You Shared Your Aadhaar or PAN With a Scammer — What to Do Now

A photo of your Aadhaar card, or just the number itself, can be used to attempt e-KYC fraud, SIM issuance in your name, or loan applications — but it doesn't automatically mean any of that will happen. What matters now is closing the doors it could open.

Lock your Aadhaar with UIDAI

UIDAI lets you lock your biometric data so it can't be used for fingerprint or iris-based authentication without your explicit unlock. You can do this through the mAadhaar app or at uidai.gov.in, using your Aadhaar number and registered mobile OTP.

• Go to the "Aadhaar Lock/Unlock" service on UIDAI's site or app.
• Lock biometrics — this doesn't affect OTP-based authentication, which you may still need for other services.
• Only unlock it temporarily when you genuinely need biometric verification, then lock it again.

This single step blocks the most common way leaked Aadhaar data gets misused for fraudulent e-KYC.

Watch for unauthorized use

Check whether a new SIM, loan, or account has been opened using your Aadhaar or PAN:

• SIM cards: Check active connections against your ID on the Sanchar Saathi portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in).
• Credit activity: Pull a free credit report from CIBIL, Experian, or Equifax and look for accounts or loan enquiries you didn't make.
• Income tax: Log into the e-filing portal and check your Form 26AS / AIS for financial transactions tied to your PAN that you don't recognize.

If you shared your PAN specifically

PAN misuse mostly shows up as fraudulent financial transactions or loan applications reported under your name. If you spot anything suspicious in your credit report or AIS, raise a dispute with the relevant credit bureau and, separately, file it as part of your cybercrime complaint.

Report it alongside your financial complaint

If this happened as part of a scam where money also changed hands, don't file this separately — fold it into the same 1930 report and cybercrime.gov.in complaint described in the Golden Hour guide. If this was a digital arrest–style call where you were pressured into sharing ID documents on video, see what to do after a digital arrest call ends.

The bigger picture

Aadhaar and PAN leaks are more common than people realize — India has had several large-scale data exposures involving these exact identifiers, covered in Aadhaar-Linked Data Leaks: What Happened. If you're unsure whether your details were already floating around before this incident, a Scan My Shadow report checks your phone number and email against 1,500+ breach sources so you know what's actually out there.

Curious what's already out there about you? Scan My Shadow checks your phone number and email across 1,500+ sources and sends you a clear report — no guesswork, just facts. Start your scan.