A Beginner's Guide to Reporting Cybercrime in India

India has one of the most accessible cybercrime reporting systems in the world — but many people don't know it exists until they need it. If you've been scammed online in India, here's exactly what to do, where to report, and how to maximize your chances of recovering your money.

Step 1: Call 1930 immediately

The 1930 Cyber Crime Helpline is the fastest way to respond to financial fraud. When you call, the helpline coordinates with banks to freeze the beneficiary's account before the money can be moved further. This works best when you call within the first few hours of the fraud — so call 1930 before anything else.

Have this information ready:

• Your bank account number
• The transaction ID or reference number
• The fraudster's UPI ID, phone number, or bank account details
• The date and time of the transaction

Step 2: File a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal

Go to cybercrime.gov.in and follow these steps:

1. Click "Report Cyber Crime" and select "Citizen Login."
2. Register or log in using your mobile number and OTP verification.
3. Choose the complaint category. For financial fraud, select "Report Other Cyber Crime" and then the financial fraud sub-category.
4. Enter the incident details: what happened, when, how much you lost, and the fraudster's contact information (phone, UPI ID, email, or account number).
5. Upload evidence — screenshots of chats, transaction messages, the fraudster's profile, and any payment confirmations.
6. Submit and save your 14-digit complaint ID.

You'll need this complaint ID for follow-ups with your bank and the authorities.

Step 3: Contact your bank

Call your bank's customer care and report the fraudulent transaction. Specifically:

• Request to block your card if card details were exposed
• Ask the bank to raise a dispute on the transaction
• For UPI fraud, request a beneficiary hold so the fraudster's account is frozen
• If your SIM or UPI profile was compromised, ask the bank to disable and re-enable UPI

Under RBI guidelines, if you report unauthorized electronic transactions within 3 working days, you may be eligible for zero liability. Report as fast as possible.

Step 4: Raise a UPI dispute

If the fraud involved UPI (PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, or a bank UPI app):

1. Open the transaction in your UPI app
2. Tap "Raise Concern" or "Dispute Transaction"
3. Select "Fraudulent Transaction" as the reason
4. Provide the details and submit

The payment platform will coordinate with the beneficiary's bank to attempt a reversal.

Step 5: Preserve all evidence

Do not delete anything. Keep:

• Screenshots of all chats with the scammer
• The scammer's phone number, UPI ID, and profile
• Transaction messages and reference numbers
• Any links, websites, or apps the scammer shared
• The complaint ID from cybercrime.gov.in

What NOT to do

• Never pay an upfront fee to anyone claiming they can recover your money — this is a recovery scam.
• Do not call numbers from YouTube comments or Telegram groups offering "refund help" — they are scammers.
• Do not share your OTP, UPI PIN, or net banking password with anyone, including someone claiming to be from your bank or the police.
• Do not delete the chat or block the scammer until you've screenshotted everything.

After you've reported

Follow up with your bank every few days to check the status of the dispute. You can also check the status of your complaint on cybercrime.gov.in using your complaint ID. If the police need more information, they will contact you through the portal.

Reporting cybercrime in India is free, and you don't need a lawyer to do it. The system is designed for citizens to use directly. The most important thing is to act fast — the sooner you call 1930 and file your complaint, the better your chances of stopping the money before it's gone.

GoCheckAI can build a personalized action plan for your specific situation that includes all of these steps and the right contacts for your case.