A fake "digital arrest" call from someone posing as a CBI officer, a trading app that will not let you withdraw, a UPI request you approved by mistake, a part-time job that asked for deposits, a KYC link that emptied your account: cyber fraud now touches families across Delhi. The first hours matter most. This guide explains exactly what to do immediately, how the 1930 helpline and the national portal freeze money in transit, how Delhi's e-Zero FIR works for frauds above Rs 10 lakh, how banks' liability works, how frozen money is restored, what the Supreme Court has ordered on digital arrest scams in 2025 and 2026, and what to do if your own account has been frozen because someone else's money passed through it. Share your situation in the form and an enrolment-checked advocate can call you, at no charge to you.
If you have been cheated online in Delhi, call the national cyber crime helpline 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in at once: the report is sent to the banks and wallets involved so they can put a hold on the money before it is withdrawn, and speed decides how much can be saved. Then inform your bank in writing; under the RBI\'s 2017 rules, an unauthorised electronic transaction reported within three working days generally means zero liability for you. In Delhi, complaints above Rs 10 lakh made through 1930 or the portal are converted automatically into an e-Zero FIR by the e-Crime police station under a scheme launched in May 2025; smaller cases are handled by the cyber police station of your district. Frozen money is returned through the magistrate, the Lok Adalat or the money restoration process under the Home Ministry\'s SOP of January 2026. Real police, CBI or ED officers never "arrest" anyone on a video call or ask for money to clear their name.
Cyber fraud means being cheated through a phone, a computer, an app, a website, a payment link or a messaging platform. The person who cheats you is usually not in your neighbourhood. They may be in another state or another country, and the money taken from you is normally moved within minutes through a chain of bank accounts that belong to other people, often called mule accounts. That is why cyber fraud is different from an ordinary theft. In an ordinary theft the stolen thing stays somewhere; in an online fraud the money is travelling, and the whole response system in India is built around catching it before it is withdrawn in cash or turned into cryptocurrency.
Delhi has some of the highest numbers of reported online fraud in the country, simply because it has a large population that banks digitally, a lot of people with savings, and a large number of retired government and private sector employees who are favourite targets of "digital arrest" callers. The good news is that Delhi also has more machinery than most places: a dedicated cyber police station in every police district, the specialised Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit of the Delhi Police, an e-Crime police station that registers e-Zero FIRs for high-value frauds, and access to the national helpline 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal run by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
What a victim usually wants is simple: get the money back, and stop further loss. What the system offers is a series of separate processes that do not always talk to each other smoothly. The 1930 helpline and the portal are for reporting and putting holds on money. The FIR is for the criminal investigation. Your bank's own complaint process and the RBI rules decide whether the bank must reimburse you. The magistrate, and in some cases the Lok Adalat or the newer money restoration process, decide when frozen money is actually released to you. The consumer commission and the RBI Ombudsman decide disputes with banks. Knowing which door does what saves a great deal of time.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| How long ago did the money leave your account? | Within the first hour or two, there is a real chance the money is still sitting in the first or second account in the chain and can be held. After a few days the chance falls sharply. |
| Did you authorise the payment yourself, or was it taken without your knowledge? | RBI rules protect you strongly against unauthorised transactions. If you were tricked into making the payment yourself, the bank is less likely to be liable, though not always free of responsibility. |
| How much is involved? | In Delhi, frauds above Rs 10 lakh reported through 1930 or the portal become an e-Zero FIR automatically. Very large frauds may go to the IFSO unit or, for digital arrest scams, to the CBI. |
| Are you the victim, or is your own account frozen? | Many people in Delhi discover their account has been frozen because money from someone else's fraud passed through it. That is a completely different problem with a different solution. |
Police officers and bank fraud teams talk about the "golden hour" for a reason. In most organised online frauds, the money you send goes first to a mule account, then is split into several smaller transfers to other accounts within minutes, and is then withdrawn at ATMs, through cheques, through business correspondents or converted into crypto. Each step that happens before a hold is placed makes recovery harder. If you have just realised you have been cheated, do these things in this order and do not wait to "be sure" first.
Writing a timeline the same day is one of the most useful things you can do. In a few weeks you will be asked to repeat your story to the police, the bank, perhaps a magistrate, and you will not remember precise times. A one-page timeline with every call and payment in order makes every later step easier, and it is exactly what an advocate will ask you for at the first meeting.
The national cyber crime helpline 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in are run under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Behind them sits a system called the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System. When you report a financial fraud, your complaint is entered into that system and pushed electronically to the bank, wallet or payment company from which the money left and to the one where it arrived. That receiving bank can then check whether the money is still in the account and put a hold or lien on it. If it has already moved, the trail is followed to the next account, and so on.
