How Do I Report a Cyber Crime in India?

As of 24 October 2026: the service descriptions, prices and turnaround figures on this page are current.

Where do I file a cyber crime complaint in India?

Use the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in for the complaint itself, and use the 1930 helpline when the crime is happening now or money has moved. The portal lets you report an incident, upload supporting documents, and track the complaint with the acknowledgement number it issues. It routes the complaint to the jurisdictional police unit, and for financial fraud it reaches the cyber financial fraud cell. Filing in the state where the loss occurred matters, because that is the unit with jurisdiction. You can also walk into a police station and ask for a cyber crime complaint, but the online route is faster and gives you a dated, numbered record that no one can deny later.

What evidence do I need to make a cyber crime complaint?

Six things, in the order they are usually needed. The date, time and amount of the transaction, and the last four digits or UPI ID of the receiving account. Screenshots of the payment, the SMS or email that prompted you, and the call, if there was one. The phone number, email address or account handle of the fraudster, and the platform where it happened. Your bank statement showing the debit. Any chat or call transcript. And your own identity documents. Keep all of it in one folder, because a complaint missing the transaction reference is the most common reason a bank cannot act on a chargeback request, and the most common reason a police complaint is closed as insufficient evidence.

How do I get an FIR when the police refuse to register one?

Ask for the refusal in writing, with a diary number, and then file on cybercrime.gov.in, where the appeal goes to the Senior Superintendent of Police or the State Nodal Officer. In practice, a police station rarely refuses an FIR for a cognisable offence, because section 173 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita makes registration compulsory once information discloses the commission of an offence. Refusals usually happen because the reporting officer wants the cyber cell to handle it, or because the incident is classified as civil or financial rather than criminal. A written refusal gives you something to escalate. For an amount above the prescribed limit, or where the fraud is organised, you can approach the cyber financial fraud cell directly.

How long does a cyber crime complaint take in India?

The acknowledgement is immediate, but the investigation timeline is wide and depends on the offence. A financial fraud complaint is usually first worked through the cyber financial fraud cell, where the priority is tracing and freezing the money, and that is a matter of hours to days for a same-day trace, not days to weeks. A complaint involving a woman or a child, or where the accused is in another state, is transferred to that state's unit and slows down. The delay is usually in tracing and forensic examination, not in the acknowledgement, so speed at the point of reporting matters more than speed at the point of investigation.

What are the frequently asked questions?