Advocate, Supreme Court of India · IP Extension, Delhi & Vaishali, Ghaziabad 📞 +91 88518 40550  ·  ✉ advocateajaymishra8@gmail.com
Ajay MishraAdvocate

Online Fraud and Cyber Crime: How to Complain and Recover Money

Speed is everything in cyber fraud. Funds can often be frozen if reported within hours. Here is exactly what to do, and the legal remedies that follow.

Last reviewed: October 2026 · General information only, not legal advice.

Immediately: The First Hour

  1. Call 1930, the national cyber fraud helpline, to have the transaction flagged and funds frozen in the recipient accounts.
  2. Call your bank to block your card, UPI and net banking, and report the unauthorised transaction in writing.
  3. Report on cybercrime.gov.in and save the acknowledgement number.
  4. Preserve evidence: screenshots, SMS, emails, phone numbers, UPI IDs, links, UTR / transaction IDs and call logs.
  5. Change passwords and log out of all devices. Never share OTPs or install screen-sharing apps on a stranger's request.

Your Rights Against the Bank (RBI Rules)

  • Zero liability where the fraud is due to a deficiency of the bank, or a third-party breach that you report within 3 working days.
  • Limited liability if reported within 4–7 working days.
  • If the loss was due to your own negligence (such as sharing an OTP), you may bear the loss until you report it.
  • If the bank does not resolve your complaint within 30 days, you can complain to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.

Common Cyber Offences

OffenceLawExamples
Identity theftIT Act 66CMisuse of passwords, OTPs, Aadhaar or biometric data
Cheating by personationIT Act 66D; BNS 319Fake customer care, fake officials, "digital arrest" scams
CheatingBNS 318Investment, job, loan app and shopping scams
ExtortionBNS 308Sextortion, threats to leak photos
Obscene / sexual contentIT Act 67, 67APublishing or sharing obscene or sexually explicit material
Privacy violationIT Act 66ECapturing or sharing private images without consent
DefamationBNS 356False, damaging posts on social media
"Digital arrest" is a scam. No police officer, CBI, ED or court arrests anyone over a video call or demands money to "clear" a case. Disconnect and call 1930.

After the Complaint

  • Follow up with the cyber police station for registration of an FIR and freezing of the beneficiary accounts.
  • Money frozen in accounts can be released to the victim through an order of the court, on an application with proof of the transaction.
  • For removal of fake profiles or objectionable content, report to the platform's grievance officer; the IT Rules require prompt action, especially for intimate images.
  • A civil claim for compensation can be made before the Adjudicating Officer under the IT Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I recover money lost in UPI fraud?

Call 1930 immediately and report on cybercrime.gov.in so that the money can be frozen in the recipient accounts. Inform your bank in writing within 3 working days. Frozen funds can later be released to you through a court order on an application with proof of the transaction.

What is the cyber crime helpline number in India?

The national cyber crime helpline number is 1930. Complaints can also be filed online at cybercrime.gov.in.

Will the bank refund money lost to fraud?

Under RBI rules, a customer has zero liability for unauthorised electronic transactions caused by a bank's deficiency, or by a third-party breach reported within 3 working days. Liability is limited if reported within 4 to 7 working days. If the customer's own negligence caused the loss, the customer bears it until it is reported.

What should I do if someone is blackmailing me with private photos?

Do not pay. Preserve the evidence, report on cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930, report the account to the platform, and file a police complaint for extortion and offences under the IT Act. Platforms are required to act quickly to remove intimate images shared without consent.

Need advice on your matter?

Every case turns on its own facts. Speak to Advocate Ajay Mishra for advice specific to your situation — in person at IP Extension (Delhi) or Vaishali (Ghaziabad), by phone, or by video call.

Call 88518 40550 WhatsApp

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