This is why calling 1930 quickly matters more than almost anything else. The helpline is not a police station and the person who answers cannot register an FIR or promise a refund, but the alert they create is what allows the money to be held. A complaint filed on the portal works the same way for financial frauds; non-financial cyber crimes such as harassment, fake profiles or hacking are also reported on the portal but do not involve holding money.
| Situation | Better first step |
|---|---|
| Money left your account within the last few hours | Call 1930 first; it is usually the fastest way to trigger holds. Then complete the complaint on the portal with documents if asked. |
| Fraud discovered after some days | File on the portal with full details and screenshots; also call 1930 if you can. |
| Non-financial crime: fake profile, harassment, hacked account | Portal, under the relevant category. Also report the account to the platform. |
| Sexually explicit content of a woman or child | The portal has a separate category that allows reporting, including anonymously. Also use the platform's own reporting tool. |
| Suspicious call or message where you have not lost money | Report it on the Department of Telecommunications' Sanchar Saathi service so the number can be checked and blocked. |
You receive an acknowledgement number. The banks involved receive the alert and respond in the system, showing whether an amount was put on hold and in which account. Your complaint is also routed to the cyber police of the area. In Delhi, where the loss is above Rs 10 lakh, the complaint is converted into an e-Zero FIR, explained in the next section. For smaller amounts, the district cyber police station examines the complaint and may register an FIR or treat it as a complaint for enquiry.
People often ask why they get no clear update after calling 1930. The honest answer is that the portal tracks the complaint but the follow-up is done by police and banks, and the status shown online is not always complete. You can check status on the portal with your acknowledgement number, but it is equally important to visit or write to the cyber police station handling it and to ask your bank in writing which amounts have been put on hold in the receiving accounts. That information is what you will later use to ask for the money to be released to you.
For a victim, the key point is that money on hold is not yet your money again. It is held pending an order of release. Getting that order is a separate step, and that is where most victims need help from an advocate.
An FIR is the formal start of a criminal investigation. Online cheating is a cognizable offence, which means police must register an FIR when information disclosing such an offence is given to them. Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure from 1 July 2024, an FIR can also be given electronically, and the police can register a "zero FIR" even if the offence happened outside their area, and then transfer it.
In May 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs and I4C announced a pilot in Delhi under which cyber financial fraud complaints above Rs 10 lakh made through 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal are converted automatically into an e-Zero FIR. The FIR is registered at Delhi's e-Crime police station and then sent to the cyber police station of the area concerned. The scheme links the I4C reporting system with the Delhi Police e-FIR system and the national crime records network, and relies on the new power in section 173(1) of the BNSS to receive information electronically and register a zero FIR regardless of area. The announcement said the victim can visit the cyber crime police station within three days to have the e-Zero FIR converted into a regular FIR.
The practical benefit is that a victim of a large fraud no longer has to wait for police to decide whether to register a case: the FIR exists from the start, which gives police legal footing to seek freezes, call for records from banks and telecom companies, and track the money. In its August 2026 order in the digital arrest case, the Supreme Court asked all states to set up coordination centres and adopt the e-Zero FIR approach, so similar systems are spreading beyond Delhi.
Delhi Police has a cyber police station in each of its police districts, generally located at or near the district police headquarters. They handle online frauds and other cyber crimes in their district. Larger or specialised cases are taken by the Special Cell's IFSO (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations) unit, which deals with complex cyber crime, inter-state gangs and high-value frauds. Economic offences of a non-cyber character may go to the Economic Offences Wing. You do not need to choose the unit yourself; the complaint will be routed, but you should know which station is handling your case so you can follow up.
For small online frauds, people sometimes find their complaint is kept as an "enquiry" and no FIR is registered. The law gives you options:
The BNSS also allows a preliminary enquiry, within 14 days, for offences punishable with three to seven years, to decide whether there is a prima facie case. Cheating under section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita carries up to seven years, so police sometimes use this route. An enquiry is not a refusal, but if it drags on you can still use the steps above.
| Law and section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| BNS section 318 | Cheating, including dishonestly inducing delivery of property. Most online frauds. |
| BNS section 319 | Cheating by personation, such as pretending to be a bank official or a relative. |
| BNS section 204 | Personating a public servant, common in fake police, CBI or customs calls. |
| BNS section 308 | Extortion, used in sextortion and threat-based scams. |
| BNS section 336 and related | Forgery and use of forged documents, such as fake court orders or warrants. |
| BNS section 111 | Organised crime, which expressly includes cyber crimes by organised syndicates. |
| IT Act section 66C | Identity theft: fraudulent use of passwords, electronic signatures or other unique identification. |
| IT Act section 66D | Cheating by personation using a computer resource. |
| IT Act sections 43 and 66 | Unauthorised access, damage and hacking, with civil compensation and criminal penalty. |
| IT Act sections 67 and 67A | Publishing obscene or sexually explicit material electronically. |
Many victims assume that once money has gone, the bank has nothing to do with it. That is often wrong. The Reserve Bank of India issued directions on 6 July 2017 on limiting the liability of customers in unauthorised electronic banking transactions. These rules apply to scheduled commercial banks, and similar rules apply to cooperative banks and, through separate directions, to prepaid payment instruments such as wallets. They decide how much of the loss you bear and how much the bank must bear.
