New Delhi: Since then, its need has been widening progressively for different services in India, and concerns regarding data protection and safeguards have emerged. Most people were asked to show their Aadhaar cards when checking into a hotel or a rented house. But the objection is that you would have to give away your original Aadhaar card, and this is a dangerous way to put your identity at risk for fraud and theft. To avoid such risks, some tips experts give are the use of a masked Aadhaar card:
The Aadhaar card is one of the mandatory identity proofs needed for banking facilities, government-subsidised schemes, etc. Failure to exercise care when sharing it results in adverse effects such as unauthorised access to individual data. The masked Aadhaar card is a solution to this aspect whereby only the first eight digits of your Aadhaar number are hidden, with only the last four digits being visible. They do this so, in case you share your masked card, your personal information will not be compromised.
How to Get the Masked Aadhaar Card
The process of downloading a Masked Aadhaar Card is straightforward:
Go to the original UIDAI website that is provided at http://uidai.gov.in.
Scroll down to find the option that says “My Aadhaar.”.
Click on the option “Get Aadhaar” and then choose the “Download Aadhaar” link.
Please provide the Aadhaar number and the captcha and click on the NEXT tab.
Please log in by using the OTP sent to the mobile number you have with us.
Choose the masked Aadhaar card option before you download it.
This PDF file that needs to be downloaded will be locked and will need a password to open it. The password is the first four letters of your name plus the year of your birth in the format of the year. For instance, if your name is Rahul and the year of your birth is 1998, your password will be RAHU1998.
Masked Aadhaar: Where Can You Use It?
Masked Aadhaar can be used in various situations where ID proof is required, such as:
Hotel check-ins
Train travel
Airports
While some hotels may accept the Masked Aadhaar Card, some others still require the original Aadhaar Card to be presented. Hence it is better to consult the restaurant or hotel or whichever place you intend to visit.
Advantages of Masked Aadhaar Card
Enhanced Privacy: When you keep most of your Aadhaar number hidden, there are lower chances of identity theft.
Legal Validity: A masked Aadhaar card is still recognised as an identification proof.
Ease of Access: One can easily download it from the internet whenever required.
While instances of fraudulent activities involving personal data are on the ascendancy, it is possible to use a Masked Aadhaar Card for anonymity while keeping access to the same services that you would obtain from the full Aadhaar Card.
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