Check: open Aadhaar Authentication History on UIDAI's resident portal or in the mAadhaar app. It lists every authentication from the last six months: when, how (fingerprint, OTP, face) and which agency asked. Protect: turn on Biometric Lock so no one can authenticate with your fingerprints, iris or face until you unlock it. Both need your Aadhaar-registered mobile number.
Your Aadhaar can be authenticated with an OTP or with your biometrics, for bank accounts, SIM cards, payments and more. Most uses are legitimate. But fingerprints can be misused, for example to withdraw money through Aadhaar-enabled payment services, and you would not know unless you checked. Here is how to check, and how to lock it down.
Before you start
You need the mobile number registered with your Aadhaar, because every step below is confirmed by OTP. If your number has changed, update it at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra or enrolment centre first.
1. Check who used your Aadhaar
Open Authentication History
Go to resident.uidai.gov.in/aadhaar-auth-history, or open the mAadhaar app. Enter your Aadhaar number and the OTP.
Choose the period
Pick the type of authentication and a date range. History covers the last six months and shows up to 50 records at a time; narrow the dates to see more.
Read each record
Each entry shows the method (fingerprint, iris, face, OTP or demographic), date and time, the agency (AUA) that requested it, and whether it succeeded. Look for anything you didn't do: a fingerprint use on a day you weren't at a bank or shop, or an agency you've never dealt with.
2. Lock your biometrics
Turn on Biometric Lock
On UIDAI's website (myAadhaar → Lock/Unlock Biometrics) or in the mAadhaar app, enter your Aadhaar number and OTP, then enable the lock.
What changes
Any authentication using your fingerprint, iris or face now fails (UIDAI error code 330: "biometrics locked by Aadhaar holder"). OTP-based authentication still works.
Unlock only when you need to
When a bank, SIM shop or government office genuinely needs your fingerprint, unlock temporarily in the same place; it re-locks on its own. You can also disable the lock completely. Unlocking can also be done at an enrolment centre or Aadhaar Seva Kendra.
3. Share less of your Aadhaar
| Tool | What it does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Masked Aadhaar | Shows only the last 4 digits of your number | Anyone asks for a copy of your Aadhaar (hotels, landlords, gyms) |
| Virtual ID (VID) | A 16-digit number that stands in for your Aadhaar number during authentication | A service accepts VID instead of your Aadhaar number |
| Biometric Lock | Blocks fingerprint, iris and face authentication | Always, unless you are about to use biometrics |
| Authentication History | Shows six months of uses | Every few months, and after any suspicious call or SMS |
Download a masked Aadhaar and generate a VID on UIDAI's website or the mAadhaar app. See also our guide to the Aadhaar app and what it keeps.
4. If you see a use you don't recognise
- Lock your biometrics now (section 2).
- Note the agency (AUA) and transaction details from the record. UIDAI's advice is to contact that agency for details of the transaction.
- Call UIDAI on 1947 or write to help@uidai.gov.in.
- If money was taken, call 1930 at once or report at cybercrime.gov.in, and inform your bank.
- If a fraud call or SMS started it, report the number on Chakshu (Sanchar Saathi).
Fraudsters usually start with details that are already public: your name, number, address and sometimes a photo of your Aadhaar from an old leak. Knowing what has leaked tells you what to watch for. See what to do after a data breach.
See what's already out there
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How can I check if my Aadhaar was used by someone else?
Open Aadhaar Authentication History on resident.uidai.gov.in or the mAadhaar app. It shows six months of authentications, up to 50 at a time, with the agency that requested each.
How do I lock my Aadhaar biometrics?
Use Lock/Unlock Biometrics on UIDAI's website or the mAadhaar app, confirmed by OTP. Biometric authentication then fails until you unlock temporarily.
Will locking stop OTP authentication?
No. Biometric Lock blocks fingerprint, iris and face only. OTP authentication still works.
What if I see a use I don't recognise?
Lock your biometrics, contact the agency named in the record, call UIDAI on 1947, and if money was taken call 1930 and your bank.
General information as of October 2026, based on UIDAI's published FAQs. Menu names on UIDAI's websites and apps change from time to time. Saaph.in is not affiliated with UIDAI and does not provide legal advice.