Aadhaar Security: Protect Your Aadhaar Data by Using Masked Aadhaar; See How to Download

Aadhaar Update: The Aadhaar has become one of the most significant documents an Indian can hold. It is required to carry out a number of operations including opening a bank account or investing in a government scheme. The 12-digit identity number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) carries sensitive information about the card holder and needs to be used securely. For this reason, the UIDAI has given the option to use a masked Aadhaar. As the name suggests, a masked Aadhaar is essentially a 12-digit ID number that can be shared without revealing anything important about your personal information.

Masked Aadhaar option allows you to mask your Aadhaar number in your downloaded e-Aadhaar, as per the UIDAI website. Masked Aadhaar number implies replacing of first 8 digits of Aadhaar number with some characters like “xxxx-xxxx” while only last four digits of the Aadhaar Number are visible.

“If you don’t want to disclose your #Aadhaar number, then you can use VID or Masked Aadhaar, it is valid and accepted widely. To get VID/masked Aadhaar, download Aadhaar from here: https://myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/genricDownloadAadhaar,” the UIDAI said in a recent tweet warning against scammers.

How to Download the Masked Aadhaar

Step 1: Open the link – https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/

Step 2: Enter your full 12-digit Aadhaar card number.

Step 3: Tick the option that reads – ‘I want a masked Aadhaar’.

Step 4: Next you need to input the Captcha verification code that will be provided to verify yourself.

Step 5: Click on the option ‘Send OTP’.

Step 6: Now, all that is left is for you to download the e-Aadhaar copy.

Step 7: Now, enter the OTP and click on “Download Aadhaar”

Now, you will be able to access your masked Aadhaar, which will be downloadable in the PDF format. However, it will be password protected. The Aadhaar letter password is a combination of the first four letters of your first name in capital letter, followed by the year of your birth in YYYY format. For example, if your name is Atul Sharma and your birth year is 1969, then the password for your masked Aadhaar will be ATU1969. You can use a masked Aadhaar in cases where the full Aadhaar number is not required, for example while doing e-KYC.

The importance of downloading masked Aadhaar has increased in the wake of committing fraudulent activities using Aadhaar number. The UIDAI has in a series of tweets recommended various ways to keep your Aadhaar safe. In that series, it had included the usage of masked Aadhaar to keep fraudsters away from accessing your information and committing crime with them.

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