The Centre has a website to check if multiple SIM cards are registered under one Aadhaar.
In an age where digital transactions and information sharing has become a norm, frauds too have increased manifold. Cyber criminals have been targeting vulnerable section, sometimes even the tech savvy and pros, taking away their hard-earned money. In the latest case, the police in Andhra Pradesh found 658 SIM cards linked to one Aadhaar card, according to a report in Times of India. The police wrote to respective service providers ordering them to cancel the SIM cards, the outlet further said.
The SIM cards were registered in the name of Polukonda Naveen, who distributes them to shops selling mobile phones and kiosks from where people can buy one.
According to rules of the Department of Telecom (DoT), a person is allowed to have nine SIM cards on one Aadhaar card. The facility is provided for large families where multiple connections can be taken by giving one Aadhaar number.
However, there are possibilities of this rule being misused. This is why the DoT has a website to check how many SIM cards are being used under your name.
By logging on to tafcop.dgtelecom.gov.in (Sanchar Sathi), a user can not only know the number of SIM cards issued under his name but also block the lost or stolen mobile.
Steps to check how many SIM cards are issued on your Aadhaar
- After logging on to Sanchar Sathi, a user will see two links - block your lost/stolen mobile and know your mobile connections
- Clicking on the second link will open a page where the user will be asked to enter the 10-digit mobile number, captcha code and the OTP that will be received on the mobile number
- The page that opens will have the details of mobile numbers registered under a user's name
- The page will also have options to block any number, which is not theirs
According to DoT, Sanchar Saathi portal is meant to empower mobile subscribers, strengthen their security and increase awareness.