Archive · 24 Jul 2026
Police Warn Against Aadhaar Fraud Risks at Hotels
A police officer in Kolkata warned travel agents that sharing Aadhaar cards at hotels can make people vulnerable to cyber fraud.
He advised using a masked Aadhaar or other documents instead.
A masked Aadhaar hides most of the Aadhaar number, making it safer.
The officer also warned about the risks of sharing travel photos on social media and advised using digital safety tools like VirusTotal and M-Kavach.
The chairman of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) also urged travelers to be cautious about online frauds, especially during vacation and festive seasons.
Sharing Aadhaar details at hotels can make you vulnerable to cyber fraud, warns Kolkata Police officer Suvankar Chakraborty.
Use a masked Aadhaar or other documents instead of sharing your full Aadhaar card.
A masked Aadhaar hides the first eight digits of your Aadhaar number, displaying only the last four.
Be cautious when sharing travel photos on social media to avoid AI-based fraud and cyber bullying.
Use digital safety tools like VirusTotal and M-Kavach to protect against malware and financial fraud.
- Who
- Suvankar Chakraborty, officer-in-charge of the cyber cell of the south division of Kolkata Police, and Anil Punjabi, chairman of TAFI’s eastern chapter.
- What
- A warning about the risks of sharing Aadhaar details at hotels and advice on digital safety.
- When
- Thursday (specific date not mentioned).
- Where
- Kolkata, India.
- Why
- To raise awareness about cyber fraud risks and promote digital safety practices.
Security Advocates
Convenience Advocates
Aadhaar Sharing
Security Advocates
Sharing Aadhaar details at hotels poses significant cyber fraud risks and should be avoided.
Convenience Advocates
Sharing Aadhaar details is convenient and necessary for identity verification in many situations.
- Aadhaar Card
- A 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
- Masked Aadhaar
- A secure version of Aadhaar that hides the first eight digits, displaying only the last four.
- UIDAI
- Unique Identification Authority of India, the government agency responsible for issuing Aadhaar cards.
- VirusTotal
- A free, Google-owned online service that analyzes suspicious files, URLs, domains, and IP addresses for malware.
- M-Kavach
- A free mobile security application developed by the Indian government to protect Android devices against malware and financial fraud.
- Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI)
- An organization representing travel agents in India.