| Situation | Your liability |
|---|---|
| Fraud caused by the bank's own negligence or deficiency, whether or not you reported it | Zero |
| Third-party breach where the fault is neither the bank's nor yours (the problem lies elsewhere in the system), and you report within 3 working days of receiving the bank's communication | Zero |
| Same, reported within 4 to 7 working days | Limited: the transaction value or a cap, whichever is lower. The cap is Rs 5,000 for basic savings accounts, Rs 10,000 for most other savings accounts and smaller credit cards, and Rs 25,000 for current accounts, larger credit cards and some other accounts |
| Same, reported after 7 working days | As per the bank's board-approved policy |
| Loss caused by your own negligence, such as sharing your password, PIN or OTP | You bear the loss until you report it to the bank; the bank bears any loss after your report |
The directions add three points that matter in practice. First, within 10 working days of being told, the bank has to put the money back in your account on a provisional basis, often called a shadow reversal, while its investigation goes on. Second, the bank must resolve the complaint and establish liability within 90 days; if it does not, it must pay you as if your liability were zero or limited, as the case may be. Third, the burden of proving that you are liable, for instance that you were negligent, lies on the bank.
The RBI rules are about unauthorised transactions. Banks often say a payment was "authorised" because you entered your UPI PIN or shared an OTP, and refuse to reverse it. That is not always the end of the matter. Courts and consumer commissions look at what actually happened: whether the bank's systems flagged an obviously unusual pattern, whether there were security failures such as SIM swap without proper checks, whether the bank acted promptly on your report, and whether the customer was truly careless or was deceived by a sophisticated trick.
In January 2025, the Supreme Court in State Bank of India v. Pallabh Bhowmick upheld an order requiring the bank to refund a customer who had been defrauded after contacting a fake customer care number, noting that the customer had reported within a day and that banks are expected to use technology to detect and prevent unauthorised transactions. Each case turns on its facts, but the decision shows that "you shared an OTP" is not an automatic defence for a bank.
RBI Ombudsman. Under the RBI's single Ombudsman scheme of 2021, you can complain online at the RBI's complaint management system if the bank rejects your complaint, does not reply within 30 days, or you are not satisfied. The complaint must normally be filed within one year of the bank's reply, or within one year and 30 days of the complaint if there was no reply. There is no fee. The Ombudsman can award the loss and limited compensation.
Consumer commission. A bank's failure to protect your account or to follow RBI rules can be a "deficiency in service" under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Complaints go to the District Commission for claims up to Rs 50 lakh, the Delhi State Commission for claims between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 2 crore, and the National Commission above that. Delhi has district commissions spread across the city. Our guide to the Delhi consumer commissions explains jurisdiction, fees and timelines, and Mara Vakil's consumer complaint drafting service can prepare the complaint for a fee.
Adjudicating officer under the IT Act. Section 43 of the Information Technology Act allows compensation where someone accesses a computer system without permission, and section 43A where a body corporate negligently fails to protect sensitive personal data. Claims up to Rs 5 crore go to the adjudicating officer, who in Delhi is the Secretary of the Information Technology Department of the Delhi Government, and appeals from that officer lie to TDSAT, the telecom appellate tribunal. Claims above Rs 5 crore go to a civil court.
Writ petition. Where a public sector bank or a regulator acts arbitrarily, a writ petition before the Delhi High Court is sometimes used, especially for account freezes. It is not the usual route for an ordinary refund dispute.
Suppose 1930 worked and Rs 2.8 lakh of your Rs 4 lakh loss is on hold in three accounts. The banks will not simply send it back to you on request. The holder of each account has rights too, and the bank needs a lawful direction before it moves money out of a customer's account. That direction usually comes from one of three sources: an order of the magistrate, a settlement recorded by a Lok Adalat, or the newer grievance and money restoration process set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The traditional route is an application before the jurisdictional magistrate for release of the held amount to you, usually on interim custody (superdari) terms. Under the BNSS, the relevant provisions are section 497, which deals with custody and disposal of property pending trial, and section 503, which deals with property seized by the police. These replace sections 451 and 457 of the old Code. The application is supported by:
The magistrate hears the investigating officer and, where needed, the account holder, and if satisfied that the held money is traceable to your loss, orders the bank to transfer it to you. Delhi's magistrates handle a large number of such applications, and with a clear trail many are decided within a few weeks to a few months. Where money from several victims has landed in the same account, the court may divide it in proportion to each person's traced amount, so you may not recover everything held in that account.
Legal services authorities in several places have used Lok Adalats to release held amounts in bulk, with the investigating agency, banks and victims present. A Lok Adalat settlement is final and enforceable like a decree, and there is no court fee. When a Lok Adalat for cyber fraud refunds is announced in Delhi, it can be a quick option; watch for notices from the Delhi State Legal Services Authority and the district legal services authorities, and ask the investigating officer whether your case has been listed. Our page on Lok Adalats in Delhi explains how they work generally.
