Scams, Fraud & Money Recovery
After a scam in India: dial cyber helpline 1930 within the first hour, file at cybercrime.gov.in, raise unauthorised-transaction dispute with your bank within 3 working days, and escalate to the RBI Integrated Ombudsman free at cms.rbi.org.in.
Covered in this guide:
India's scam-recovery system runs across three institutions. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs operates cyber helpline 1930 and the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in — the "Citizen Financial Cyber Frauds Reporting and Management System" (CFCFRMS) lets the helpline freeze defrauded funds before they leave the receiving bank, but only if you report within minutes. For bank-channel disputes, the RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme 2021 handles consumer grievances against banks, NBFCs, payment system operators, and credit information companies free of cost at cms.rbi.org.in or via toll-free 14448. Under RBI's customer-protection circular on limiting liability of customers in unauthorised electronic banking transactions, zero-liability is preserved if you report within 3 working days. For consumer-product disputes, the National Consumer Helpline (1915) and the Consumer Protection Act 2019 District Commission route apply.
Emergency: 112. Cyber helpline: 1930.
Key Laws
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — Fraud, Cheating and Identity Theft
Act No. 45 of 2023 (BNS), ss. 318 (cheating), 319 (cheating by personation), 336 (forgery), 318(4) (cheating ≥ ₹1 lakh aggravated)
Substantive criminal law replacing IPC since 1 July 2024. Cheating ≥ ₹1 lakh: up to 7 years + fine. Identity-based cheating: up to 5 years.
Information Technology Act, 2000
Act No. 21 of 2000 — ss. 43, 65, 66, 66C (identity theft), 66D (cheating by personation using computer resource), 67, 67A
Cyber offences. s. 66C identity theft up to 3 years + ₹1 lakh fine; s. 66D online cheating-by-personation up to 3 years + ₹1 lakh.
RBI Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2021
Effective 12 November 2021; revised scheme in force from 1 July 2026
Free centralised grievance redress for banks, NBFCs, payment system participants, and credit information companies. Online filing at cms.rbi.org.in. Toll-free 14448.
RBI Master Direction — Customer Protection: Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions
RBI/2017-18/15 DBR.No.Leg.BC.78/09.07.005/2017-18 (6 July 2017) and updates
If unauthorised electronic transaction is reported within 3 working days: zero customer liability. 4–7 days: limited liability. Beyond 7 days: bank policy applies.
Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Act No. 35 of 2019
District / State / National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions. e-Daakhil portal for online filing. National Consumer Helpline 1915.
Report Cybercrime via I4C Helpline 1930
India's National Cybercrime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in and the helpline 1930 are run by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The helpline's C...
Bank Refund Under the RBI Customer-Protection Master Direction
RBI's Master Direction on Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions (DBR.No.Leg.BC.78/09.07.005/2017-18, 6 July 2017 and amendments) creates a layered liability s...
Consumer Product / Service Disputes via 1915 and e-Daakhil
For scams that are not bank-channel disputes — fake products, online-shopping fraud where the seller fails to deliver, deceptive advertising, defective goods — the route is the Consumer Protection Act...