Guwahati: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Sunday warned people to not share photocopies of their Aadhaar cards with any organisations citing its misuse.
In an order, the UIDAI has suggested people use masked Aadhaar which displays only the last 4 digits of your Aadhaar number.
Masked Aadhaar can be downloaded from UIDAI’s official website https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in.
The existence of any Aadhaar number can be verified at https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/verifyAadhaar.
UIDAI in an order said that to verify offline, you can scan the QR code on eAadhaar or Aadhaar letter or Aadhaar PVC card using a QR code scanner in the mAadhaar mobile application.
A statement read, “Please avoid using a public computer at an internet cafe/kiosk to download an e-Aadhaar. However, if you do so, please ensure that you delete all the downloaded copies of e-Aadhaar permanently from that computer.”
“Only those organizations that have obtained a User License from the UIDAI can use Aadhaar for establishing the identity of a person. Unlicensed private entities like hotels or film halls are not permitted to collect or keep copies of Aadhaar cards. It is an offence under the Aadhaar Act 2016. If a private entity demands to see Aadhaar card or seeks a photocopy of Aadhaar card, please verify that they have a valid User License from the UIDAI.”
This new order has created a panic among several. People in the country have been using the Aadhaar card for several reasons and most people over the days have shared with it with organisations who seek details for identity verification.