Lost money to an online fraud? Initial hours matter most.
Call the National Cyber Crime Helpline, report on the official portal and inform your bank. This guide explains each step after the call to 1930, what to keep ready, and what happens to your money afterwards.
1930
National Cyber Crime Helpline for financial fraud
Do these three things immediately
Speed decides the outcome. If the money is still in the fraudster's account, the bank can freeze it. Once it is withdrawn or moved on, recovery gets harder. No one can guarantee a recovery.
Call 1930
Give the operator your transaction details so the receiving bank can be alerted.
Call your bank
Block the card, UPI or net banking, and ask for a written acknowledgement of your complaint.
Do not pay anyone more
Ignore anyone who asks for a "recovery fee", "release charge" or "RBI clearance" payment.
What to do after calling 1930
-
Call 1930 and give the transaction details
Immediately, ideally within the first hourThe helpline operator records your complaint and passes the details to the concerned bank or payment platform through the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System. Note the acknowledgement number you receive.
- Transaction ID or UTR number, date, time and amount
- Your bank and account number or UPI ID
- The receiving account number, UPI ID or phone number, if known
-
Complete your complaint on cybercrime.gov.in
The same dayUse the acknowledgement number from 1930 to continue on the portal. Choose financial fraud, fill in every field and upload your evidence. A phone call alone is not a full complaint. Download and save the final acknowledgement PDF.
-
Inform your bank in writing
The same dayCall customer care to block the instrument, then email and submit a signed letter at your home branch with the portal acknowledgement attached. Ask the bank to mark the transaction as disputed and to confirm in writing.
-
Preserve all evidence
Do not delete anything- Screenshots of messages, chats, emails, payment pages and websites
- Call logs, caller numbers and the exact links you clicked
- Bank or UPI statement showing the debit
- Any app installed at the fraudster's request: disconnect the phone from the internet and do not uninstall it until advised
-
File a police complaint or FIR
Within a day or twoTake the portal acknowledgement and your documents to the cyber police station. The offences usually involved are cheating and cheating by personation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (sections 318 and 319), and identity theft or cheating by personation using a computer resource under the Information Technology Act (sections 66C and 66D). Ask for the FIR copy or receipt number. If the police do not register your complaint, a direction can be sought from the Magistrate under Section 175(3) BNSS.
-
Follow up with the bank and the portal
Every few daysCheck your complaint status on the portal. Ask the bank whether the receiving account has been frozen and whether any amount is under lien. Keep a diary of every call, name and reference number.
-
Apply for release of the frozen amount
After the hold is in placeA frozen amount is usually not returned automatically. Release generally follows police verification and an order of the Magistrate, or a direction through the bank's process. A lawyer can prepare and argue this application so it is not delayed.
Your rights against the bank
Under the RBI circular on customer protection in unauthorised electronic banking transactions, your liability depends on how fast you report and whose fault it was.
| Situation | Your liability |
|---|---|
| Fault lies with the bank or system, whenever you report | Zero |
| Third-party breach, you did not share credentials, reported within 3 working days | Zero. The bank must credit the amount within 10 working days of your report. |
| Same, reported in 4 to 7 working days | Limited to the transaction value or a cap set by RBI, whichever is lower |
| Reported after 7 working days | As per the bank's board-approved policy |
| You shared the OTP or PIN, or were tricked into paying | Banks usually treat this as customer negligence. Recovery then depends mainly on freezing and the criminal process. |
If the bank does not respond within 30 days or rejects your complaint, you can approach the RBI Integrated Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in. Limits and time periods can change, so we confirm the current circular for each case.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my money back instantly?
No one can promise that. Prompt reporting lets the bank hold money that is still in the receiving account, and many victims recover part or all of it this way. If the money has been withdrawn or passed through several accounts, recovery takes longer and may be incomplete.
I called 1930 but did not get an acknowledgement number. What now?
Call again and ask for it. Then file the complaint directly on cybercrime.gov.in and keep the PDF acknowledgement. Do not wait for a callback.
Someone offered to recover my money for a fee. Is that safe?
Treat it as a second fraud. No government agency or bank charges a fee to release frozen funds. Genuine recovery goes through the bank, the police and the court.
Do I need a lawyer?
You can file the first complaint yourself. A lawyer helps with the police complaint, written notices to the bank, the application to the Magistrate for release of frozen funds, and escalation to the Ombudsman or consumer forum if the bank refuses.
What if the fraud happened more than a day ago?
Report it today anyway. The chance of freezing is lower, but the report links your case to other complaints against the same accounts and supports the FIR and any claim against the bank.
Need a lawyer for a cyber fraud?
Call 1930 first. Then reach out to us for the police complaint, correspondence with the bank and the application for release of frozen funds. We assess your matter honestly and tell you what is realistic.