CLANSAY Dictionary
Every term we use, explained plainly. Hover a marked term in any article to see the definition, or browse the full list below.
53 terms published
A
- Aadhaar (UID, Aadhaar number, UIDAI) A 12-digit unique identification number issued by UIDAI to residents of India, used as proof of identity and address across banking, government, and many private services.
- Aadhaar Lock (biometric lock, mAadhaar lock, UIDAI biometric lock) A free feature in the mAadhaar app that disables biometric authentication on your Aadhaar number, blocking anyone from using your fingerprint or iris for fraud.
B
C
- Cashback (cash-back, reward cash) A reward where a portion of money spent on a purchase is returned to the buyer — usually as a credit to the card, wallet, or bank account.
- Certified Refurbished (manufacturer refurbished, Amazon Renewed) A refurbished electronic device that has been inspected, repaired, and re-tested by the original manufacturer or an authorized partner — usually shipped with a limited warranty.
- Chart Preparation (chart prep, reservation chart, first chart, second chart) The moment Indian Railways finalises the passenger list for a train — typically 4 hours before departure. Waitlisted tickets either confirm into vacated seats or are auto-cancelled.
- CIBIL Score (CIBIL, credit score India, TransUnion CIBIL) A three-digit credit score (300–900) calculated by TransUnion CIBIL that Indian lenders use to evaluate your creditworthiness for loans, credit cards, and EMIs.
- Creatine Monohydrate (creatine, mono, CM) The original and most-studied form of creatine. Used by most athletes for improved high-intensity performance, muscle volume, and recovery between sets.
- Credit Freeze (security freeze, credit lock) A free service that blocks new creditors from accessing your credit report, preventing thieves from opening accounts in your name even if they have your personal details.
D
- Dark Web Monitoring (breach monitoring, credential monitoring) A service that continuously scans dark web marketplaces and forums for your email, passwords, Social Security Number, or bank details, alerting you when they appear in breach data.
- Data Broker (people-search site, data aggregator, information broker) A company that legally collects, packages, and sells your personal information — name, address, phone, age, family members — to advertisers, lenders, and sometimes scammers.
E
F
G
- Genius Loyalty Program (Booking.com Genius, Genius tier) Booking.com’s tiered loyalty programme that unlocks discounts of 10-20%, free room upgrades, and free breakfast at participating properties after a small number of bookings.
- GST (Goods and Services Tax, GST India) Goods and Services Tax — India's unified indirect tax on most goods and services, collected at multiple rates depending on the item or service category.
H
I
- Identity Theft Insurance (identity restoration insurance, fraud insurance) An insurance policy that reimburses legal fees, lost wages, and recovery costs if you become a victim of identity theft — usually bundled with paid identity protection services.
- IMEI Check (IMEI lookup, phone blacklist check, CEIR check) Looking up a phone’s 15-digit IMEI number to verify it is not blacklisted, stolen, or reported lost before buying a used or refurbished device.
- Informed Sport Certification (Informed Sport, batch tested supplement) A batch-by-batch testing program for sports supplements run by LGC. Products are tested for banned substances and contaminants before they reach the consumer.
- Inspect Element Trick (bank balance manipulation, refund scam, fake refund) A theatrical scam tactic where the scammer uses the browser’s Inspect Element to fake a bank balance on screen, convincing the victim a refund was over-paid and pressuring them to "return" the difference.
- Inverter (home inverter, battery inverter) A battery-backed power device that provides longer-duration backup for household lights, fans, and small appliances during a power cut, common in Indian homes.
- IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, IRCTC Rail Connect) Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation — the official public-sector body that operates online train ticket booking, station catering, and rail tourism for Indian Railways.
- IRCTC iPay (iPay IRCTC, IRCTC payment gateway) IRCTC's in-house payment gateway. Charges ₹5 less per booking than external cards, authenticates faster, and is the recommended payment method for Tatkal bookings where every second counts.
M
- Manufacturer Refurbished (OEM refurbished, factory refurbished) A device returned to the original manufacturer for repair, re-test, and resale. Usually the highest-quality refurbished category because the brand itself stakes its reputation on the work.
- Marriott Bonvoy (Bonvoy, Marriott Rewards, Marriott loyalty) Marriott's hotel loyalty programme covering 30+ brands worldwide. Five elite tiers (Silver to Ambassador), points earnable on stays and via co-branded cards. Status benefits and bonus points only when bookings go direct, not through aggregators.
N
O
- One Key Rewards (OneKey Rewards, Expedia One Key, OneKeyCash) Expedia Group's unified loyalty programme covering Expedia and Vrbo (Hotels.com left in 2026). Earn 2% OneKeyCash on hotels and rentals; tiered access (Silver / Gold / Platinum) with member-only discounts.
- OTP (one-time password, OTP code, login code) A One-Time Password — a single-use numeric code sent via SMS, email, or generated by an app, used as a second proof of identity during login or payment.
