New Delhi: Plans are afoot to issue e-passports with advanced security features such as a chip storing personal details of an applicant embedded in the physical passport booklet, the government informed Thursday.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha Minster of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said incase anyone tampers with the chip, the system shall be able to identify it resulting in the failure of the passport authentication.
Asked whether the government is considering to come out with passports with advanced security features, the minister answered in the affirmative and said the personal particulars of the applicant would be digitally signed and stored in the chip, which would be embedded in the physical passport booklet.
The government has given its approval for procurement of electronic contactless inlays for manufacturing of e-passports to the India Security Press (ISP) Nasik, he said.
In this regard, ISP, Nasik, has been authorised to float a global three-stage tender for procurement of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)-compliant electronic contactless inlays along with its operating system, which is required for the manufacture of e-passports, Muraleedharan said.
The manufacture of e-passport will commence on the successful completion of the tendering and procurement process by the ISP, he said.
Responding to another question on whether Passport Seva Project has been issuing one crore passports every year, the minister said, "Yes. The ministry issued more than 1.12 crore passports in 2018 and 1.08 crore passports in 2017 in India.
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Bengaluru: As online shopping surges, particularly during festive seasons, cybercriminals are preying on unsuspecting customers with fake e-commerce websites that closely mimic legitimate platforms.
These fraudulent platforms lure users with flashy deals and deep discounts, aiming to steal money and sensitive personal information, as reported by The New Indian Express on Monday.
“Two main types of scams are currently being reported: one involves fraudsters creating counterfeit versions of popular brand websites, while the other features entirely new but fake e-commerce platforms—both heavily promoted on social media and messaging apps to attract buyers,” TNIE quoted a senior officer from a CEN (Cybercrime, Economic Offences and Narcotics) police station in Bengaluru as saying.
The officer added that in most cases, customers are tricked into paying in advance but never receive the products, as fraudsters either collect the money without delivering goods or steal users’ data through malicious links.
He warned that such fake sites often contain subtle spelling errors in brand names that typically go unnoticed, and added that clicking unknown links or trusting deals that seem too good to be true significantly increases the risk. “Always verify the URL, look out for misspellings in the domain, and double-check offers through official brand websites,” he said.
A senior officer from the North division further revealed that some companies have filed police complaints after receiving disputes over orders they never processed. “Victims who lose small amounts, between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000, often don’t report it, which allows these scams to continue unchecked,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
Authorities are advising online shoppers to stay vigilant and report any suspicious websites to help curb further fraudulent activity.