PAN card in India functions as universal financial identifier. Every formal loan, credit card, and line of credit is linked to a PAN card. This system simplifies lending in India, but it also creates a major risk. If someone’s PAN details fall into the wrong hands, loans can be taken out on your behalf without your knowledge. These cases have generally come to attention when a recovery agent calls or when a credit score suddenly drops.
Regularly looking for unauthorised loans linked to your PAN is no longer optional. The key step is to protect yourself against identity theft, and avoid long-term credit score damage, and point out fraud early before it escalates.
The most trusted and reliable way to verify loans linked to your PAN is by reviewing the credit report. Each and every bank, NBFC, and regulated digital lender reports credit activity to bureaus. If there is a loan against you, it will show up there.
How to check credit report
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Step 1: visit the official bureau website, such as CIBIL, Experian India, CRIF High Mark, etc.
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Step 2: To get data, enter your personal details such as Full Name, PAN Number, contact number, and identity proof.
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Step 3: Complete the verification, you will get an OTP to your registered mobile number or email
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Step 4: Download and review the report; the dashboard will display your 3-digit credit score. Download the full PDF to check the specific sections.
After downloading the report check it very carefully, observe the list of active and closed loans, the name of lenders, sanctioned amounts, and repayment status. Any loan or account that you don’t recognise is a red flag and should be treated seriously.
Apart from checking credit report another convenient option can be using fintech apps such as Paytm, PhonePay, and Google Pay etc. To fetch the credit bureau data.
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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