Shaadi.com using Aadhaar numbers to eliminate fake profile problem
What's the story
Matrimonial sites like Shaadi.com are often home to hundreds of fake accounts with photoshopped images and the like.
With legions of people looking for suitable partners on these sites, fake accounts become a nuisance, and can also lead to serious cases of extortion and fraud.
To prevent the same, Shaadi.com has now resorted to using Aadhaar numbers to verify accounts.
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Shaadi.com CEO explains how misuse affects business
"We have been constantly innovating to deliver newer forms of verification. Given that there are millions of matches every day, the odd incident of misuse does undermine the experience we deliver," said Shaadi.com CEO Gourav Rakshit, adding that eliminating misuse is Shaadi.com's biggest priority.
Aadhaar verification
Why verified accounts are important in the online matrimonial business
The moment someone signs up on Shaadi.com, the matrimonial site asks for their 12 digit Aadhaar number (on a lighter note, suitors will be praying that their Aadhaar photos don't show up).
While this was considered bizarre by many, the fact remains that having verified accounts helps users tell real accounts from fake ones, and can even be a conversation starter.
Data
What drove Shaadi.com to include Aadhaar
Interestingly, Shaadi.com's inclusion of Aadhaar for verification was influenced by an online survey which found that 91% of women preferred verified profiles, and 82% of women said that they were likely to reach out to a profile that was verified.
Verified profiles
Verified profiles instil confidence in users of matrimonial sites
Shaadi.com already has an existing ID verification programme wherein government issued ID proofs like PAN cards, passports, driving licenses, etc. are used for verification.
According to Shaadi.com CEO Gourav Rakshit, verified profiles instil confidence in users, and adding Aadhaar to the list of verification methods is a precedent which might inspire other matrimonial websites to follow suit.