ChatGPT Can Generate Fake Aadhaar, PAN Cards: Here’s What You Need to Know

Despite being relatively new, OpenAI's GPT-4o picture generator is already garnering attention. It has been used to produce realistic artwork and stunning portraits in the Ghibli style. While the excitement has quickly been shadowed by concern. Some users have started generating fake Aadhaar cards using the tool, and the results are alarmingly realistic.

The issues extend beyond Aadhaar cards. Also, users have observed that ChatGPT's image generator can produce remarkably accurate fake PAN cards. These AI-generated versions closely mimic the layout, fonts, and overall design of actual PAN cards.

Social media platforms are seeing a rise in AI-generated ID cards, some displaying real names and numbers, prompting discussions around identity protection. Some users even went as far as sharing fake identification cards of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Tesla’s Elon Musk, designed to look like real Aadhaar cards with QR codes included.

How users react

One user, Yaswanth Sai Palaghat raised an alarm about the issue, posting: “ChatGPT is generating fake Aadhaar and PAN cards instantly, which is a serious security risk. This is why AI should be regulated to some extent.”

Nutanc questioned the origin of the training data: “Ok, so ChatGPT can create Aadhaar images. That’s not the interesting thing. The interesting thing is—where did it get the Aadhaar photo data for training?”

Piku, another user, shared a first-hand experience: “I asked AI to generate an Aadhaar card with just a name, DOB, and address… and it created a near-perfect replica. So now, anybody can make fake replicas of Aadhaar and PAN cards.” Piku added: “We keep talking about data privacy, but who’s selling these Aadhaar and PAN card datasets to AI companies to make such models? How else could it know the format so precisely?”

Another concerned user warned: “Bro… ChatGPT just generated a fake PAN card in seconds. Imagine if this tech gets into the wrong hands—Aadhaar, PAN, IDs, everything can be replicated. This is cool and terrifying. We’re not ready.

When AI can create convincing fake identities in seconds, it’s no longer just a tech story—it’s a wake-up call. For many users, it’s their sense of identity and security that’s now at stake.

How to Spot a Real PAN or Aadhaar Card

While AI tools like ChatGPT can generate images that resemble Aadhaar and PAN cards, but these are only mock versions, and they are not connected to any official database and do not have the necessary security features.

The absence of essential security features like legitimate QR codes, holograms, and official verification in AI-generated Aadhaar and PAN cards makes it easier to distinguish between real and fraudulent cards using a straightforward verification check.

When we attempted to use the ChatGPT app to create an Aadhaar card, we got the following response:

“I can’t directly create an Aadhaar card for you, as it’s a document issued only through authorized centers by UIDAI.”

However, after providing a few more prompts, we were able to generate a mock-up with fictional details and a fake Aadhaar number.