In India, the Aadhaar card has become the most crucial identity verification document. Whether you want to open a bank account, apply for a credit card, book an airline ticket, check into a hotel, or do a host of other things, every institution demands your Aadhar card as proof of identity.
The use of Aadhaar cards has become so prevalent that we casually disclose our unique ID without thinking it through. This allows individuals and organisations with malicious intent to steal and misuse our sensitive data.
To safeguard against this, UIDAI masked Aadhar cards, thereby providing an additional layer of protection.
Masked Aadhaar meaning
A Masked Aadhaar hides the first eight digits of your Aadhaar card, revealing only the last four. For instance, a masked Aadhaar card shows your unique ID number as “XXXX XXXX 1111.” The name, photograph, date of birth, and address are all visible. This allows you to lawfully use the Masked Aadhaar card as address and identity evidence. It is vital to note that the masked Aadhaar option is only applicable for your downloaded e-Aadhaar.
This is an excellent and safe way to share your Aadhaar details without worrying about having your personal data exploited. However, this option is not applicable if an entity, usually financial or regulatory, needs you to submit your complete Aadhaar details.
Importance of Masked Aadhaar
The masked Aadhaar card, which only displays the last four digits and other essential information, is highly beneficial for eKYC when providing the full Aadhaar number is not required. It helps prevent fraudulent usage and maintains the security of the sensitive details mentioned in the Aadhaar card.
The password-protected electronic masked Aadhaar card is as acceptable as the physical Aadhaar card since it is digitally signed and validated by UIDAI.
Moreover, masked Aadhar allows business owners and institutions requiring eKYC to safely and securely store customer details. Storing all the details on the data server without masking can allow everyone easy access to sensitive details.
Take the example of staff without access to Aadhar details. Without masking, even that staff or a cyber attacker could easily access the data. However, when businesses mask Aadhar, they add another security level to prevent access to sensitive data, thereby increasing overall security.
Masked Aadhaar Regulations for Businesses
As a business owner, you may wonder about the requirement to understand the significance and masked Aadhaar meaning. Businesses require proper knowledge of customers for KYC implementation for each. This is critical for preventing scams like money laundering and identity theft, among many others. Therefore, to verify your customers’ identities, you must first get an Aadhar card, and only then may you proceed with KYC.
Once the KYC process is complete, UIDAI mandates your business to disguise all Aadhaar cards stored by hiding the initial eight digits. Failure to do so may lead to Aadhaar-related fraud, putting your consumers at risk. Moreover, your company will end up violating AML and other regulations. This may force you to close your company. As a result, as part of the KYC procedure, your company must include all your clients’ Aadhaar cards in your database.
How to Comply with Aadhaar Regulations?
Your organisation must comply with AML standards, including online KYC verification. This requires staying up-to-date with the RBI’s KYC master guidelines, mentioned below:
- Explanation 1: The first explanation asks financial institutions or businesses where a customer submits proof of possession in the form of an Aadhaar document containing the Aadhaar number to ensure blacking out or masking the Aadhar number through appropriate means when the authentication is not required.
- Explanation 2: Bank employees, business contacts and mediators can perform biometric-based e-KYC verification.
- Explanation 3: The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits, and Services) Act 2016 and the rules enacted thereunder govern the usage of Aadhaar, evidence of ownership of Aadhaar, etc.
Knowing the masked aadhaar meaning and importance will help your company follow the regulations mentioned above. This requires a significant amount of your time, money, and workforce. Therefore, it might be helpful to seek outside assistance. You can rely on HyperVerge’s automatic Aadhar masking tool to quickly and accurately hide the first eight digits from any Aadhar card in your database. This assistance is beneficial if your client database is vast.
Conclusion
With increasing fraudulent attempts, more and more people are becoming aware of the masked Aadhaar meaning and are cautious about disclosing their Aadhar card information. As a business owner, you must also guarantee that all sensitive information about your clients is safe and secure.
