Helpline no cannot steal data: UIDAI

Days after a helpline number of UIDAI mysteriously showed up on smartphones of hundreds of users, the authority on Sunday said that a number stored in contact list cannot steal data from a mobile phone.

Also, people with “vested interests” were trying to tarnish the image of Aadhaar by taking advantage of Google’s admission of its “mistake”.

Google had on Friday admitted that the number 18003001947 was added by it 'inadvertently' along with police and fire number 112 in 2014 and has since been continuing through sync mechanism.

UIDAI said that it has earlier clarified and emphasised that it has not asked any agency whatsoever to include its helpline number in the mobile phones. It said rumour mongers had attempted to tarnish the image of Aadhaar owing to Google's inadvertent mistake that led to appearance of its old helpline number 1800 300 1947 in the contact list of several mobile phone users.

Last week, a French security expert who goes under the pseudonym Elliot Alderson and describes himself as the "worst nightmare" of the UIDAI, in a tweetm, had raised alarm about presence of a UIDAI contact number in contact list of mobile phone users without their consent.

His tweet scared many mobile phone users who

found the UIDAI's old helpline number in their contacts even though they did not add it. The Aadhaar custodian said on Sunday that it expects Google, a large digital platform provider, will look into the matter which caused confusion in the minds of people against "India's credible identity system and will exercise due care so that such things are not repeated in future." The UIDAI said that rumours about Aadhaar database being breached are completely false and baseless and are rejected with all condemnation that it deserves.

"UIDAI assures that Aadhaar data remains fully safe and secure. Therefore, people should stay away from such rumours and malicious campaign by vested interests" the statement said.