If you have been affected by online financial fraud, acting quickly matters. This is a general checklist of first steps, not legal advice.
Call the cyber crime helpline 1930 as soon as possible. Reporting a financial fraud quickly improves the chance of stopping the movement of the money.
Report online at cybercrime.gov.in (National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal).
Inform your bank immediately and ask them to block the card or account and flag the transaction. For an unauthorised electronic banking transaction, reporting to the bank within three working days can mean zero liability in certain third-party-breach cases under RBI rules.
Preserve all evidence — screenshots, transaction IDs, messages, emails, and call records. Do not delete anything.
Write down a timeline of what happened, with dates and times.
Secure your accounts — change passwords and turn on two-factor authentication where available.
Keep every reference number and acknowledgement you receive when reporting.
File a written complaint with your local cyber crime cell or police if required, and keep a copy.