How to report cyber fraud in India
If money has been lost to cyber fraud, call 1930 and contact your bank now. Then report through the official National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. You do not need to finish this guide first.
1. Report financial cyber fraud to 1930
1930 is the national helpline for reporting financial cyber fraud. Keep the transaction date, amount, payment reference and relevant messages available. Save any acknowledgement and follow the instructions you receive. Reporting promptly matters, but recovery cannot be guaranteed.
2. Contact the bank through an official channel
Use the bank’s official app or website, or the telephone number printed on your card. Report the disputed transaction and ask how to secure the account. Note the complaint reference and the instructions given. Do not rely on bank-support numbers sent by the suspected scammer.
3. Make the official cybercrime complaint
Visit cybercrime.gov.in, choose the appropriate complaint category and follow the current reporting process. Enter the facts you know rather than guessing missing details. Save the official acknowledgement. A Sakshya checklist or email draft is not an official complaint.
4. Preserve evidence and avoid further payments
Keep original messages, screenshots, phone numbers, relevant website links and transaction records on your device. Do not delete the conversation or pay anyone who promises guaranteed recovery. Never share a password, PIN or OTP.
5. Follow up with the appropriate office
Keep your bank complaint number and cybercrime acknowledgement together. Use the official portal or published police channels to ask about follow-up. Confirm local police jurisdiction before visiting. State nodal and grievance contacts are for coordination and follow-up, not a replacement for urgent reporting.
6. Report the number or message to Chakshu
Chakshu is the Department of Telecommunications’ facility for reporting a fraudulent call, SMS or WhatsApp message, reached through the Sanchar Saathi portal. It is separate from the steps above and does not replace them: the department states that Sanchar Saathi is for suspected fraud communications “where a fraud was attempted but not actually committed”, and that cases involving actual financial loss are handled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre. It also states that it does not act on individual reports, but pools them for analysis, and that a number is generally re-verified with its owner before any action. Reporting is therefore not a route to recovering your money — numbers reported this way are shared as part of the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator that banks and UPI providers use to decline transactions, which is a benefit to whoever is contacted next.
What if it happened more than a day ago?
You can still report it and ask the bank or relevant authority about the available next steps. Do not assume an older incident is ineligible for reporting. Procedures and outcomes depend on the facts; this guide is not individual legal or financial advice.
Official sources
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal — official reporting
- Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre
- Official state/UT nodal and grievance contacts
- Chakshu — report suspected fraud communication (Department of Telecommunications)
Content checked: . General guidance, not legal advice or a promise of recovery.