Reporting cybercrime in India involves following certain procedures to ensure that the authorities are aware of the incident and can take appropriate action
Post Date – 12:45 AM, Tue – 27 June 23
Reporting cybercrime in India requires following certain procedures to ensure that the authorities are aware of the incident and can take appropriate action. Here are steps you can take to report cybercrime in India:
* Gather as much cybercrime-related evidence as possible, including screenshots, emails, chat logs, bank transaction records, video and audio conversations, or any other relevant information mentioned below that can support your complaint.
(1) Event
(a) Means of communication (Internet, social media platforms, etc.) (b) Date and time (c) Evidence of upload (screenshot of payment bank statement for financial fraud. For harassment or any other behavior, please attach relevant screenshot , pictures, audio, video, etc.)
(2) Suspicious details (if any)
(1) Name of the suspect
(b) Identity (mobile phone, email, social media URL, etc.)
(c) Location (workplace, etc.)
(3) Details of the complainant
(a) full name and supporting details (father, spouse, guardian, etc.)
(b) Email address/telephone number
(c) Address and proof of identity (Aadhar etc.)
* Please contact your nearest local police station or the cybercrime unit of the respective police station. Provide them with a written complaint with all relevant details, including the nature of the offence, the date and time of the incident and the evidence you have gathered.
* Attach copies of any relevant documents or evidence to your complaint. Ideally, you list the evidence of the crimes that happened to you in order.
* Please inquire about the progress of your complaint/FIR/petition and follow up regularly with the investigating officer assigned to your case. Keep a record of the officer’s name, contact information, and any reference number provided to you.
* Make sure to retain all relevant evidence related to cybercrime, including emails, messages or any other digital content.
Related Portals for Cybercrime Reporting:
There are some specific portals in India where different types of cybercrime can be reported:
* Cybercrime related fraud: To report cyber fraud such as defamation, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, obscenity, pornography, sextortion and phishing scams, please use https://www.cybercrime.gov.in/.
* Financial Internet fraud: For financial Internet fraud, you can call 1930. The Citizens Financial Online Fraud Reporting and Management System will help freeze scammers’ funds.
* Cyber Security and Cyber Terrorism: Incidents can be reported through the website of the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) https://cert-in.org.in
* Lost or Stolen Mobile Phone: To report a lost or stolen mobile phone, you can use the Central Equipment Identity Registration (CEIR) Portal: https://ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in/Home/index.jsp.
* Unauthorized use of mobile service: If you suspect that someone is using your credentials to use mobile service without your consent, you can report it at https://tafcop.sancharsaathi.gov.in/telecomUser/
* The One Country One Ombudsman scheme allows complaints to be filed when you accidentally or unintentionally use UPI to transfer money to others. (a) File a complaint with the appropriate UPI service provider (b) Call the toll-free number 14448 (c) Log on to the portal: https://cms.rbi.org.in and file a complaint (d) Email a complaint to CRPC@ rbi.org.in
* UPI Dispute Resolution Mechanism (NPCI) – File a complaint against UPI transactions https://www.npci.org.in/what-we-do/upi/dispute-redressal-mechanism
Internet Security Tips:
* Create strong passwords by combining uppercase letters, lowercase letters, special characters and numbers.
* Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
* Enable WPA2 or WPA3 encryption for your Wi-Fi router to ensure data transmission security, never use public Wi-Fi
* Check and adjust the privacy settings on your social media accounts to control the information you share
* Only download software, apps and files from reputable sources like Play Store/App Store
* Regularly backup important files and data to external hard drive/cloud storage
* Stay informed about digital wellbeing and the latest online scams and best security practices
Grievance Appeals Committee:
For all social media scams, please report them from the appropriate social media portal for resolution. If you are not satisfied with the solution they provided, you can report it at https://gac.gov.in/.
