Cyber fraud complaint letter for the police or cyber cell
If you have lost money to online fraud, call 1930 immediately and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in: the first hours matter most for freezing the money. Then use this letter to give a written complaint to your police station or cyber cell with every transaction, the fraudster’s details and your acknowledgement number.
It asks for an FIR and for the money to be frozen.
Last updated: Reviewed by IndiaDigital editorsSources
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This is a general format to save you time, not legal advice. Read every clause, change what does not fit your situation, and for a dispute or a large amount, consult a lawyer.
What is a cyber fraud complaint?
A written complaint to the Station House Officer or the cyber crime cell about online financial fraud: UPI, card, fake job or task offers, fake investment schemes, KYC or OTP fraud and similar. It sets out what happened, a table of transactions with UTR numbers, the fraudster’s phone numbers, UPI IDs and websites, what you have already reported on 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in, and a request to register an FIR and freeze the money.
When do you need a cyber fraud complaint?
- Money left your account through a UPI request, link, screen-sharing app or OTP you were tricked into sharing.
- You paid for a fake job, task, loan or investment scheme.
- Your debit or credit card was used for transactions you did not make.
- The police station or bank asks for a written complaint in addition to the portal complaint.
Documents needed for a cyber fraud complaint
- Transaction details: date, amount and UTR or transaction ID for each payment.
- Bank statement or passbook entries showing the debits.
- Screenshots of chats, call logs, SMS, the website or app, and the fraudster’s UPI IDs and numbers.
- The acknowledgement number from 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in, if you have one.
- Your identity proof.
How to make a cyber fraud complaint: stamp paper, signing, submitting
- Call 1930 at once and report the fraud. Then file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in and note the acknowledgement number.
- Call your bank to block the card or UPI and ask them to raise a dispute for the transactions.
- Fill this form with what happened, every transaction and what you know about the fraudster.
- Print two copies, sign them and submit one at your police station or the district cyber cell with the screenshots and statement.
- Get the other copy stamped as received, or note the complaint or FIR number. You are entitled to a free copy of an FIR.
- Keep all screenshots and messages. Do not delete the chats, and do not pay anyone who offers to recover your money for a fee.
Common mistakes
- Waiting before calling 1930. Money moves through several accounts within hours.
- Missing UTR numbers. Copy them from your UPI app or bank SMS; they are how banks trace the money.
- Deleting chats or blocking the fraudster before taking screenshots.
- Paying “recovery agents” who promise to get the money back. This is a common second fraud.
Questions people ask
What should I do first after an online fraud?
Call the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 immediately, then file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. Quick reporting gives the best chance of the money being frozen in the receiving accounts. A written complaint to the police supports the portal complaint.
Can I file at any police station?
Yes. Under the BNSS 2023 information about an offence can be given at any police station whatever the place of the offence (zero FIR). Many districts also have a cyber police station or cyber cell.
Will I get my money back?
It depends on how fast the money was frozen and on the investigation. Refunds of frozen money usually need an order or a process through the police and the bank. Report quickly and keep every record.
What is a UTR number?
The Unique Transaction Reference is a 12-digit number that identifies a UPI or bank transfer. It appears in your UPI app’s transaction details and often in the bank SMS.
Is my data safe?
Yes. The form, preview, Word and PDF are made inside your browser on this device. Nothing you type, including bank and transaction details, is uploaded. This is a drafting aid, not legal advice.
Sources and last check
- Cyber fraud: 1930 helpline and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (verified 30 Oct 2026)
For money lost to online fraud, call 1930 at once (the first hours matter most for freezing the money) and file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. Keep transaction IDs, screenshots and the fraudster’s numbers or UPI IDs. A written complaint to the police station or cyber cell supports the portal complaint.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (MHA, I4C) · Sanchar Saathi: Chakshu (report suspected fraud calls and messages)
- Police complaints and FIRs under the BNSS 2023 (verified 30 Oct 2026)
Since 1 July 2024 FIRs are registered under section 173 of the BNSS (it replaced section 154 CrPC). Information can be given at any police station whatever the place of the offence (zero FIR), or by electronic communication, which is taken on record once the informant signs it within three days. The informant gets a free copy of the FIR. Many state police websites accept a lost article report online; that report is often enough for duplicate documents and SIM replacement.
India Code: Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, section 173 · Ministry of Home Affairs: new criminal laws
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