On 2 January 2026 the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a standard operating procedure dealing with how holds are placed, how disputes over frozen accounts are handled, and how money is returned to victims. In its order of 4 August 2026, the Supreme Court took note of the grievance redressal module and the money restoration module under that SOP and directed that they be operationalised quickly, and asked High Court registries to make courts handling account freeze cases aware of them. The intention is that a victim whose traced money is on hold can have it restored through a structured process instead of always having to file a separate application in court. How smoothly this works in a particular case still depends on the police and banks concerned, so an application to the magistrate remains an important fallback.
Victims recover all of their money only when holds were placed quickly on the first or second account. Where the money had already been withdrawn in cash, converted to cryptocurrency or sent abroad, recovery depends on the investigation catching the people behind it, which can take years. Courts can order compensation to victims on conviction, and under section 395 of the BNSS a court may order payment of compensation out of a fine. Civil suits against identified fraudsters are possible but rarely worth it unless they have attachable assets. An advocate can help you judge what is realistic in your case before you spend money on it.
Fraud methods change every few months, but most fall into a small number of patterns. Recognising the pattern helps you report it correctly and helps your advocate decide which remedy has the best chance.
You are added to a WhatsApp or Telegram group where "experts" share stock tips and screenshots of profits. You are asked to install an app or use a website that shows your investment growing rapidly. Small early withdrawals may be allowed to build trust. When you try to take out a large amount, you are told to pay a "tax", "service charge" or "unlock fee". These are among the highest-value frauds in Delhi, often running into tens of lakhs over several weeks. Because you made the payments yourself, the bank is unlikely to be liable, so the focus is on quick reporting, holds on the receiving accounts, and a detailed FIR listing every payment. If your total loss is above Rs 10 lakh, the e-Zero FIR system should apply.
A message offers money for liking videos, rating hotels or writing reviews. After small payouts, you are moved to "prepaid tasks" where you must deposit money to unlock bigger commissions. The deposits grow until you are told your account is "frozen" and must be "reactivated" by paying more. Treatment is similar to investment fraud. Some victims are later asked to "help" by receiving and forwarding money, which turns them into mule account holders; never agree to this.
A buyer on an online marketplace sends a "collect request" or a QR code saying you will receive money; entering your UPI PIN actually sends money out. Remember the simple rule: you never need to enter a PIN to receive money. Report immediately on 1930. Although you entered the PIN, the bank may still be questioned on its handling if you report quickly and the pattern was unusual.
A message says your account will be blocked unless you update KYC, or your electricity will be cut tonight, with a number or link. You are persuaded to install a remote access app or an APK file, or to share an OTP, and the fraudster takes over your banking. Where your phone was compromised by a malicious app and transactions happened without your active approval, there is a strong argument that they were unauthorised for the purposes of the RBI rules. Preserve the phone and the app details as evidence.
Your mobile suddenly loses signal; meanwhile someone has obtained a duplicate SIM and uses OTPs to empty your account. Contact your telecom provider and bank immediately. A bank or telecom company that failed to follow proper verification can be held responsible, and such cases do well before consumer commissions when the customer acted promptly. You can check how many connections are registered in your name on the Department of Telecommunications' Sanchar Saathi service.
Money is withdrawn through the Aadhaar-enabled payment system using cloned fingerprints, often from property registration or other documents. You can lock your biometrics through UIDAI's services. Report to 1930 and your bank; these are unauthorised transactions.
An instant loan app gives a small loan with huge charges, then harasses you and your contacts with abusive messages and morphed photos. This involves extortion, criminal intimidation, defamation and IT Act offences. Report on the portal, to the platform and to the police. Lenders must be registered with the RBI or partnered with a regulated entity; the RBI's digital lending directions restrict how recovery may be done. Do not keep paying under threat; get advice.
A video call from an unknown woman or man is recorded, then you are threatened that the clip will be sent to your family unless you pay. Paying almost never ends it. Stop contact, do not pay, save the evidence and report on the portal and to the cyber police. The Intermediary Guidelines of 2021 give platforms just one day to take down material that depicts someone nude, in a sexual act or through a morphed picture, once that person or someone for them complains. Victims can also use StopNCII.org, which helps participating platforms block intimate images using a digital fingerprint without the image being uploaded.
A fake profile of a friend, relative or senior officer asks for urgent money, or a hacked account of someone you know sends a request. Verify by calling the person on a number you already have. Report the fake profile to the platform and on the portal; an FIR for cheating by personation is appropriate.
Fake websites selling products at large discounts, fake hotel or pilgrimage bookings, fake "army officer" sellers on classifieds, and fake landlords who ask for deposits before a viewing. Report quickly. Where you paid by credit card, ask your card issuer about a chargeback, which is a separate remedy from the RBI liability rules and can succeed even when you authorised the payment, if goods or services were not delivered.
