Booking a train ticket through an agent may seem convenient, especially when you’re trying to secure a confirmed seat quickly. However, sharing your Aadhaar number and OTP with agents can put your IRCTC account at serious risk.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has started using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify suspicious ticket booking activities. The move aims to curb the misuse of passenger information and ensure fair ticket availability for genuine travelers.
Why Sharing Aadhaar and OTP Can Be Risky
Many passengers share their Aadhaar details and one-time passwords (OTPs) with ticket agents in the hope of getting confirmed train tickets faster. However, some unauthorized agents misuse this information to book multiple tickets using different accounts.
Such activities violate IRCTC rules and may result in the passenger’s account being flagged during security checks.
AI Monitoring Suspicious Ticket Bookings
To tackle ticket booking fraud, IRCTC is leveraging AI-powered systems to monitor booking patterns across its platform.
The technology can detect unusual activities, including:
- Multiple accounts using the same Aadhaar number
- Repeated use of a single mobile number across different accounts
- Frequent OTP usage linked to suspicious ticket bookings
- Large-scale ticket reservations made through unauthorized channels
Once suspicious activity is detected, the system automatically flags the account for further investigation.
Millions of Suspicious Accounts Already Identified
According to reports, IRCTC previously conducted a large-scale AI-based verification drive.
During the first phase, the activity of nearly 90 million user accounts was reviewed. A significant number of accounts were found to be suspicious.
In a subsequent investigation, AI systems reportedly identified around 30 million highly suspicious accounts, many of which were blocked to prevent misuse of the ticket booking system.
IRCTC’s Advice to Passengers
Railway authorities have urged passengers to avoid sharing their Aadhaar number, OTP, password, or any other personal information with agents or unauthorized individuals.
Passengers are advised to:
- Book tickets directly through the IRCTC website or mobile app
- Use only authorized railway booking channels
- Never share OTPs with anyone
- Keep Aadhaar and mobile details confidential
- Regularly monitor account activity
Your IRCTC Account Could Be Permanently Blocked
IRCTC has made it clear that misuse of passenger credentials can lead to strict action. If suspicious activities are linked to your account, it may be blocked permanently, causing inconvenience for future ticket bookings.
A small mistake, such as sharing an OTP with an unauthorized agent, could have long-term consequences.
