Aadhaar card users throughout India are warning others on social media about a new scam exploiting the Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS).
In this fraud, OTP authentication isn't required thus allowing scamsters to siphon funds from your bank account with just your fingerprint data, Aadhaar number and bank name. The transactions occur without receiving any SMS alerts.
How Aadhaar Card Scams Are Happening
The targets for Aadhaar number thefts are usually cyber cafes, photocopy centers and hotels.
Once the number is acquired, it is possible that scammers might stalk the victims to ascertain their bank details. The final piece in the AePS scam puzzle is the fingerprint.
Scammers might source this from places like land registry offices or any service where fingerprints authenticate transactions. They then reproduce these prints on silicon replicas, which are exploited to make unauthorised AePS withdrawals.
How To Lock Your Aadhaar Biometric Details
To protect yourself from the scam, you can lock your biometric details.
The Aadhaar-issuing authority UIDAI had set in place a 'biometric lock' as an additional layer of protection against outside intrusions or breach. A lesser-known feature, the biometric lock in existing Aadhaar system is aimed at allowing users to safeguard or lock down their biometrics as and when they want.
How To Lock Aadhaar Biometric Details
Go to UIDAI site or mAadhaar mobile app.
Click on your profile.
Tap on the menu button.
Click on the Biometric Settings.
Tick on the 'Enable Biometric Lock' option.
Tap on "ok".
You will get an OTP to the registered mobile number.
Enter the OTP and your biometric details will immediately get locked.
A user can unlock for specific transactions and then lock the biometrics back again. When residents enable biometric locking system, their biometric remains locked till the Aadhaar holder chooses to either unlock it (which is for a temporary period) or disable the locking system.
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