Aadhaar Biometrics Stolen? Lock Them in 3 Steps

UIDAI lets you lock your Aadhaar fingerprint and iris data to stop fraudsters from misusing your biometrics for fake loans, SIM swaps, or bank account access. Here is how to do it right now.

Here's what happened: UIDAI's updated Aadhaar app now lets users lock and unlock their fingerprint and iris biometrics directly from a smartphone in minutes.. Biometric fraud — where criminals use fake fingerprints to impersonate you at Aadhaar-authenticated banking or telecom points — is a growing threat across India.. Once locked, no one can use your fingerprint or iris to verify your identity at any bank branch, CSC centre, or SIM outlet, even if they steal your Aadhaar number..

What you should do: Download the mAadhaar app from the official Google Play Store or Apple App Store and log in with your registered mobile number to access the biometric lock feature.. Enable biometric lock immediately if you do not regularly use fingerprint-based Aadhaar authentication — you can unlock it temporarily whenever you genuinely need it.. Check your Aadhaar authentication history on the UIDAI website (uidai.gov.in) to see if any unknown entity has already tried to verify your identity without your knowledge..

You can set a temporary unlock for just one hour — perfect for a bank visit — so your biometrics auto-lock again without you remembering to re-lock manually.