How do I report online fraud in India?
First call your bank and the cyber crime helpline 1930 – the sooner you call, the better the chance of freezing the money. Then file a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in, which can lead to an FIR.
Reporting matters even if the amount is small: it helps the bank, the platform and the police, and can link your case to others by the same scammer.
Step by step
- Call your bank right away. If you paid by UPI or bank transfer, report it as fraud and ask them to try to freeze the money in the account that received it.
- Call 1930, the national cyber crime helpline, as soon as possible – ideally within the first hours.
- Save everything: screenshots of the chats, the profile, the number, the UPI ID or account number, the transaction IDs and the links.
- File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in (National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal). Describe what happened, with dates, amounts and transaction IDs, and note your acknowledgement number.
- If the police ask, or the amount is large, go to your nearest police station or cyber cell to file an FIR.
- Report the profile on the platform where you chatted. For investment fraud, you can also complain to SEBI.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a lawyer to report it?
- No. Anyone can call 1930, file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in or go to the police station.
- I feel embarrassed to tell anyone. Is it worth it?
- Yes. Scams fool people of every age and profession. Reporting helps stop the scammer.
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