P
- Phishing (phishing attack, fake email scam) A social engineering attack where scammers impersonate a trusted institution to trick you into handing over passwords, card numbers, or personal data.
- PNR (Passenger Name Record, PNR number, PNR status) Passenger Name Record — the unique 10-digit code Indian Railways assigns to every train booking. PNR is used to check ticket status, seat allocation, waitlist position, and refund eligibility.
- Power Bank (portable charger, mobile battery, USB power bank) A portable battery in a pocket-sized case that charges phones, tablets, and small USB devices when no wall power is available.
- Power Rack (squat cage, squat rack, lifting cage) A four-post steel cage used for safe heavy barbell training. Adjustable safety bars catch the bar if a lift fails, allowing solo training without a spotter.
Q
R
- RBI (Reserve Bank of India) The Reserve Bank of India — the central bank that regulates banking, monetary policy, and most consumer financial protections in India.
- Remote Access Tool (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, UltraViewer, Quick Assist, remote desktop) Software like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, UltraViewer, or Quick Assist that lets one person control another person’s computer — used legitimately by IT support and abused by tech-support scammers.
- Resort Fee (resort fees, destination fee, amenity fee, hotel facility fee) A mandatory daily charge added by some US hotels, ostensibly for amenities like Wi-Fi, gym access, and pool use. Pre-2025 average was $33 per night, with Las Vegas hotels at $44-57 per night. The FTC Junk Fees Rule (May 2025) now requires these to be disclosed upfront.
S
- Sanchar Saathi Portal (Sanchar Saathi, DoT portal, sancharsaathi.gov.in) A free Government of India portal where you can see every mobile number registered against your Aadhaar and disconnect any you do not recognize.
- Scareware (fake virus alert, browser locker, fake tech support popup) Fake security warnings that try to panic you into calling a phone number, paying for useless software, or installing real malware.
- Search Engine Poisoning (malvertising, SEO poisoning) A technique where scammers pay for search ads to appear above legitimate results, tricking users into clicking fake support or login pages.
- SIM-Swap Attack (SIM hijacking, SIM porting attack, port-out fraud) When a scammer convinces your mobile carrier to transfer your phone number to a SIM they control, intercepting your SMS codes and taking over your accounts.
- Smishing (SMS phishing, text message scam) Phishing carried out through SMS or messaging apps. The text appears to be from a bank, courier, or government but links to a fake site.
T
- Tatkal (Tatkal booking, Tatkal quota, last-minute train booking India) IRCTC's last-minute train booking scheme — opens exactly one day before travel at 10:00 a.m. for AC classes and 11:00 a.m. for sleeper class, with a small fee and limited inventory.
- TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt, train ticket refund claim, IRCTC TDR) Ticket Deposit Receipt — the official refund claim filed through IRCTC when a confirmed train ticket cannot be used due to railway-caused issues (train cancelled, late by 3+ hours, route diverted).
- Tech Support Scam (printer support scam, fake Microsoft support, remote access scam) A scam where fraudsters pose as Microsoft, Apple, HP, or Epson support to gain remote access to a victim’s computer and charge for useless or malicious software.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA, multi-factor authentication, MFA, two-step verification) A second verification step (typically a code from your phone) required to log in after entering your password, blocking attackers who only know your password.
U
- Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS, battery backup) A device with a built-in battery that provides a few minutes of backup power to your computer or critical electronics when the mains supply fails, giving you time to save work and shut down safely.
- UPI (Unified Payments Interface, UPI payment, NPCI UPI) Unified Payments Interface — India's real-time instant payment system that lets users transfer money directly between bank accounts using just a phone number, UPI ID, or QR code.
- UPI Fraud (UPI scam, fake collect request, UPI PIN scam) Scams that exploit the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) — fake collect requests, QR sticker swaps, or social-engineered PIN entry — to drain a victim’s bank account in seconds.
- UPI Lite (UPI Lite payment, fast UPI) A small-value UPI variant for transactions under ₹500. Stores a pre-funded balance on your device and processes payments without requiring the UPI PIN — designed for speed at checkout.
V
- Vishing (voice phishing, phone scam, fake tech support call) Phishing conducted by voice call. The scammer poses as bank support, tax authorities, or tech support and pressures you into transferring money or sharing credentials.
- VPN (virtual private network) A Virtual Private Network — software that encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a server in another location, hiding your IP address and bypassing geo-restrictions.
W
- Waitlist (WL, WL ticket, Waitlisted ticket, RAC) A reservation status when no seat is currently available — the booking holds a queue position (WL/8 = eighth in line) and may confirm if earlier passengers cancel before chart preparation.
- Whey Protein Isolate (WPI, isolate whey) A highly filtered form of whey protein with 90%+ protein by weight and almost no lactose, fat, or carbs. Ideal for people with mild lactose sensitivity or strict calorie budgets.
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