OTP received on your registered mobile number
Step 6: Click the ‘Enable’ button after entering the four-digit security code displayed on the screen.
Your biometrics information will now be locked, and you will need to unlock it in order to use it again.
How to lock Aadhaar biometrics via mAadhaar app
Step 1: Download mAadhaar App
Step 2: Register Your Aadhaar Number
Step 3: Enter OTP, and set 4 digit PIN
Step 5: You can see your Aadhaar Profile
Step 6: Click on three dots on the top corner of the screen and scroll below
Step 7: Click on lock biometrics
Step 8: Enter 4 digit PIN.
Important FAQs from UIDAI website on Aadhaar biometric locking
What all Biometric data can be locked?
Fingerprint, iris and Face as a biometric modality will be locked and after biometric locking, Aadhaar holder will not be able to perform the Aadhaar authentication using the above mentioned biometric modalities.
What happens when Biometric is locked?
Locked Biometrics confirms that Aadhaar holder will not be able to use Biometrics (fingerprints/iris/Face) for authentication, it is a safety feature to stop any kind of biometric authentication.
It also ensures that any entity by any means cannot perform biometric based Aadhaar authentication for that Aadhaar holder.
Who and when to lock Biometrics?
Aadhaar number holders who have registered mobile number may lock their biometrics. This facility aims to strengthen privacy and confidentiality of Resident’s Biometrics Data
After locking biometrics if a UID is used for invoking any of the Authentication services using a biometric modality (Fingerprint/Iris/Face) a specific error code ‘330’ indicating biometrics are locked will be displayed and the entity will not be able to perform the biometric authentication.
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