Cyber-Fraud Complaint Online: 1930 and Portal Process

The first hour

Call 1930. Have your bank account or card details, the transaction reference numbers, the amounts and the times ready. The helpline records the complaint on the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System so that the intermediaries in the transaction chain can act.

Immediately after, block the affected card or freeze the account through your bank's official app or helpline number — never a number found through a search result or a social-media reply.

Filing on cybercrime.gov.in

The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal accepts complaints for financial fraud, hacking, online harassment, and crimes against women and children, with an option to report certain categories anonymously. You will receive an acknowledgement number to track the complaint.

Preserving evidence

Investigators need artefacts, not narrative.

• Full-screen screenshots showing the URL, date and time.
• Transaction IDs, UTR numbers, UPI reference numbers and the beneficiary VPA or account number.
• SMS alerts and email notifications in original — forward, do not retype.
• The caller's number, WhatsApp profile, social handle or website address.
• Any app you were asked to install, with its exact name — do not uninstall before recording the details.

Common fraud patterns in India

Digital-arrest and fake-police-video calls, KYC-expiry links, refund and delivery-charge scams, investment and task-based job scams, loan-app harassment, and OTP or screen-sharing takeovers. No genuine bank, police officer or government department asks for an OTP, a screen-share, or a payment to a personal UPI ID.

Step-by-step

1. 1

   Call 1930 at once

   Report the fraudulent transaction and note the complaint reference given on the call.

2. 2

   Block the instrument and secure your accounts

   Freeze the card or account through official bank channels, change passwords and remove any remote-access app you were made to install.

3. 3

   File on cybercrime.gov.in

   Register with your mobile number, complete the complaint form and upload the evidence. Save the acknowledgement number.

4. 4

   Write to your bank the same day

   A dated written intimation matters for liability under the RBI framework on customer protection in unauthorised electronic banking transactions.

5. 5

   Follow up with the cyber cell or police station

   Carry printouts of the acknowledgement, bank statement and evidence. Seek registration of an FIR where a cognizable offence is disclosed.

6. 6

   Track and escalate

   Track the complaint status on the portal. If the bank does not respond, escalate through its grievance mechanism and then the RBI Ombudsman scheme.

Documents you need

• Bank statement highlighting the disputed transactions
• Transaction IDs, UTR or UPI reference numbers and beneficiary details
• Screenshots of chats, calls, links and websites with visible dates
• SMS and email alerts received at the time of the transaction
• Copy of the written intimation to the bank and its acknowledgement
• Photo ID and address proof of the complainant

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for the bank branch to open instead of calling 1930 immediately.
• Calling a 'customer care' number found via a search result or social media — a very common second fraud.
• Deleting the fraudulent app, chats or messages before recording the details.
• Reporting to the bank only by phone, with no written record.
• Paying a 'recovery agent' who promises to get your money back — that is almost always a follow-on scam.

When you should see an advocate

• The loss is large or the bank has repudiated liability.
• The police decline to register an FIR despite a cognizable offence.
• You are facing extortion, sextortion or defamation online.
• A loan app is harassing your contacts and you need injunctive relief.

Frequently asked questions

What is 1930?

The national helpline for reporting cyber-financial fraud, linked to the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System.

Will I get my money back?

There is no guarantee. Recovery depends on how quickly the transaction is flagged, whether funds remain in the chain, and the bank's determination of liability under the applicable RBI framework.

Can I report anonymously?

The portal allows anonymous reporting for certain categories, notably crimes against women and children. Financial-fraud complaints need your transaction details.

Do I still need an FIR?

For a cognizable offence, yes — the portal complaint can lead to registration of an FIR by the concerned police station.

Which law applies?

Typically the Information Technology Act, 2000 read with the relevant offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, depending on the facts.