Do not share your Aadhaar and OTP while making online reservations; otherwise, your account will be blocked..

Many people share their Aadhaar numbers and OTPs with agents when booking tickets. If you do this, be cautious; it could lead to serious consequences. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is preparing to take strict action against such practices. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used to identify accounts where unauthorized agents are booking tickets by misusing Aadhaar and mobile numbers—a practice that makes it difficult for ordinary passengers to secure tickets.

According to railway officials, many passengers share their Aadhaar numbers and mobile OTPs with touts in the hope of getting their tickets confirmed quickly. Touts then misuse this information to book tickets in large numbers. This not only violates regulations but can also place the passenger's IRCTC account under scrutiny.

**Past Actions Taken**

IRCTC has previously conducted AI-based investigative drives. During one such drive, the account activities of approximately 90 million (9 crore) users were examined, revealing a large number of suspicious accounts. A subsequent AI-led investigation identified around 30 million (3 crore) users whose accounts were deemed highly suspicious, leading to their accounts being blocked.

**Leveraging AI**

Railways and IRCTC are now focusing on instances where a single Aadhaar number, mobile number, or OTP is used to book tickets across multiple accounts. AI systems are identifying such patterns and automatically flagging suspicious activities.

**IRCTC's Advice**

The Railways advises passengers not to share their Aadhaar numbers, OTPs, or other personal information with any agent or unauthorized individual. Passengers should book tickets themselves or use only authorized channels. Even a moment of carelessness could result in your IRCTC account being permanently blocked.

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