Internet firms like Zoomcar, Paytm now asking Aadhaar number for customer verification

An increasing number of Internet firms have started asking for Aadhaar number of potential customers before providing them with services. These firms have made the requirement of Aadhaar mandatory for users which means that users without Aadhaar can’t avail their services. [caption id=“attachment_4219317” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. CNN-News18.[/caption] According to a report by The Times of India (TOI), companies like Amazon and Zoomcar have incorporated Aadhaar in their services. Amazon is asking users to add Aadhaar numbers to track lost packages while Zoomcar, on the other hand, does not take booking without Aadhaar. While speaking to TOI, a spokesperson for Amazon India stated, “We ask customers to submit a government–certified ID. We understand Aadhaar is the most widely held. So it is our preferred one.” Amazon has not made Aadhaar mandatory and added that “If a customer is unable to share a government-certified identification proof, Amazon, as a customer-centric organisation, will continue to process the request based on other details shared by the customer.” According to the report, Zoomcar has made no exceptions as compared to Amazon about the requirement of Aadhaar details. The company added that ‘Aadhaar has the best API integration’ where the latest documents get connected with the bank accounts. The company claimed that Aadhaar also takes care of the KYC requirements. In addition to Zoomcar and Amazon, Paytm has also asked its users to link Aadhaar details with their Paytm account. The report points out that Ola and Uber are also looking at possible way to integrate Aadhaar into their systems. This gradual trend comes months after Aadhaar was made mandatory for people in the country to claim subsidies by the government, to open a bank account or even to get a cellular connection.