After reports of UIDAI’s invalid toll-free number mysteriously making its way to smartphones in India surfaced online, UIDAI has officially stated that it has not issued any such guidelines.
After reports of UIDAI’s invalid toll-free number mysteriously making its way to smartphones in India surfaced online, UIDAI has officially stated that it has not issued any such guidelines.
UIDAI clarified, “In the wake of some media reports on default inclusion of UIDAI’s outdated & invalid Toll free no. 1800-300-1947 in contact list of Android phones, it is clarified that, UIDAI has not asked or communicated to any manufacturer or service provider for providing any such facility whatsoever. It is emphasized that the said 18003001947 is not a valid UIDAI Toll free number and some vested interest are trying to create unwarranted confusion in the public. Our valid Toll free number is 1947 which is functional for more than the last two years. UIDAI has reiterated that it has not asked or advised anyone including any telecom service providers or mobile manufacturers or Android to include 18003001947 or 1947 in the default list of public service numbers.”
French security expert Elliot Alderson had earlier taken to Twitter to ask UIDAI, “Many people, with different providers, with and without an #Aadhaar card, with and without the mAadhaar app installed, noticed that your phone number is predefined in their contact list by default without their knowledge. Can you explain why?”
After this news took over the internet, several people in the country quickly checked their phones’ contact lists and were rather surprised to see that the UIDAI number was pre-saved on their device. Many people took to Twitter and asked how the number was saved on their phone.
This news comes a few days after TRAI chief's Aadhaar dare created a flutter, and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) asked people not to share publicly their 12-digit identifier on Internet and social media, or pose such challenges to others.
UIDAI had said that people should "refrain from publicly putting their Aadhaar numbers on Internet and social media and posing challenges to others". UIDAI also warned that doing Aadhaar authentication through somebody else's Aadhaar number or using someone else's Aadhaar number for any purpose may amount to impersonation and thereby a criminal offence under the Aadhaar Act and Indian Penal Code. Any person indulging in such acts or abetting or inciting others to do so makes themselves liable for prosecution and penal action under the law. Therefore people should refrain from such acts, it added.
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