Question 1

Will I get my money back?

Accepted Answer

It depends on how fast you reported. Recovery rates in 2025 jumped to about 24% — up from 10–11% in 2024 — almost entirely because of faster reporting. If you call your bank and 1930 within the first hour, the money is often still inside the banking system and can be held. Once it leaves to another bank or is withdrawn as cash, recovery becomes very difficult. There is no guarantee, but speed determines the odds.

Question 2

How fast do I need to act after a cyber fraud?

Accepted Answer

Call your bank within 1 hour, ideally within minutes. Still useful up to 6 hours — that's the window in which most successful recoveries happen. Under RBI's 6 July 2017 circular, reporting unauthorised transactions to your bank within 3 working days entitles you to zero liability for third-party breaches. Wait longer and the rules tighten against you.

Question 3

What happens after I call 1930?

Accepted Answer

Your complaint enters the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and a system called CFCFRMS — the financial-fraud reporting and management system used by police, banks, and payment companies to track the money. You get a 14-digit acknowledgement number that starts with '2'. State and district nodal officers and the relevant police station receive the complaint. If a cyber-enabled financial crime is found, electronic notices go to banks and intermediaries to hold the reported amount. You get SMS or email updates on any action taken.

Question 4

Do I need to go to a police station for a cyber fraud complaint?

Accepted Answer

No, for most cases. The cybercrime.gov.in complaint counts as your formal complaint. For losses above ₹10 lakh, a Zero FIR is automatically registered at the e-Crime Police Station, Delhi — no local station visit needed. For smaller amounts, your local cyber cell may follow up, but you do not need to walk into a police station to start the process.

Question 5

1930 or cybercrime.gov.in — which one first?

Accepted Answer

Both, in that order. 1930 is the phone helpline — fast, human, gets your complaint into the system immediately. cybercrime.gov.in is the formal portal where you file the detailed written complaint, ideally within 24 hours of the phone call. Think of 1930 as the ambulance and cybercrime.gov.in as the hospital admission paperwork.

Question 6

What's the difference between Chakshu and 1930?

Accepted Answer

Chakshu (Sanchar Saathi) is for attempted fraud where you did NOT lose money — a scam call, suspicious SMS, phishing WhatsApp message. Reporting helps disconnect the scammer's number. 1930 is for completed financial fraud where money was lost. If you paid, go to 1930 first; you can also report the number on Chakshu afterwards. Don't confuse the two — using only Chakshu when money was lost means your case isn't entered into the recovery system.

Question 7

When should I use the RBI Banking Ombudsman?

Accepted Answer

Only after your bank has failed you. The Ombudsman is an appeal channel, not a first stop. Use it when (a) your bank has not responded to your fraud complaint within 30 days, or (b) their response is unsatisfactory. File at cms.rbi.org.in or call 14448. It is free, and can award up to ₹30 lakh in compensation under the 2026 scheme.

Question 8

I lost less than ₹1,000 to a scammer. Is it still worth reporting?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Two reasons. First, even small recoveries are possible if the money is still in the system. Second, your report helps disconnect the scammer's number and account, which protects the next victim. Many scammers run the same playbook against hundreds of people for small amounts. Use Chakshu at minimum, plus 1930 if money was lost.

Question 9

Is digital arrest real?

Accepted Answer

No. There is no such thing as a digital arrest in Indian law. No police officer, CBI agent, customs official, or RBI representative can arrest you over a video call, freeze your accounts via Skype, or demand money to clear your name. If you are on such a call, hang up. Real law enforcement physically visits with paperwork. The Supreme Court has publicly clarified this, and several suicides have been linked to digital-arrest scams — the trauma is real, the procedure is not.

Question 10

Will my bank or the police ever ask for my OTP?

Accepted Answer

Never. No bank, no police force, no government office, no courier company, no merchant will ever ask for your OTP, PIN, CVV, card number, or screen-share access. Anyone who does — by call, SMS, WhatsApp, email, or in person — is a scammer. This rule has no exceptions. If you are unsure, hang up and call the official number from the back of your card.

Question 11

The courier said my parcel contains drugs. Is this real?

