Lost Money to an Online Fraud? What to Do in the First 24 Hours

Online frauds now take many forms: fake investment and trading apps, "digital arrest" calls from people pretending to be police or customs officials, part-time job scams, fake customer care numbers, and UPI collect requests. Whatever the method, one thing is common to all of them: speed matters more than anything else. Fraudsters move money through several accounts within hours. The sooner it is reported, the more likely it can be stopped before it is withdrawn.

Within the first hour

1. Call 1930, the national cybercrime helpline, and give the transaction details: amount, date and time, UTR or transaction ID, and the account or UPI ID the money went to. Note down the acknowledgement number you are given.
2. Inform your bank through its official helpline or app (not a number found through a search engine) and ask it to block your card or account and raise a fraud dispute.
3. Stop all contact with the fraudster. Do not send more money to "release" earlier payments, pay "tax" or "fees", or "clear your name". Genuine police and agencies never demand payment over phone or video call.

Within the first day

1. File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in if you have not already done so through 1930, and upload screenshots and statements.
2. Preserve every piece of evidence: screenshots of chats, call logs, the fraudster's numbers and profiles, website or app links, emails, and your bank statement. Do not delete the conversation even if it is embarrassing.
3. Change passwords and PINs for email, banking and social media, especially if you shared an OTP or installed any app at the fraudster's request. Uninstall any screen-sharing or remote-access app.

Registering an FIR

For significant amounts, an FIR should be registered. Under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, information about an offence can be given at any police station regardless of where the offence took place (a "zero FIR"), and can also be given electronically. The relevant offences usually include cheating under Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and cheating by personation using a computer resource under Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

If the police do not register an FIR, a complaint can be made to the Superintendent or Commissioner of Police, and an application can be filed before the Magistrate seeking a direction to register it.

Will I get my money back?

Recovery depends mainly on whether the money was blocked in the fraudster's account chain before it was withdrawn. Where amounts have been put on hold, the victim can apply to the court for their release. This usually requires an application before the Magistrate with proof of the loss.

A separate point concerns your bank. Under Reserve Bank of India rules, where an unauthorised electronic transaction occurs because of a third-party breach and you report it within three working days, your liability can be nil. This protection is generally not available where you yourself authorised the payment after being deceived, which is why most investment and impersonation frauds depend on police tracing and court orders.

What not to do

• Do not trust "recovery agents" or anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee. Victims are often targeted twice.
• Do not post your bank details or complaint number publicly on social media.
• Do not wait to "see what happens". Delay is the single biggest reason money cannot be recovered.