How to File a Cyber Crime Complaint in India (2026)
How to file a cyber crime complaint in India: the national portal and the 1930 helpline, what evidence to keep, when to use a Zero FIR, and the court case that may follow. Last verified October 2026.
How-To Guide · Cyber Crime
You file a cyber crime complaint in India on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in, and for financial fraud you also call the helpline 1930. The portal takes complaints about online fraud, hacking, social media abuse, and crimes against women and children, and you can report anonymously in some categories. This guide explains the steps on the portal, the evidence to keep, when to use a Zero FIR, and the police and court case that can follow. If you have lost money, speed matters most, so report at once. Last verified October 2026.
- Where: the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in, and for financial fraud the helpline 1930.
- Evidence: keep transaction IDs, bank SMS, screenshots of chats and emails, and the suspect's number, UPI ID or handle.
- FIR: also get an FIR, or a Zero FIR at any police station, which is transferred to the right jurisdiction.
- Law: usually the IT Act (Sections 66C and 66D) with the cheating provisions of the BNS (Sections 318 and 319).
- Speed: for money fraud, report in the golden hour so the account can be frozen before funds move.
01What counts as cyber crime
Cyber crime is any crime committed using a computer, phone or the internet. The portal groups complaints into broad types:
- Financial fraud: UPI and card fraud, fake investment and loan apps, job and lottery scams, phishing.
- Online abuse and hacking: hacked accounts, data theft, impersonation, cyber stalking, and social media abuse.
- Crimes against women and children: obscene content, sextortion, and child sexual abuse material, which have their own reporting track, with anonymity.
The right track matters, because financial fraud needs the fastest action to freeze money, while other categories focus on investigation and takedown.
02Report on the portal and the 1930 helpline
The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is at cybercrime.gov.in, run by the Ministry of Home Affairs. For money fraud, call the helpline 1930 first, because it can route a hold request to the banks involved, and then complete the complaint on the portal.
On the portal you choose the category, register with your mobile number (or report anonymously in the women and children track), describe the incident with dates and amounts, and submit. You get a complaint reference number to track it.
Financial fraud is a race against time
If you have lost money, report within the golden hour so the receiving account can be frozen before the funds move on. The steps to then try to get the money back are set out in how to recover money lost to online fraud.
03Evidence to keep
A complaint is only as strong as its proof. Save everything before you report, because fraudsters often delete accounts and messages:
- Transaction proof: bank SMS, UPI reference numbers, transaction IDs, and statements showing the debit.
- Communications: screenshots of chats, emails, calls, and any links or numbers used.
- Suspect details: the phone number, UPI ID, account number, website or social media handle involved.
- Your own record: a short timeline of what happened and when, which helps the police and any later case.
Keep the originals safe. Do not only keep screenshots; preserve the messages and emails in place where you can, so the data can be verified later.
04The FIR and Zero FIR
A portal complaint is not the same as a police FIR. For a serious cyber crime you should also get an FIR registered, which starts a formal investigation. You can go to the cyber crime police station or the local station.
If the police say the crime happened in another area and is not their jurisdiction, you can insist on a Zero FIR. A Zero FIR can be filed at any police station and is then transferred to the station that has jurisdiction, so you are not turned away. The power to register an FIR is in Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which replaced Section 154 of the old Criminal Procedure Code.
You cannot be refused
For a cognizable offence, the police are bound to register the FIR. If a station refuses, a Zero FIR at another station, or a written complaint to a senior officer, is the way forward.
05The law and the court case that may follow
Cyber crimes are charged under the Information Technology Act, 2000, together with the general criminal law, now the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Common provisions include:
| Provision | What it covers |
|---|---|
| IT Act Section 66C | Identity theft, such as misusing someone's password, OTP or digital signature |
| IT Act Section 66D | Cheating by personation using a computer or communication device |
| BNS Section 318 | Cheating, including dishonestly inducing delivery of property (the old Section 420) |
| BNS Section 319 | Cheating by personation |
After investigation the police file a charge sheet, and the case is tried in the criminal court. The complaint and FIR are the start of that chain. For related money frauds through UPI, see what to do after UPI or payment fraud.
06Where Claw fits
Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.
Once a cyber crime complaint turns into an FIR and a criminal case, it helps to see how courts have treated similar matters, from bail to conviction under the IT Act. Claw lets you search 30 crore+ judgments, with Supreme Court decisions from 1950 and High Court decisions from 1990, to find rulings on cyber fraud and IT Act offences, in under 5 seconds. If a case is filed, Claw tracks cases, orders and hearings across 9,102 courts, benches and forums, so you can follow it by party name. Claw does not use your case documents to train its AI models.
Create a FREE Claw account to research how courts decide cyber crime cases, using case search across Indian courts.
07Sources and further reading
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: cybercrime.gov.in
- India Code (IT Act 2000, BNS and BNSS 2023 bare text): indiacode.nic.in
- Ministry of Electronics and IT: meity.gov.in
- Claw: clawlaw.in
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Portal categories and the law can change, so check the current position and take advice before you act.
08Frequently asked questions
How do I file a cyber crime complaint in India?
File on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in by choosing the right category, describing the incident with dates and amounts, and uploading your evidence. For financial fraud, call the helpline 1930 first so the money can be flagged for a hold. Save the complaint reference number and also get an FIR registered.
Can I file a cyber crime complaint anonymously?
Some categories, especially crimes against women and children, allow anonymous reporting on the portal. For financial fraud and most other complaints you register with your mobile number so you can be contacted and can track the complaint.
What evidence do I need for a cyber crime complaint?
Keep transaction IDs and bank SMS, screenshots of chats, emails and calls, any links or numbers used, and the suspect's phone number, UPI ID, account number or social media handle. Preserve the originals, not just screenshots, and write a short timeline of what happened.
What is a Zero FIR and when do I use it?
A Zero FIR can be filed at any police station, even one that does not have territorial jurisdiction, and is then transferred to the correct station. Use it if a station tries to turn you away saying the crime happened elsewhere. For a cognizable offence the police are bound to register the FIR.
Which laws cover cyber crime in India?
Cyber crimes are charged under the Information Technology Act, 2000, such as Section 66C for identity theft and Section 66D for cheating by personation, together with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, mainly Section 318 for cheating and Section 319 for cheating by personation. The exact sections depend on the facts.
Is a portal complaint the same as an FIR?
No. A complaint on cybercrime.gov.in helps freeze funds and starts the cyber system, but a police FIR is the formal criminal complaint that begins an investigation. For a serious cyber crime you should do both.