Understand in 11 questions: Wrong PF number linked with UAN? Now delink it yourself, EPFO ​​tells the whole story..

Imagine you have been working hard for years, and your PF account is the support of your hard-earned money. But suddenly you come to know that something has gone wrong in it. Sometimes a wrong member ID is added, sometimes there is a discrepancy in the service history. Hearing such things makes one nervous, doesn't it? This problem has been happening with lakhs of employees, and often to get it fixed, one had to make rounds of the office, fill forms again and again. But now wait. EPFO ​​has given great news.

EPFO has started a new and easy facility. Through this, you can delink any member ID linked by mistake from your UAN (Universal Account Number) online. That is, now there is no need to go to any office, nor a pile of papers. You can do this work from home, from your smartphone or computer.

Today, we will know what this whole facility is, how it works, and most importantly, how you can fix it. So let's make this problem easy by finding answers to each question.

Question-1: First of all, what is this UAN (Universal Account Number)?

Answer:
UAN, the full form of which is Universal Account Number, is a 12-digit unique number. It is given by EPFO ​​(Employees Provident Fund Organization) to every employee who gets a salary and is entitled to PF. This number is like your identity. Imagine you work in different companies, and each company gives you a new member ID. UAN keeps all these member IDs linked together.

In simple words, UAN is the 'umbrella' of your entire PF story. No matter how many jobs you change, your UAN will remain the same, and all your PF accounts (member IDs) will remain linked under it. This makes your entire PF history available in one place.

Question 2: If someone has more than one UAN, what should be done?

Answer:
Many times, it happens that when people change jobs, the new company mistakenly gives them a new UAN. But EPFO ​​rules are very clear: every employee should have only one UAN in their entire life. If you have two or more UANs by mistake, then you have to merge them.

For this, you have to go to the EPFO ​​website. There, you have to fill in the details of both your old UAN and the new UAN you have received. EPFO ​​will then close your old UAN, and all your service history will be added to your current UAN. In this way, all your PF records will come under a single UAN.

Question-3: What is the difference between Member ID and UAN?

Answer:
Member ID and UAN are both different things; it would be wrong to consider them as one. Let us understand this with a simple example.

1. UAN:
Imagine UAN is your permanent home address. It always remains the same, no matter how many times you change your rented house (job). It is the 'main' address of your entire PF history.

2. Member ID:
Member ID is the address of your rented house (job). Every new job gives you a new member ID. It represents your PF account with that particular company. In simple language, UAN is your identity, and member ID is your PF account during that job.

Question 4: What happens if a wrong member ID is linked to my UAN?

Answer:
If a wrong member ID is linked to your UAN by mistake, it can cause many problems ranging from small to big.

Some problems:

1. Wrong PF balance displayed:
If someone else's member ID is linked to your UAN or if an old/wrong member ID is active, your PF balance will not be displayed correctly.

2. Problem in withdrawing money:
When you go to withdraw or transfer money from your PF, your claim may get stopped, or it may take a lot of time to get approved due to the wrong member ID.

3. Pension error:
Due to wrong information, your pension calculation may also go wrong in the future, which may cause you to lose.

4. Frequent running around:
To correct this mistake, you may have to go to the EPFO ​​office or your old/new employer again and again, which wastes both time and money.

5. Lack of correct information:
You will not be able to get the correct service history and contribution information of your PF account.

Question-5: What changes has EPFO ​​made?

Answer:
EPFO recently issued a very wonderful and relieving circular. In this, EPFO ​​has said that now the employees themselves can delink any member ID linked to their UAN by mistake.

What used to happen earlier?
If such a mistake was made, employees either had to visit EPFO ​​or contact their old/new employer. This used to take a lot of time and effort.

Now, EPFO ​​has given an online method and has also released a user manual for this. This means that now you can do this work yourself, without anyone's help, from your computer or mobile. This is really a big relief for lakhs of employees!

Question 6: What things will be required to delink the member ID?

