New Delhi: Thousands of Smartphone users were shocked to find a ‘UIDAI’ helpline no in their contact list by default which has created panic on social media with many demanding for answers from the Indian authority.
Amidst major outcry that broke out on social app Twitter, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has issued a clarification denying today that it forced any smartphone manufacturer or telecom service provider to add a helpline number into people’s contact lists.
Many twitteratis demanded answers from the Indian authority over the UIDAI helpline no that was present in their contact list without their knowledge.
Clarifying against the sudden situation that created a panic among citizens over their security reasons, the UIDAI said that the toll free number 1800-300-1947 appearing in people’s contacts lists was outdated and invalid.
The UIDAI has replaced the earlier helpline number — 1800-300-1947 — with the new number — 1947, which got automatically updated in people’s phonebooks without their consent.
“This is no joke as it is on my phone too. I didn’t save this number. Check your phone asap, feeling worried,” a user tweeted with a screenshot.
And things went out of hand when a French security expert, Elliot Alderson, asked UIDAI on Twitter: “Many people, with different providers, with and without an #Aadhaar card, with and without the mAadhaar app installed, noticed that your phone number is predefined in their contact list by default without their knowledge. Can you explain why?”
Now this question has created a buzz again after a huge uproar due to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman RS Sharma’s open Aadhaar challenge to critics and hackers after he shared his 12 digit Aadhar number.
With the chairman’s open challenge the ethical hackers exposed at least 14 personal details of the TRAI chairman, including his mobile numbers, home address, date of birth (DoB), PAN number and voter ID, among others.
Do you still think your Aadhar details are save with the Indian authority or this is just the beginning of how our personal details pose a threat to us without giving consent to telecom operators?.