📢 PAN Fraud Alert: Someone Took a Loan Using Your PAN?
Identity‑based financial fraud is rising in India, and your Permanent Account Number (PAN) — a critical financial identifier — can be misused to take loans, open accounts or apply for credit without your knowledge.Here’s a step‑by‑step guide on how to detect if this has happened, confirm misuse, and take action quickly.📌 Why This HappensYour PAN is linked to your entire financial life — loans, credit cards, investments, tax records and more. Scammers can misuse a copy of it to:
✔ Be cautious when asked to provide PAN details online — unless the platform is legitimate and trusted.
✔ Check your credit report at least once a year, even if you don’t plan to borrow.
✔ Be alert to phishing emails or fake loan offers claiming to help with quick credit.🧠 Final TakeawayYour PAN is much more than a tax document — it’s the key to your financial identity. Misuse can silently damage your creditworthiness and create long‑term hassles. Regularly monitor your credit report, watch for unusual activity, and act quickly if you see any loan or credit you didn’t authorise. Early action makes it much easier to rectify and protect your financial profile. Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organization, employer, or company. All information provided is for general informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information contained herein. Readers are advised to verify facts and seek professional advice where necessary. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk.
- Apply for personal or app‑based loans
- Open credit lines tied to your identity
- Damage your credit score and financial reputation
Most of this happens quietly, without immediate alerts, until something goes wrong.
- Download your credit report from one of the RBI‑authorised credit bureaus:
TransUnion CIBIL, Experian, Equifax or CRIF High Mark. - This is free once every year.
- Focus on the “Accounts” section — it lists all loans, credit cards, and BNPL lines linked to your PAN.
- If you see a loan you don’t recognise — note the lender, loan amount and start date.
- Check the “Enquiries” section of the report — this shows all recent credit checks.
- Numerous checks from lenders you never contacted are a red flag.
- A couple of enquiries could be normal; a pattern of many is suspicious.
- New loans, missed EMIs or frequent checks can pull down your score.
- Many fintech apps (e.g., CRED, Paytm, or google Pay) show your credit score and alert you to new credit activity in real time.
- Unexpected EMI debits
- Loan approval SMS/emails from banks or lending apps
- Alerts you may have missed because they looked generic
These clues can help you discover fraud early.
- Mark the loan as “not mine” or “fraudulent” on the bureau’s portal.
- This starts an investigation, usually lasting ~30 days.
- Ask for details of the loan and KYC documents used.
- Formally request them to freeze or investigate the account.
- Visit cybercrime.gov.in and lodge a formal complaint.
- This yields an acknowledgment number that strengthens your legal case.
- Ask the credit bureau to place a temporary freeze or fraud alert on your report — this makes it harder for new loans to be issued in your name.
- A formal FIR helps when dealing with banks, lenders and credit bureaus to rectify your records.
✔ Be cautious when asked to provide PAN details online — unless the platform is legitimate and trusted.
✔ Check your credit report at least once a year, even if you don’t plan to borrow.
✔ Be alert to phishing emails or fake loan offers claiming to help with quick credit.🧠 Final TakeawayYour PAN is much more than a tax document — it’s the key to your financial identity. Misuse can silently damage your creditworthiness and create long‑term hassles. Regularly monitor your credit report, watch for unusual activity, and act quickly if you see any loan or credit you didn’t authorise. Early action makes it much easier to rectify and protect your financial profile. Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, organization, employer, or company. All information provided is for general informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information contained herein. Readers are advised to verify facts and seek professional advice where necessary. Any reliance placed on such information is strictly at the reader’s own risk.