Answer:
No, there is nothing to worry about! You will not need a lot of documents. You should have some very important things while delinking the member ID.

1. Your active UAN number:
This is the most important.

2. Password of EPFO ​​Portal:
You must know the password of the Unified Member e-Sewa portal of EPFO, ​​where you will log in.

3. Mobile number linked to Aadhaar:

Your mobile number should be linked to your Aadhaar card, because OTP for verification will come on the same number.

4. Good internet connection:
A stable internet connection will be required for the online process.

5. Updated browser:
You can use any updated internet browser, like Chrome or Firefox.

Question 7: What is the complete process of delinking the member ID?

Answer:
The entire process of delinking the member ID takes place on the Unified Member Portal of EPFO. Let us understand it step by step.

Here is the complete process

1. Go to the EPFO ​​​​portal:

First of all, go to the Unified Member Portal of EPFO.

2. Login:
Log in using your UAN and password.

3. Go to 'Service History' or 'Manage' section:

After logging in, you will find the option of 'Service History' in the section like 'View' or 'Manage'. Click on it.

4. Identify the wrong member ID:

Here you will see all the member IDs linked to your UAN. Identify the member ID from it that is wrong and which you want to remove.

5. Select the delink option:
You will find the option of 'Delink' or 'Remove' against the wrong member ID. Click on it.

6. Verify with OTP:
EPFO will send an OTP to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Enter that OTP in the given box and 'Submit'.

7. Confirmation:
Once the OTP is verified, the wrong member ID will be delinked from your UAN. You may see a confirmation message on the screen.

Question-8: What to do if the OTP does not come?

Answer:
Absolutely, the problem of not getting OTP is common. If the OTP does not come to your mobile within two minutes, then there is no need to panic. You will see a button on the screen itself, 'Resend OTP' or 'Resend OTP'. Click on it. This will generate a new OTP and send it to your mobile.

Most importantly, keep in mind that OTP will come only on the mobile number that is linked to your Aadhaar card. Therefore, make sure that the number is active and the facility of receiving messages is enabled on it.

Question-9: Can the same member ID be linked again after delinking?

Answer:
No, once you delink a wrong member ID from your UAN, it will not appear in your service history. It is removed forever, at least it will not be associated with your UAN.

If later you find that the member ID was actually yours and for some reason you deleted it thinking it was wrong, then you will have to contact your old or current employer. Only they can get it linked to your UAN again in the correct manner. But in general, delinking means 'separating', and it does get separated.

Question-10: What will be the benefits of delinking for the employees?

Answer:
No, it is not just a matter of correcting a mistake, but it has many big benefits that will make the lives of the employees related to PF easier.

1. Errors in PF accounts will end:
Now, the problem of errors and wrong balances appearing in PF accounts due to wrong member ID will end. Your record will be absolutely clean.

2. Fast claim and transfer:
When all your information is correct, the process of withdrawing money from the PF (claim) or transferring money from one account to another will be completed very fast. There will be no interruption.

3. No running around offices:
The biggest advantage! You will not have to run to the EPFO ​​office or your employer again and again. You will be able to do all the work online yourself.

4. Data will remain correct and transparent:
Your PF data will remain absolutely correct and transparent, so that there will be no problem in the future, whether it is related to pension or any other information.

5. Mental peace:
When you know that your PF account is absolutely correct, then you get mental peace, which is very important.

Question-11: Where to contact if there is any problem in the process?

Answer:
Absolutely! EPFO ​​is always ready to help its members. If you face any problem in this delinking process or have any questions, then you can contact through these ways:

1. EPFO ​​Helpdesk Portal:
You can register your complaint by visiting the online helpdesk portal of EPFO. Here you get a chance to tell your problem.

2. Toll-free helpline number:

You can call 1800-118-005. This is the toll-free helpline number of EPFO, where experts will help you.

3. Nearest EPFO ​​office:

If you feel that things are not working out online or over the phone, you can also visit your nearest EPFO ​​office to get information or explain your problem.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Zee Business. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.