Money lost in an online fraud: first-hour checklist

Banthry Prep. General information, not legal advice.

Within the first hour

1. Call 1930, the national cyber crime helpline. Your complaint reaches the banks and wallets involved so they can try to hold the money. Holding is not guaranteed; speed matters.
2. Complete the complaint at cybercrime.gov.in and keep the acknowledgement number.
3. Tell your bank in writing (email or its app) and block your card or UPI. Note the transaction ID, date, time and amount.

Know the RBI rule (customer protection circular, 6 July 2017)

• If neither you nor the bank was at fault (a third-party breach) and you tell the bank within three working days of receiving its transaction alert, your liability is zero.
• Where the rule applies, the bank should credit the amount to your account (shadow reversal) within 10 working days of your report.
• If you shared an OTP, PIN or password, the loss until you report it may fall on you.

If the bank does not resolve it

• No reply within 30 days, or you disagree with the reply: complain to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.
• You can also file a police FIR for the fraud.

Remember

• Entering your UPI PIN always means paying money, never receiving it.

Letter to your bank (fill the blanks)

To: The Branch Manager / Grievance Officer, [Bank], [Branch]

Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Subject: Unauthorised transaction on account [last 4 digits]: request to block, investigate and reverse

1. On [date] at [time], [amount] was debited from my account by transaction [ID], which I did not authorise.
2. I received your alert on [date and time]. I am reporting it within three working days of that alert.
3. I reported it on the 1930 helpline / cybercrime.gov.in, acknowledgement number [number].
4. Please block further debits, investigate, and credit the amount under the RBI customer protection circular of 6 July 2017.

[Name], [account number], [phone], [signature]

Banthry Prep · banthry.in