Row over Aadhaar helpline number in mobiles

New Delhi: There was hysteria on social media on Friday after a  French security expert who identifies himself with pseudonym Elliot Alderson revealed on Twitter that UIDAI’s toll free helpline number was saved by default in the contact list of many mobile phones.

After this there was a Tsunami of tweets with people checking their phone and surprised to find UIDAI number pre-stored in their contact list without their knowledge. UIDAI number was mainly pre-stored on mobile phones running on Google’s Android software.  This led to apprehension of snooping, hacking and violation of privacy of individuals.  

However, UIDAI in a statement said that it had not asked or communicated “to any manufacturer or service provider for providing any such facility whatsoever.

“UIDAI has reiterated that it  has not asked or advised anyone including any telecom service providers or mobile manufacturers or Android to include  18003001947 or 1947 in the default list of public service numbers,” it said. “It is emphasised that the said 18003001947 is not a valid UIDAI toll free number and some vested interest are trying to create unwarranted confusion in the public. Our valid toll free number is 1947 which is functional for more than the last  two years,” added UIDAI.  

Soon, Twitter users pointed out that in some phones even 1947 number was pre-stored.

Telecom operators body COAI in a statement said that the “inclusion of a certain unknown number in the phonebooks of various mobile handsets is not from any telecom service provider.”

Emails sent to phone manufacturers by this newspaper on whose devices the UIDAI number was allegedly pre-stored  did not elicit any response till late evening.

When Indian Cellular Association (ICA), apex body of the mobile manufacturers  was contacted by this newspaper it refused to comment on issue.  ICAs members include Apple, Vivo, Huawei, Lava, Micromax, Lenovo, Motorola, Xiaomi, LG, Sony, Karbonn, TNS (Nokia), HTC and Gionee among others. “People noticed that the UIDAI number is saved by default on their phone: UIDAI: This is not me! Telecom providers: No, this is not us! Do I have to ask to Harry Potter if he magically added this number to people phones?,” tweeted Mr Alderson after UIDAI statement.

Some Twitter users claimed that it appears that Android adds  these entries for “Made in India” phones.

“Hi @UIDAI, Many people, with different provider, 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 and so without their knowledge. Can you explain why?,” tweeted Mr Alderson on Thursday after which the controversy erupted

This contention issues has broken just days after TRAI chairman R.S. Sharma gave out his Aadhaar number on Twitter challenging all those who question it, to prove how does having the number can be misused to cause someone harm.