A "digital arrest" call usually starts with a recorded message or a caller who says a parcel in your name contained drugs or fake passports, or that your Aadhaar or SIM has been used in money laundering. You are passed to a "police officer", then a "CBI" or "ED" officer, often on a video call from what looks like a police station, sometimes even a staged courtroom. You are told you are under investigation, must stay on camera, must not tell your family, and must transfer your savings to a "safe" or "RBI verification" account until you are cleared. Victims have been kept on video for days. Retired people, doctors and professionals in Delhi have lost very large sums this way.
In 2025, the Supreme Court took up the problem on its own motion in a case titled In Re: Victims of Digital Arrest Related to Forged Documents, after reports of forged court and agency orders being used to extort victims. The Court passed a series of interim orders. On 1 December 2025, it directed a pan-India investigation of digital arrest scams by the CBI, asked states to give consent for the CBI to investigate, permitted freezing of accounts used in such frauds, directed intermediaries and telecom operators to cooperate, and asked states to set up cyber crime coordination centres. Further directions followed on 16 December 2025 and 9 February 2026.
On 4 August 2026, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana gave a further set of directions. In summary, as reported, the Court:
The Court also noted government figures showing that digital arrest complaints on the national portal fell from about 1.24 lakh in 2024 to about 58,000 in 2025, with around 16,000 in the first half of 2026. Earlier, in November 2025, the Court had remarked that more than Rs 3,000 crore had been extorted through such scams. The matter was listed next for 16 September 2026 for a fresh status report and remains pending, so check for the latest orders.
Most digital arrest victims in Delhi are over 60. Talk to your parents about the pattern before it happens: a call about a parcel or Aadhaar, a "transfer" to a senior officer, a demand for secrecy, a video call with uniforms. Agree that they will call you before moving any money, however urgent the caller says it is. Set daily transfer limits on their accounts and enable alerts to your phone with their consent.
A growing number of people in Delhi, especially small traders, freelancers, shopkeepers who accept UPI and people who sell goods online, find one morning that their bank account is frozen. The bank's message says it was done on the request of a police station, often in another state, because the account received money linked to a cyber fraud complaint. Often the person had no idea; they sold something, received a payment from a customer, and that customer turned out to be a fraudster passing on stolen money, or a victim's money passed through several accounts before reaching them.
Write to the investigating officer of the police station that requested the freeze, by email if it is in another state, explaining the transaction with documents and asking them to release the freeze or restrict it to the disputed amount. Many freezes are lifted or reduced this way, particularly where the amount involved is small and the account holder clearly received it in an ordinary transaction. Keep the tone factual and cooperative; you may need to appear before them.
The police may issue you a notice under section 35 or section 179 of the BNSS to join the investigation, sometimes in another state. In January 2025, the Supreme Court in Satender Kumar Antil clarified that notices under section 35 must be served in the manner the law provides and cannot be served through WhatsApp or other electronic modes. If you receive a notice, take advice before travelling. Cooperating with a genuine investigation is usually the fastest way out, but you should go prepared with documents, and in some cases an advocate may first seek protection from arrest.
Fraud gangs pay people a small commission to "use" their bank account, UPI ID or SIM, or ask them to open new accounts. Some job offers ask you to "receive and forward payments" as part of the work. A person who knowingly lets their account be used for fraud can be prosecuted for cheating, abetment or organised crime, and the account will be frozen. If you have already done this, stop and take legal advice before speaking to anyone about it.
Being named in a cyber fraud FIR is serious, but many people named are not the masterminds. They are account holders whose accounts were used, SIM holders whose documents were misused, employees of a business that received payments, or relatives of the main accused. The law treats each person according to their role and knowledge.
Cheating under section 318(4) of the BNS carries up to seven years. For offences punishable with up to seven years, police are expected to follow section 35 of the BNSS and the Supreme Court's decision in Arnesh Kumar, which require them to consider whether arrest is necessary and to issue a notice of appearance where it is not. Offences such as organised crime under section 111 carry much higher penalties. If you fear arrest, a pre-arrest bail plea under section 482 BNSS can be moved in the Sessions Court or the High Court. Our detailed guide to anticipatory bail in Delhi explains the process, conditions and timelines.
Simple cheating under section 318(2) of the BNS can be compounded by the person cheated, and cheating under section 318(4), like the old section 420 of the IPC, can be compounded with the permission of the court. Other offences often added in cyber FIRs, such as forgery, personating a public servant or organised crime, are not compoundable. Where a genuine settlement is reached, the High Court may quash the FIR in suitable cases under its inherent powers, now in section 528 of the BNSS, but the Supreme Court has cautioned that offences with wider social impact are not ordinarily quashed merely because the parties have settled, and organised cyber fraud may fall in that category. Each case needs careful assessment.
