HASAN HADI/Dehradun
Buying a SIM card from an unauthorised roadside vendor can put people at risk of fraud and identity misuse, said Special Task Force (STF) senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh. He advised people to purchase SIM cards only from authorised retailers after proper verification.
Singh said that unauthorised vendors may misuse a person’s identity documents and biometric details including fingerprints for illegal purposes. A person may unknowingly become part of a fraud network if a mobile connection is activated using their identity details without their knowledge. “We have many cases where people do not know how many SIM cards have been activated using their identity. If someone wants to check this, they can use the Sanchar Saathi portal to see the mobile connections registered in their name,” Singh said.
He said that identity documents play an important role in preventing cyber fraud and also help the police trace suspects. Singh advised people to use a masked Aadhaar whenever a full Aadhaar number is not required. “For example, if a hotel asks for Aadhaar, do not give the full Aadhaar number. Use a masked Aadhaar. If you have to submit a photocopy, write the purpose and date of use on it and strike through the unused portions,” he said.
People should also avoid sharing Aadhaar OTPs, bank OTPs or biometric details with unknown persons. They should check whether a SIM is registered in their name and report any unknown mobile connection through the Sanchar Saathi portal. Fraudsters can misuse identity details and mobile numbers to open bank accounts, receive OTPs and carry out online transactions. “Remaining careful while sharing identity documents can help prevent such misuse” the SSP added.
