How to Spot and Report Aadhaar (Aadhar) Fraud?

What do common Aadhaar scams look like?

Each card shows what the scam looks like, what the fraudster wants, and what you should do.

• Fake "update from home" links

  Looks like: an SMS or WhatsApp link to a website promising "update your Aadhaar mobile from home".

  They want: your Aadhaar number, your OTP or a fee.

  Do this: don't tap it. Use only pages ending in uidai.gov.in, UIDAI's Aadhaar App, or an Aadhaar centre.

• "Your Aadhaar will be blocked" calls

  Looks like: a caller says your Aadhaar will be blocked unless you confirm some details.

  They want: your OTP or Aadhaar number.

  Do this: hang up. Never tell an OTP to anyone on a call, even if they say they are from UIDAI or a bank.

• Screen-sharing and fake apps

  Looks like: someone "helping" you asks you to install an AnyDesk-type app, or an Aadhaar app from a link.

  They want: to see your screen, including any OTP that arrives.

  Do this: never install it. Get UIDAI's Aadhaar App only from the Play Store or App Store.

• AePS fingerprint fraud

  Looks like: cash is withdrawn from your bank account at a micro-ATM, and you never got an OTP.

  They want: your money. They take your number from photocopies and copy your fingerprint from property papers or with a silicone clone.

  Do this: lock your biometrics and report within the golden hour.

• Fake or AI-made e-Aadhaar

  Looks like: a card or PDF that looks real, sometimes made with AI, shown to you as ID.

  They want: to pass as someone else.

  Do this: scan its QR code with UIDAI's Aadhaar App.

• Photocopies kept by others

  Looks like: a hotel, shop or office keeps a photocopy of your full Aadhaar.

  The risk: your full number can be reused, for example in AePS fraud.

  Do this: give a masked copy, or ask them to scan your QR instead.

Worried that your PAN is being misused too? Our PAN guide covers it: PAN fraud and misuse.

Were you scammed? What should you do first?

How do you check your authentication history?

Every time your Aadhaar is used to confirm your identity, it is recorded. UIDAI shows the last 6 months, up to 50 records at a time. Each record shows the type (fingerprint, iris, face, OTP or demographic), the time, the agency that asked, a transaction ID and the response. The new Aadhaar App has this history built in.

1. Open UIDAI's Aadhaar App

   First-time users register with the Aadhaar number, an OTP on the registered mobile, a face check (in good light) and a 6-digit PIN. The app needs Android 9 or newer, or iOS 16 or newer.

2. Open the authentication history

   Choose the profile you want to check. Up to 5 family profiles can be added on one phone.

3. Read each entry

   Look at the type and time. A fingerprint check at a time you were at home, or an agency you have never used, is a warning sign.

4. Act on anything you don't recognise

   Lock your biometrics first, then report it. Note the time and transaction ID for your complaint.

   Tip: UIDAI sends an email notice for each authentication. Link your email to get these alerts; email update in the Aadhaar App is free until 31 Dec 2026.

Learn what each kind of check means in OTP, face and biometric authentication.

How do you lock your biometrics right now?

A biometric lock blocks fingerprint, iris and face checks on your Aadhaar. Anyone who tries gets error 330. That helps stop AePS fingerprint fraud. You can lock in two ways:

• Aadhaar App: it has a one-click biometric lock and unlock.
• SMS to 1947 from your registered mobile: two SMS, no app or internet needed. Use the helper below or our full SMS command generator.

Example: Aadhaar 9876-5432-1987 → GETOTP 1987, then ENABLEBIOLOCK 1987 012345. Two family members on one mobile whose Aadhaar ends in the same 4 digits use the last 8 digits in the second SMS. No reply to your SMS? Contact your mobile operator. For every lock option, see Lock Aadhaar and biometrics.

What should you do after AePS fraud?

AePS lets people withdraw cash at a micro-ATM with their Aadhaar number and fingerprint. Fraudsters get the number from photocopies and copy the fingerprint from property documents or with a silicone clone. No OTP is involved, so you get no warning. Gujarat Cyber Crime advises reporting within the "golden hour", as soon as you notice.

1. Call 1930 or report online

   Call 1930 or file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. Do this first; every minute counts.

2. Lock your biometrics

   Use the Aadhaar App or the SMS helper. This stops more withdrawals with your fingerprint.

3. Collect the details

   Note the time and agency of the fingerprint entry in your authentication history. Knowing which bank account is linked to your Aadhaar also helps; see bank seeding.

4. Tell UIDAI and the police

   Report the misuse on 1947 or [email protected], and complain at your police station.

How do you spot a fake Aadhaar card?

Fake e-Aadhaar cards, including AI-made ones, are in the news. Looks alone won't tell you. Check the data instead:

• Scan the QR code with UIDAI's Aadhaar App. The secure QR can be read only with the Aadhaar App, the Aadhaar QR Scanner app or UIDAI's Windows reader, and it works offline. It holds the photo, name, gender, date of birth, address and the last 4 digits of the Aadhaar number. If these don't match the card, don't accept it.
• Check the digital signature of an e-Aadhaar PDF in Adobe Reader. A genuine one is signed by "(n)Code Solutions CA 2014". At our counter we validate the signature before printing, because banks and the passport office ask for a validated copy.
• Check the number on UIDAI's Check Aadhaar Validity service.

For all the ways to check an Aadhaar, see Verify an Aadhaar.

Where do you report Aadhaar fraud?

Not resolved? Escalate step by step, up to CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in). See Aadhaar complaint and escalation.

How can you share Aadhaar safely?

• Masked Aadhaar: shows only the last 4 digits of your number. Tick the "masked" box when you download e-Aadhaar. In our experience it is accepted almost everywhere except the passport office. See e-Aadhaar vs PVC vs masked.
• Virtual ID (VID): a 16-digit number linked to your Aadhaar. Where a service accepts it, give it instead of your Aadhaar number. Agencies are not allowed to store it. Only one VID is valid at a time; you can make a new one after a day. Use the SMS helper (GVID / RVID).
• QR instead of a photocopy: businesses can register with UIDAI as offline verification entities and check your Aadhaar through the app. In Dec 2025 UIDAI said storing photocopies violates the Aadhaar Act; hotels and similar businesses are expected to register.
• OTP: type it only on uidai.gov.in or in UIDAI's app. Never read it out to anyone.

What does the law say about Aadhaar misuse?

The Aadhaar Act, 2016 sets these penalties:

Reported cases: a cyber café owner in Bareilly was reportedly arrested for forging Aadhaar and Ayushman cards (Aug 2025). A DTP centre in Bengaluru was reportedly caught creating Aadhaar with fake rent agreements (Nov 2024). Never buy fake documents to get or change an Aadhaar.

What problems come up when locking or reporting, and how do you fix them?

Bottom line

Keep your OTP to yourself, lock your biometrics, share masked copies and glance at your authentication history now and then. If money is taken, call 1930 first. For Aadhaar misuse and lock questions, UIDAI's free helpline is 1947.