Aadhaar Mythbusters

Absolutely false. UIDAI database has only minimal information that you give at the time of enrolment or update. This includes your name, address, gender, date of birth, ten finger prints, two Iris scans, facial photograph, mobile number (optional) and email ID (optional).

Rest assured, UIDAI does not have your information about bank accounts, shares, mutual funds, financial and property details, health records, family, caste, religion, education, etc and will never have this information in its database.

In fact, Section 32(3) of the Aadhaar Act 2016 specifically prohibits UIDAI from controlling, collecting, keeping or maintaining any information about the purpose of authentication either by itself or through any entity. Aadhaar is an identifier, not a profiling tool.

Absolutely not. When you give your Aadhaar number to banks, mutual fund companies, and mobile phone companies, they only send your Aadhaar number along with your encrypted biometrics or OTP  (given for authentication),  or demographic details like your name, etc., to UIDAI for authentication of your identity. No account details are shared with UIDAI.

As far as UIDAI is concerned, it responds to such authentication requests by replying either ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

In case of an e-KYC request by the requesting entity, if the authentication response is ‘Yes’, your basic KYC details (name, address, photo, etc.) available with UIDAI, are also sent to the requesting entity. UIDAI will never receive or collect the details of your bank, investments, insurance, etc.

Absolutely false. Just as by merely knowing your ATM card number, no one can withdraw money from the ATM machine; by knowing your Aadhaar number alone, no one can hack into your bank account and withdraw money.

Your bank account is safe if you don’t part with your PIN/OTP given by banks.

Rest assured, there has not been a single case of financial loss due to Aadhaar. Aadhaar number alone cannot be used for banking or any other service.

As per the Prevention of Money-laundering (Maintenance of Records) Third Amendment Rules, 2019, if you wish to receive any benefit or subsidy under any scheme notified under section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 (18 of 2016), it is mandatory to submit Aadhaar number to the banking service provider.

For other banking services, Aadhaar is a preferred KYC document. However, if you do not wish to submit Aadhaar, then you may use any other officially valid documents as prescribed by Reserve Bank of India. Remember, linking your bank account with Aadhaar in this case is optional.

NO. As per the amendments of the Telegraph Act, 1885, telecom users can use their Aadhaar number as a KYC documents along with authentication on voluntary basis to obtain a new mobile connection.

Further, for your own security and security of our country, it is advised to verify identity of all mobile subscribers using an identifier like Aadhaar.

It has been found that most criminals and terrorists get SIM cards issued in the name of fictitious and even real people without their knowledge and use them for committing frauds & crime.

If mobile number is verified and linked with Aadhaar, the fraudsters, criminals, terrorists or money launderers using such disposable mobiles can be easily identified and punished in accordance with law.