Nilanjan
There are several advantages of digital transactions. You can withdraw money from your account or credit to someone’s account without having to visit your bank. You can do it from your home by using your smartphone. Without any doubt, it saves your time and is the biggest advantages of online transaction.
However, with some advantages, there are few disadvantages that could be disastrous for bank account holders having net banking facility. For the last few years – better to say, since net banking was introduced – there have been several incidents of account hacking. People have been complaining about money getting debited from their bank accounts without any involvement from their side. Clearly it is a case of hacking. Several masterminds have been caught but there seems to be no end to these malicious activities.
How is it done?
Wicked minds are the master of technology. With the passage of time, they have changed their ways of hacking. You might have experienced or heard about anonymous phone calls asking people to share their PAN card number, introducing them as bank employees. These people use your PAN number to withdraw money from your account.
Hundreds of such cases have hit news headlines. Arrests have been made on the basis of victims’ complaints. People have become alert. They no longer share their bank details with anyone else over phone.
The hackers adopted a new strategy. They started sending links to people via emails or WhatsApp. Click on the link and you are ruined. Police has busted many such rackets across India. But then, it has not stopped cyber criminals from doing what they love doing and having expertise in. They are now hacking people’s account by using Adhaar-to-Adhaar link and fingerprint.
How does the combo work?
In recent times, many cases have come to the notice of Kolkata police that hackers are using Adhaar Card and fingerprints for money withdrawal. In fear, the victims have blocked the routes of debit transaction, such as ATM, net banking system, and all mobile apps that facilitate such transactions. However, that has failed to stop the menace. How is it possible? It’s possible because hackers are now using AEPS. Let’s talk about it.
What is AEPS?
The full form of AEPS is Adhaar Enabled Payment System. It is a bank model of National Payments Corporation of India. The system allows people, who don’t have smartphones or who are illiterate, to use their Adhaar Card and finger prints to know their bank balance and withdraw cash. Hackers are taking advantage of EAPS to withdraw cash from others’ account.
An interesting point in this context is: how they are procuring Adhaar Card and fingerprints. There are reported incidents of bank account hacking linked to CMS. What does it mean? CMS is the full form of Customer Service Point. These are kiosks mostly prevalent in villages. Though these are not part of any recognized banking system, people can update their passbook or withdraw a small amount of cash from kiosks.
Where do hackers get our Aadhaar Cards and Fingerprints from?
According to Supreme Court ruling, no individual or institution can ask for people’s Adhaar Card. Unfortunately, most people are not aware of this ruling. Even hotels, restaurants, libraries and the likes ask for Adhaar card (though other options such as, driving license etc. also do) and people submit these.
Let’s now talk about fingerprints. Unbelievable it may sound but the truth is, procuring finger prints is not difficult at all. Three years ago, three incidents happened in Kolkata, where fingerprints were procured from property documents. Fingerprints are also required while buying a new SIM card, and for marriage registration. Prints of our ten fingers are required for Adhaar Card registration as well.
Once hackers devised the idea of using fingerprints for illegal transaction, they devised new ways to get these. You should know that our fingerprints are now available on different websites. Fraudsters get our fingerprints from these websites, develop the same and withdraw small amounts of cash in several phases.
What is the way Out?
If they want, they can get our fingerprints in other ways too. We visit public places like hotels, restaurants, parks, airports and use public toilets. We have no idea if the glasses, plates, spoons or forks we use at a roadside dhaba has any sticky thing on their outside to take our fingerprints without our being aware of it.
What to do? Using surgical gloves? But we cannot wear these all the time. Especially after COVID-19 bid us good bye, we threw them to dustbin. So, what’s the way out? Here comes the importance of m-Adhaar.
Use m-Aadhaar to Safeguard Your Bank Account
According to the instructions by the Government of India (GOI), Indians must link their Adhaar to Bank Account. Now once it is done, bank holders should keep all the available features ‘off’ by default. If these features are ‘on’, it will jeopardize the safety of your bank account. Whenever required, you can change it to ‘on’ for money withdrawal.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Download m-Adhaar app from Google Play Store on your mobile.
- Register with a 4-number code.
- You will receive an OTP on your phone.
- Enter your Adhaar Number, Captcha and OTP.
- Click on Biometric Lock option. Use OTP on your mobile to lock biometric. Whenever needed, unlock biometric by using OTP on your mobile.
Inform Cyber Crime Department
If you ever experience such fraud, report the incident at cybercrime.gov.in immediately and submit the report at your local police station and contact the bank, there could be a possibility of stopping the transaction. The sooner you take the step, the higher the chance is to get your money back! However, the authority always talks about a CHANCE and does not give any GUARANTEE.
Credit Card Holders Should Be Extra Cautious
If both sides of your credit card are photocopied without PIN and OTP, there is no way to stop transaction from your bank account. Fraudsters will use your credit card to buy/sell in foreign sites where PIN and OTP are not required. So, be aware of fraudsters!
