After applying to register their new property, a couple experienced losses of Rs 10,000 each from their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. This unfortunate incident is not isolated, as numerous individuals have faced similar financial setbacks when their biometric data and Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) information were collected for property registration at the local sub-registrar office.
Multiple Individuals Report Unauthorized Bank Account Losses After Property Registration
Lokesh and his spouse, residents of Shaktinagar in the city, were among those affected. They promptly filed a complaint, alleging that their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts had been compromised. Consequently, the city’s cybercrime police initiated an investigation into the matter.
Vinod Pinto, the president of CREDAI Mangaluru, also encountered a loss of Rs 10,000 under similar circumstances. Another victim, Rohith, shared his experience, stating that he had recently purchased a property and had submitted his fingerprints, Aadhaar number, and bank details at the sub-registration office. Only ten days after this transaction, he discovered the unauthorized withdrawal.
Data Breach Concerns Arise After Unauthorized Bank Transfers Following Property Registrations
Cybersecurity expert Dr. Ananth Prabhu suggested that the fraudsters may have obtained fingerprints from documents at the land registration department and subsequently fabricated them. He emphasized the risk of unauthorized fund transfers when perpetrators have access to Aadhaar information, fingerprints, and bank details. He called for enhanced security measures, such as introducing two-factor authentication for AePS transactions, high-resolution user photos with location data, replacing SMS confirmations with instant IVR calls, and providing an option to lock the biometric feature via the Aadhaar portal.
Mangaluru’s city police commissioner, Anupam Agarwal, acknowledged receiving numerous complaints from individuals who had lost money. An investigation is currently underway to determine the source of the data breach.
Kavitha, a senior sub-registrar in Mangaluru, confirmed that no written complaints had been received as of yet. However, she mentioned that the Mangaluru city police had visited their office on September 21 to verify the information following the filing of complaints. The office intends to take action once formal written complaints are submitted by those who suffered financial losses.
