Government Takes Action to Mask Aadhaar and Fingerprints in Property Documents to Prevent Fraud

01 Oct 2023

The state property registration department in India is taking significant steps to bolster security and combat Aadhaar-linked fraud. Following guidance from the Unique Identification Authority of India, the department is now masking fingerprints and Aadhaar numbers on scanned copies of new sale deeds and rental agreements before these documents are uploaded to government websites. These biometric details are crucial for property registration, deed transfers, and gift deeds. The government's primary goal is to shield individuals from potential fraudsters who may exploit this sensitive information. While this measure applies to all new documents, a decision regarding previously uploaded data is pending. The move comes in response to a surge in complaints about fraudsters accessing fingerprints and Aadhaar numbers by downloading documents from government websites. Over the past three months, the property registration department has already masked over 8 lakh documents. This involves displaying a thumb-verified message and a masked Aadhaar number on new registration data, while storing the actual thumb impression securely in the department's database, ensuring it is not visible on the documents. The objective is to reduce individuals' vulnerability to Aadhaar-related fraud, a tactic often used by criminals for identity theft and financial fraud.

In response to this initiative, law enforcement agencies are collaborating with various departments to ensure that fingerprints and Aadhaar numbers are consistently masked on scanned copies of property documents uploaded to government websites. The primary aim of this collaboration is to prevent Aadhaar-related fraud, where criminals leverage acquired data to make unauthorized withdrawals from victims' bank accounts. Cybersecurity experts have lent their support to this approach, emphasizing the critical importance of government agencies in safeguarding sensitive data such as Aadhaar numbers and fingerprints. They propose various methods, such as replacing the first 8 digits of Aadhaar numbers with asterisks or employing cryptographic algorithms to hash the data. These measures are designed to make it exceedingly challenging for unauthorized individuals to access or misuse this information. Through these actions, the government is working to reduce the risk of personal details being accessed from property documents, thereby strengthening the security and privacy of its citizens.

Full News

Government Takes Action to Mask Aadhaar and Fingerprints in Property Documents to Prevent Fraud

Similar News