You do not need a lawyer to call 1930, to file on the portal, to write to your bank, or to visit the cyber police station. Many victims manage these first steps themselves, and they should, because speed matters more than anything else in the first hours. An advocate becomes useful at specific points:
| Stage | How an advocate helps |
|---|---|
| Police are not registering an FIR | Drafting the complaint to the DCP and the application to the magistrate under section 175(3) BNSS. |
| Money is on hold but not released | Filing the release application before the magistrate, following up with the investigating officer, using the restoration mechanism. |
| Bank refuses to refund | Drafting a legal notice, an Ombudsman complaint, or a consumer complaint relying on the RBI rules and case law. |
| Your account is frozen | Representing you before the police, the magistrate, the grievance mechanism or, if needed, the High Court. |
| You are accused or summoned | Advising on the notice, seeking anticipatory bail, and defending you in the investigation and trial. |
| Harassment, sextortion, morphed images | Taking up takedown with platforms, police complaints, and where necessary court orders. |
Be cautious of anyone who guarantees recovery of the full amount, claims to have special contacts in the police or banks, or asks for a percentage of the money "in advance". Our general guide on how to choose an advocate has more pointers, and if you cannot afford a lawyer, check free legal aid eligibility; legal services authorities can assist eligible cyber fraud victims.
Through Mara Vakil, you can share your situation using the form on this page. Advocates whose enrolment we have checked and who handle cyber matters in Delhi can contact you. Finding and speaking with an advocate through the platform is free for you; any fee for representation is agreed directly between you and the advocate. Mara Vakil charges only for its own document services, such as a legal notice to a bank or a consumer complaint. You can also browse cyber lawyers in Delhi or read more about cyber law practice.
These are composite examples built to show how the rules apply. They are not real cases and names are not used.
A 68-year-old receives a call about a parcel with drugs sent in his name. He is transferred to a "Mumbai police" officer and then a "CBI" officer on video, kept on camera for two days and made to transfer Rs 38 lakh in three tranches to "verification accounts". His daughter notices his behaviour and stops it. They call 1930 the same evening. Because the loss is above Rs 10 lakh, an e-Zero FIR is registered at the e-Crime police station and sent to the cyber police station of Dwarka district, and the family visits within three days. Holds are placed on about Rs 9 lakh still sitting in second-layer accounts. An advocate files an application for release of the held amount, with the account-wise trail and an indemnity bond, while the investigation continues and, given the scale, may be taken up by the CBI under the Supreme Court's directions. The family also asks the bank about its monitoring, since three large transfers from a pensioner's account to new beneficiaries within hours is an unusual pattern, and keeps a bank complaint open on that point.
She invests Rs 6.5 lakh over five weeks through an app recommended in a WhatsApp group, is shown profits of Rs 30 lakh, and is asked for Rs 3 lakh as "tax" to withdraw. She realises it is a fraud and reports on the portal, but the last payment was nine days earlier. Holds are placed on only Rs 40,000. Because the loss is below Rs 10 lakh, there is no automatic e-Zero FIR, and the district cyber police initially treat it as an enquiry. Her advocate writes to the DCP and then moves the magistrate under section 175(3) of the BNSS; an FIR is registered. A release application for the Rs 40,000 follows. The advocate explains honestly that the rest will be recovered only if the investigation traces assets.
His current account is frozen at the request of a police station in another state because a Rs 18,000 UPI payment from a customer was traced to a fraud. His account holds Rs 6 lakh and he cannot pay suppliers. He writes to the investigating officer by email with the invoice and the CCTV of the sale. When there is no response for three weeks, his advocate files a writ petition asking that the freeze be limited to Rs 18,000. The bank lifts the freeze on the balance after the matter is listed. He keeps cooperating with the investigation.
His phone loses network for six hours. During that time Rs 1.2 lakh is transferred out using OTPs. He reports to the bank and 1930 the same day. The transactions were not authorised by him, he did not share anything, and he reported within three working days, so under the RBI's July 2017 rules his liability should be zero. The bank delays the shadow credit. After 30 days, he files on the RBI's complaint portal; an advocate also sends a legal notice to the bank and the telecom provider, pointing out the 10-day shadow credit rule and the telecom company's verification failure. The bank credits the amount.
Call 1930 or file on cybercrime.gov.in immediately, then inform your bank in writing. Speed decides how much money can be held.
The national cyber crime helpline run under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre of the Ministry of Home Affairs, mainly for reporting financial cyber fraud.
It is meant to operate round the clock. If you cannot get through, file on the portal at once and keep trying the helpline.
The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, where you can report financial frauds and other cyber crimes online and track your complaint.
No. It creates a complaint and alerts banks. An FIR is registered by police, automatically in Delhi for losses above Rs 10 lakh, otherwise by the district cyber police station.
The first hour or so after the money leaves your account, when it is most likely still in the first account and can be held.
An FIR registered automatically from a 1930 or portal complaint. In Delhi, it applies to cyber financial frauds above Rs 10 lakh under a scheme announced in May 2025.
At Delhi's e-Crime police station, and it is then sent to the cyber police station of the area concerned.
The scheme provides that the victim can visit the cyber police station within three days to have it converted into a regular FIR. Follow the instructions you receive.
