“Your bank account is about to be blocked… Open this link immediately and enter your details!”
You receive a call or text like this. In a panic, you open the link and share your bank details. Within minutes, the money in your account disappears! Only then does the panic set in: “Oh no… we’ve been fooled!”
But at that moment, what matters most is acting immediately rather than panicking. If you lose money in a cyber scam, what should you do in the first 30 minutes?
Remember: the first 30 minutes are only a guide for acting quickly; they are not the legal deadline for filing a complaint. Even if you are late, do not avoid filing a complaint.
First, call 1930!
If money has been fraudulently transferred, immediately call 1930, the national cybercrime helpline. This is a 24-hour helpline for reporting online financial fraud. Keep details ready, such as which bank account the money was transferred from, how much you lost, and when the transaction took place.
By reporting quickly, you increase the chance of taking steps to freeze the money that was fraudulently transferred. Even if the money has already been moved to other accounts, it is important to file a complaint.
After filing a complaint at 1930, if you receive a complaint number (Acknowledgement Number) via SMS, use it to register a full complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal within 24 hours
Also file a complaint on the website!
Do not stop with just filing a complaint at 1930. Also lodge a complaint through the Central Government’s national cybercrime complaint portal, https://www.cybercrime.gov.in/ . There, select the *Report Other Cyber Crime / Financial Fraud* section, choose the complaint category appropriate for financial fraud, and enter the details. If you have already filed a complaint at 1930 and received an Acknowledgement Number, use that number to complete the complaint on the website.

Do you know what details are required when filing a complaint?
- The date and time when the incident occurred.
- Details explaining how the fraud took place. On the website, you must enter the incident details with at least 200 characters; there are restrictions on using certain special characters.
- A copy of the complainant’s identity document. It must be in the JPEG, JPG, or PNG format specified by the website, and under 5 MB.
- If it is a financial fraud, the bank, Wallet, or Merchant name, the Transaction ID/UTR details for the transaction, the transaction date, and the amount lost.
- Relevant evidence such as transaction receipts, bank statements, and conversations. Each evidence file must be under 10 MB.
Having these details ready will make it easier to file a complaint. Since the website’s document upload rules may change, follow the instructions shown there at the time of filing as well. However, do not delay calling 1930 just to gather evidence.
Inform the bank immediately too!
Contact your bank’s official customer service number and report that a fraud has occurred. Report the relevant transaction and request that the account, debit/credit card, UPI, or internet banking service be temporarily disabled or that security measures be taken to prevent any further withdrawals. Also note down the bank complaint number.
According to RBI rules, the customer’s liability in unauthorized electronic transactions varies depending on how the fraud occurred and when it was reported to the bank. For example, if the loss occurred because the customer shared their OTP, PIN, or other payment details, the customer may have to bear the loss until the bank is informed. Therefore, it is very important to notify the bank as soon as you realize that fraud has occurred.
Filing a complaint does not guarantee that the money will be automatically refunded. However, informing the bank immediately can help stop the money from being withdrawn and protect your rights.
Do not delete the evidence!
Safely save the fraudster’s phone number, WhatsApp conversations, text messages, bank messages, transaction receipt, UTR details, and suspicious website link without deleting them. If you know the suspect’s email, bank account number, or address, include those in the complaint as well.

Keep the Acknowledgement Number you receive after filing the complaint safe. You can use it to check the status of the complaint on the website.
Do not contact the fraudster again to try to recover the money. Also, do not reopen suspicious links, as this is to preserve evidence.
What can you do to avoid being cheated?
Do not open links from unknown people. Do not share OTPs, PINs, passwords, or similar information. Do not give out details without verifying the identity of anyone claiming to be from a bank. Banks, police, or government officials will never ask for your OTP or UPI PIN. Also be cautious of anyone asking for an advance payment while promising to recover your money.
Cybercrime is not limited to financial fraud. Other cybercrimes such as threats on social media, account intrusion, and online harassment can also be reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Remember: Do not delay filing a complaint out of shame or fear that you have lost money. Even if 30 minutes have passed, do not stop filing the complaint.
Call 1930; file a complaint on the website; contact the bank; preserve the evidence.