Accepted Answer

No, this is a known scam playbook. Real courier companies do not call you about contraband. Real police do not investigate it on a phone call. The scam pretends you've been linked to a parcel containing drugs or fake documents and uses fear to get you to share OTP, transfer verification money, or stay on a digital arrest call. Hang up. Block the number. Report on Chakshu.

Question 12

I got an SMS to update KYC or my account will be blocked. Is this real?

Accepted Answer

Treat it as a scam by default. Real KYC updates happen through your bank's official channels — branch visits, the bank's verified mobile app, or letters. Real banks do not send urgent update-or-be-blocked SMS with shortened links. If you genuinely need to update KYC, log into your banking app yourself, or call the number printed on the back of your card. Never click a link in an SMS or WhatsApp message.

Question 13

I'm too ashamed to tell my family I was scammed. What can I do?

Accepted Answer

You did nothing wrong. Doctors, retired bankers, and even a former senior police officer have fallen for the same scams. The fastest way out is action, not silence. Call your bank — they will not judge, and they handle thousands of these calls weekly. Call 1930 — it is a financial recovery helpline, not police. For losses above ₹10 lakh, the Zero FIR is filed automatically in Delhi, so no local police visit. Tell one trusted person within 24 hours — a friend, a sibling, a colleague — but you do not have to tell the whole family on day one.

Question 14

Can I report sextortion without showing the photos to anyone?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You report the act and the scammer's contact details. You do not need to upload the photos themselves. Tell 1930 it is a sextortion case; tell your bank if money was paid; tell Chakshu to flag the scammer's number. If photos have already been shared online, separately use cybercrime.gov.in's Report and Remove option for non-consensual intimate imagery — that flow protects your identity. You are the victim, not the suspect.

Question 15

Am I liable for the money I lost to cyber fraud?

Accepted Answer

Under RBI's 6 July 2017 circular, if the fraud was a third-party breach (someone else got your credentials through deception or system vulnerability) and you reported to your bank within 3 working days, your liability is zero. Beyond 3 working days, liability rises gradually. If the fraud was due to your own negligence (sharing OTP voluntarily, for instance), the bank may hold you liable. Reporting fast is the single biggest factor.

Question 16

Does insurance cover cyber fraud?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. Some banks offer complimentary cyber-fraud insurance on premium debit and credit cards, typically covering ₹1–5 lakh. Some standalone cyber-insurance policies cover phishing, identity theft, and unauthorised transactions. Coverage is limited and conditions are strict — most policies require you to have reported to the bank and police within set timelines. Check your card terms and any cyber-insurance policy you hold. Insurance is a backup, not a substitute for fast reporting.

Question 17

What is a UTR (Unique Transaction Reference)?

Accepted Answer

Unique Transaction Reference. It is the 12 or 22-character code your bank generates for every transaction — IMPS, NEFT, RTGS, or UPI. Find it in your SMS alert, banking app transaction history, or the recipient's app. Police and bank fraud teams need the UTR to trace the money.

Question 18

What is a Zero FIR?

Accepted Answer

A First Information Report filed at any police station regardless of jurisdiction, which is then transferred to the right station for investigation. Since May 2025, cyber-fraud losses above ₹10 lakh reported through 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in automatically trigger a Zero FIR at the e-Crime Police Station, Delhi. This saves you from having to visit a local station; the paperwork is handled electronically.

Question 19

What does CFCFRMS mean?

Accepted Answer

Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System — the back-end the police, banks, UPI operators, and payment companies use to coordinate. When you file at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930, your complaint enters CFCFRMS. The system sends electronic notices under BNSS provisions to banks to hold the disputed amount and try to claw it back.

Question 20

How do I protect my elderly parents from cyber fraud?

Accepted Answer

Five concrete things. (1) Set a low daily UPI and net-banking limit on their accounts — most banks allow this in the app. (2) Save 1930 in their phone as Cyber Help. (3) Teach the one rule: if anyone asks for OTP, money, or screen-share, I will call you back — then hang up. (4) Have one 10-minute talk this week using the Family Talk script. (5) Subscribe them to one trusted alert source — your state cyber cell's WhatsApp channel or X handle.