Legal information notice: this article provides general information and isn't a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer.
A collection call, an SMS about an EMI you never set up, or a sudden drop in your credit score you can’t explain — discovering a loan was taken in your name using your Aadhaar is genuinely frightening, but it’s also a well-established fraud pattern with a clear reporting path. Here’s exactly what to do.
Contact the lender/NBFC named in the collection call or credit report and request full written details — the loan application date, disbursal account, and exactly which KYC documents were used to approve it.
Call UIDAI’s toll-free helpline 1947 or email help@uidai.gov.in with details of the suspicious transaction, and review your Aadhaar authentication history by logging into myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in with your Aadhaar number and OTP.
Report at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 — this creates an official record covering the financial fraud angle of the case.
Log into cibil.com (or the relevant bureau) using your PAN, date of birth, and mobile number, raise a dispute on the fraudulent account, and submit a police complaint copy along with a declaration that you never opened this account.
Use the mAadhaar app or myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in to lock your biometrics, preventing any further fingerprint/iris-based authentication until you choose to temporarily unlock it.
An RBI circular effective from April 26, 2024 requires the credit institution to send corrected data to the credit bureau within 21 calendar days of your complaint — keep a record of exactly when you filed your dispute, since this timeline gives you a concrete point to follow up if the correction doesn’t appear.
| Situation | What to Do |
|---|---|
| You genuinely never applied for this loan anywhere | Report as identity fraud to UIDAI, cybercrime.gov.in, and the credit bureau |
| You applied through an app but don't recall the specific terms | Contact the lender directly first to verify before assuming fraud |
| Someone you know used your documents without full consent | Still identity fraud — the same reporting process applies regardless of the perpetrator's identity |
No. Reporting to UIDAI, on cybercrime.gov.in, and disputing with the credit bureau are all free.
Yes, for the reporting and dispute process. A lawyer becomes relevant if the lender refuses to acknowledge the fraud despite your evidence, or pursues recovery action against you for a loan you never took.
Need professional legal help with this?
Find a Lawyer on VidyodayLocking your Aadhaar biometrics is a critical preventive step here — see our dedicated guide on Aadhaar biometric misuse for the full process. For the broader identity-theft framework this falls under, see our pillar guide on identity theft in India.
Log into myaadhaar.uidai.gov.in with your Aadhaar number and OTP to review a record of recent authentication requests made against your Aadhaar.
No — biometric lock only blocks fingerprint/iris authentication; OTP and demographic authentication still work, so also secure your registered mobile number and email.
For the credit bureau dispute specifically, you’ll typically need a formal police complaint (FIR) copy alongside your cybercrime.gov.in acknowledgment.
A fraud dispute can take 60-90 days and may need Ombudsman escalation, compared to 30-45 days for a straightforward correction.
Yes — under the Aadhaar Act, 2016, impersonating another person or misusing their identity information is a specific criminal offence.
This is exactly the kind of situation where a lawyer’s involvement is valuable — send the lender your evidence and complaint references promptly to head off collection action.
Start with the credit bureau report, which lists every account linked to your PAN — this identifies the specific lender you need to contact.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. UIDAI, RBI, and credit bureau processes can change — verify current guidance on uidai.gov.in or the relevant official portal before relying on this for a real dispute.