Your complaint goes to the district cyber police station, which may register an FIR or first conduct an enquiry. Follow up in person with your acknowledgement number.
The cyber police station of your police district. Complex or large cases may go to the IFSO unit of the Special Cell.
Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations, a specialised unit of the Delhi Police Special Cell that handles complex cyber crime and organised frauds.
Yes. The BNSS lets any police station record a zero FIR regardless of where the offence happened and transfer it.
Give a written complaint to the SHO, escalate to the DCP under section 173(4) BNSS, and if that fails, move the magistrate under section 175(3) BNSS.
Where the offence carries between three and seven years, police are allowed up to 14 days of initial checking before they decide on an FIR.
Mainly section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, along with other sections depending on the facts.
Cheating by personation using a computer resource or communication device, punishable with up to three years and a fine.
Identity theft: fraudulent use of someone's password, electronic signature or other unique identification feature.
Cheating under section 318(4) BNS is cognizable, so police must register an FIR on information disclosing it, subject to the preliminary enquiry option.
It depends on whether the transaction was unauthorised, whose fault it was and how quickly you reported. The RBI's July 2017 rules decide liability.
If the fraud was due to the bank's fault, or a third-party breach reported within three working days, you bear no loss.
Between four and seven working days your liability is capped, at Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 depending on the account. After seven days the bank's policy applies.
You bear the loss until you report it to the bank. After you report, any further loss is the bank's. Courts still look at the full facts.
A credit the bank must give you within 10 working days of your report of an unauthorised transaction, while it investigates.
The RBI rules require the complaint to be resolved within 90 days, failing which you are compensated as if your liability were zero or limited.
The bank. Under the RBI rules, the burden of proving customer liability is on the bank.
They cover unauthorised transactions. If you made the payment yourself after being deceived, the bank may argue it was authorised, but the facts still matter.
In January 2025 it upheld a refund order for a customer defrauded through a fake customer care number who reported quickly, noting that banks must use technology to prevent such fraud.
File online on the RBI's complaint management system if your bank rejects your complaint, does not reply in 30 days, or you are unhappy with the reply.
No. Filing a complaint under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme is free.
Generally within one year of the bank's reply, or one year and 30 days from your complaint if the bank did not reply.
Yes. A bank's failure to protect your account or follow RBI rules can be deficiency in service under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
District Commission up to Rs 50 lakh, State Commission from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore, National Commission above Rs 2 crore.
Yes. Mara Vakil offers a paid consumer complaint drafting service. Finding and consulting an advocate on the platform is free.
An officer who decides compensation claims under the IT Act up to Rs 5 crore. In Delhi, it is the Secretary of the Delhi Government's IT Department.
To TDSAT, which absorbed the old Cyber Appellate Tribunal's role in 2017.
Section 43A provides compensation where a company negligently fails to protect sensitive personal data. It can apply to banks in suitable cases.
Through an order of the magistrate, a Lok Adalat settlement, or the money restoration process under the Home Ministry's January 2026 SOP.
Sections 497 and 503 of the BNSS, which replaced sections 451 and 457 of the old Criminal Procedure Code.
FIR copy, 1930 or portal acknowledgement, the account-wise trail of held amounts, your bank statement, identity proof and an indemnity bond.
An undertaking to return the money if a court later finds you are not entitled to it.
With a clear trail, many applications are decided within weeks to a few months. Delays usually come from missing police reports.
Only the amount traced to your loss. If several victims' money is in one account, the court may share it out proportionately.
A standard operating procedure issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 2 January 2026 covering holds, freeze disputes and return of money to victims.
Yes, legal services authorities have used Lok Adalats to release held amounts with police and banks present. Watch for notices in Delhi.
Ask your bank and the investigating officer in writing for the account-wise amounts held against your complaint number.
A bank account, often belonging to someone paid or tricked into lending it, used to receive and move fraud money.
A scam in which callers pose as police, CBI or ED officers on a video call and pressure victims to transfer money. Nothing in Indian law allows it.
No. Indian law has no concept of arresting someone over video. Genuine officers do not question or detain anyone over video calls or demand money.
In a suo motu case it ordered a CBI probe, account freezes and coordination centres, and in August 2026 gave detailed directions on mule accounts, money restoration and e-Zero FIRs.
Among other things, an RBI procedure on mule accounts within four weeks, quick use of the grievance and money restoration modules, state coordination centres and adoption of e-Zero FIRs.
The Supreme Court has directed CBI investigation of digital arrest scams across India. Whether your case is transferred depends on its scale and the CBI's criteria.
Government figures noted by the Supreme Court show about 1.24 lakh in 2024, about 58,000 in 2025 and about 16,000 in the first half of 2026.
Disconnect. It is a known scam pattern. Do not transfer money or share details, tell your family, and report on Sanchar Saathi or 1930.
A Department of Telecommunications service where you can report suspected fraud calls and messages and check mobile connections in your name.
Report on 1930 or the portal immediately, list every payment with references, and pursue an FIR and release of held money.
