What 1930 is
The helpline 1930 is part of the system that the Ministry of Home Affairs runs through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre. In replies in Parliament the Ministry describes it as a toll-free helpline number operationalised to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints. Two other parts of the system work with it. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in lets the public report all types of cyber crime, with a special focus on crimes against women and children. The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, launched in 2021, is meant for immediate reporting of financial fraud, so that the siphoning off of funds can be stopped.
Call 1930 · How to report a cyber crime online
When to call
Call as soon as a cyber fraud is discovered, and above all where money has left the account. The Ministry’s alert on digital arrest scams says that on receipt of such calls citizens should immediately report the incident on 1930 or www.cybercrime.gov.in for assistance, and the same applies to other frauds that move money, such as a payment made after a call from someone posing as a bank officer. The reasoning is speed: the reporting system exists to stop funds being moved on from one account to another. The way a scam of that kind works is described on the page on the digital arrest scam.
Have these items ready before the call, and write them down if the call is stressful.
| Item | What to have |
|---|---|
| What happened | A short account in order: what was seen or received, what the person did and when each thing happened. |
| The other party | Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, user names, profile links, website addresses, account numbers and any name used. |
| Money | The amount, the date and time, the transaction reference number, the bank or payment provider and the account the money went to. |
| Your details | A correct mobile number and e-mail address, because the police of the State or Union Territory will contact the complainant. |
The order of action in the first hour
The sources are clear that speed matters and that several bodies are involved. The order below puts the steps in the sequence in which they help most, with the document each rests on.
| Step | What | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop the money | Tell the bank or payment provider at once, through its helpline, app or branch. | The Reserve Bank’s circular of 6 July 2017 tells banks to ask customers to notify an unauthorised transaction at the earliest, says that the longer the time taken the higher the risk of loss, and requires the bank to take immediate steps to prevent further unauthorised transactions once it is told. |
| 2 | Call 1930 or report on the portal | Call 1930, or report on cybercrime.gov.in. | The Ministry of Home Affairs advises reporting immediately on 1930 or www.cybercrime.gov.in, and the financial fraud reporting system exists to stop funds being moved on. |
| 3 | Keep the proof | Do not delete messages, call records, e-mails or the bank statement, and take screenshots of pages and profiles. | The proof is what lets the police of the State or Union Territory take the matter up, and a deleted message or call record cannot be brought back. |
| 4 | Note the reference | Write down the complaint or reference number that is given. | It is the way to follow up, and the police of the State or Union Territory take the matter up from there. |
| 5 | Follow up with the bank | Ask the bank to credit the amount if the transaction was unauthorised, in writing. | Under the 2017 circular the bank must credit the amount within ten working days of a notification of an unauthorised transaction, and resolve the complaint within the time in its Board-approved policy, not exceeding ninety days. |
| 6 | Escalate if the bank does not resolve it | Complain to the Reserve Bank Ombudsman after thirty days, or earlier if the bank has replied and the answer is not accepted. | Under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 the complaint must first go to the bank, and reach the Ombudsman within ninety days after the bank’s reply period or last communication. |
The detail of the bank’s duties and the time limits is on the page on a UPI fraud complaint.
What the Ministry reports
The Ministry of Home Affairs has reported the amount saved through the financial fraud reporting system at three dates, in its replies in Parliament and in a release of the Press Information Bureau.
| Figure | Late 2024 | March 2025 | December 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported saved through the financial fraud reporting system | More than Rs 3,431 crore in more than 9.94 lakh complaints (27 November 2024) | More than Rs 4,386 crore in more than 13.36 lakh complaints (March 2025) | More than Rs 7,130 crore in more than 23.02 lakh complaints (2 December 2025) |
The same reply of 2 December 2025 records 1,029,026 incidents registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in 2022, 1,596,493 in 2023 and 2,268,346 in 2024. The Ministry does not state a rate of success for any single complaint, or a time within which an amount is returned. Police and public order are State subjects, and what happens to a complaint after it is registered, including the FIR, the charge-sheet and the arrest, is for the State or Union Territory police.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1930 helpline?
It is the toll-free cyber crime helpline of the Government of India. The Ministry of Home Affairs says it has been operationalised to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints, and it works with the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System under the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.
When should I call 1930?
Immediately after a cyber fraud, particularly where money has been taken. In its alert on digital arrest scams the Ministry advises that on receipt of such calls a person should immediately report the incident on 1930 or www.cybercrime.gov.in.
Is 1930 free?
The Ministry describes it as a toll-free number.
What happens after I call 1930?
The helpline gives assistance in lodging the complaint online. Incidents reported on the portal are handled by the State or Union Territory police, which convert them into FIRs and take further action under the law. The Ministry states that police and public order are State subjects and that States and Union Territories are primarily responsible for investigating and prosecuting cyber crime.
What should I tell the operator?
The account of what happened in order, the identifiers of the other party such as phone numbers, links and account numbers, and the money: the amount, date and time, the transaction reference and the bank or account the money went to.