What should I do if I am a victim of an online financial fraud?

If you are a victim of online financial fraud, speed is critical. Reporting within the first few hours dramatically increases the chance of freezing and recovering your money. India has a dedicated cyber crime helpline and portal for exactly this situation.

Key points

• Call the national cyber crime helpline 1930 immediately — early reporting can help freeze the fraudulent transfer.
• File a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal without delay.
• Inform your bank at once to block the card/account and flag the transaction.
• Preserve all evidence — messages, transaction IDs, screenshots, and phone numbers.
• Do not share further OTPs or details with anyone claiming they will "recover" your money.

Relevant law

Online financial fraud attracts the Information Technology Act, 2000 (Sections 43, 66, 66C, 66D) and provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 relating to cheating (Section 318) and criminal breach of trust. RBI customer protection rules on unauthorised transactions may also limit your liability.

What you can do

• Call 1930 and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in immediately.
• Report the transaction to your bank and request a freeze on the beneficiary account.
• Visit the Cyber Crime Police Station in Visakhapatnam to register an FIR.
• Consult a cyber law advocate in Visakhapatnam to pursue recovery and prosecution.