Yes. Paying deposits to unlock commissions for online tasks is a common fraud. Report it and never agree to receive and forward money.
No. Entering your UPI PIN always sends money out. Anyone asking you to enter a PIN to receive money is cheating you.
Uninstall it, block banking channels, change passwords from another device, and report. Save the app details as evidence first.
It may involve failures by the telecom company or bank. If you did not share anything and reported quickly, the RBI zero liability rule should apply.
Withdrawal through the Aadhaar-enabled payment system using cloned fingerprints. Lock your biometrics through UIDAI and report to 1930 and your bank.
Report on the portal, to the platform and police. Abusive recovery and morphed photos are offences, and RBI rules restrict recovery practices.
Do not pay, stop contact, save evidence, and report on the portal and to the cyber police. Paying rarely ends the demands.
The 2021 Intermediary Guidelines set a one-day deadline after a complaint for removing nude, sexual or morphed images of a person.
A service that helps participating platforms block intimate images using a digital fingerprint created on your device, without uploading the image.
The portal allows anonymous reporting for sexually explicit content involving women or children. Financial fraud complaints need your details.
If you paid by credit card and goods were not delivered, ask your card issuer about a chargeback. It is separate from the RBI liability rules.
Usually because a police station asked the bank to freeze it after money linked to a fraud complaint was credited to it.
Ask your bank in writing for the requesting police station or agency, the date, the complaint or FIR number and the amount.
They can seek a freeze as a seizure under section 106 BNSS, but courts have often limited freezes to the disputed amount where a whole-account freeze is disproportionate.
Yes. A seizure under section 106 BNSS must be reported to the magistrate, and freezes are treated as seizures.
Explain the transaction to the investigating officer with documents, use the grievance module, move the magistrate, or in fit cases approach the High Court.
Yes, before the Delhi High Court, though the High Court where the police station is located may also have jurisdiction.
Not merely for receiving it unknowingly. Knowledge and intent matter. Cooperate with the investigation and keep proof of the genuine transaction.
The Supreme Court held in January 2025 that notices under section 35 BNSS cannot be served through WhatsApp or other electronic modes.
You can be prosecuted for cheating, abetment or organised crime, and the account will be frozen. Stop and take legal advice.
Yes, under section 482 BNSS from the Sessions Court or High Court, depending on the facts.
Cheating under section 318(4) BNS carries up to seven years and a fine. Other offences in the FIR can add to this.
Simple cheating can be compounded by the victim, and section 318(4) with court permission, but forgery or organised crime charges are not compoundable.
The High Court may quash in suitable cases under section 528 BNSS, but serious frauds with social impact are not ordinarily quashed just on settlement.
Under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, with the required certificate and procedure for electronic records.
Screenshots, chats, call logs, payment receipts, transaction IDs, websites and app details, and a written timeline.
Save all chats and details first. Then stop responding. Do not delete conversations.
No. People offering to recover money for a fee are often running a second fraud.
Not for the first steps. A lawyer helps when the FIR is refused, money needs releasing, the bank refuses refund, your account is frozen or you are accused.
Fees vary by work and experience. Agree the fee in writing with the advocate before work starts.
Yes. Finding and consulting an advocate through Mara Vakil is free for you. Mara Vakil charges only for its own document services.
No. It is an online platform connecting you with independent advocates, not a law firm, and it does not advise on cases.
If you are eligible under the Legal Services Authorities Act, yes. Contact the district legal services authority.
Report as soon as possible. Delay affects money recovery and bank liability, though a criminal complaint can still be made later.
Yes, through the portal or by email to the cyber police, and through an advocate with authority.
Yes, you can help them report on 1930 or the portal. Their bank complaint should be from them or with their authorisation.
The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, which pushes 1930 and portal complaints to banks and wallets to hold money.
A hold or lien blocks a specific amount; a freeze blocks the whole account. A freeze on police request is treated as a seizure.
Yes. On conviction, the court can order compensation under section 395 BNSS, including out of the fine.
Victim compensation schemes exist under section 396 of the BNSS, though they mainly cover physical harm. For fraud losses, recovery from held money and bank liability matter more.
Yes, but it is useful only if the fraudster is identified and has assets that can be attached.
Yes, fake warrants and court orders are common in digital arrest scams. Real orders are served properly and can be verified with the court.
Agree they will call you before moving money, set transfer limits, enable alerts with consent, and explain the digital arrest pattern.
Delhi Police provides online services for complaints, but for financial fraud the fastest route remains 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in.
You can still file in Delhi. The FIR can be registered as a zero FIR and transferred, or investigated in Delhi where you lost the money.
Yes. Trials and release applications are heard in the magistrate courts of the district court complexes, such as Saket, Tis Hazari, Rohini, Dwarka and Karkardooma.
This page gives general information based on the sources listed, as checked on 17 October 2026. Cyber fraud outcomes depend on how quickly the fraud is reported and on the facts; confirm with an advocate before acting. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Read our disclaimer.
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