If you've been scammed in P2P or had funds stolen via account compromise, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal is the right starting point. The procedure is clear, but speed is the deciding factor in whether you recover anything.
When to file
Within 24-48 hours of discovery if at all possible. Banks can place transaction-level holds on outgoing funds during this window — after that, the money has typically been moved through 3-5 hops and is much harder to trace.
How to file
Go to cybercrime.gov.in. Use 'Report Other Cyber Crime' (or 'Financial Fraud' depending on the category). Provide: full incident description, all transaction IDs (UTRs, Tx hashes), screenshots, KYC details, contact information.
Save the complaint reference number. You'll receive a follow-up call from the assigned police station within 7 days, sometimes faster.
What to provide the police
Trade history showing the original legitimate trade. UTR of every transfer. Exchange chat history if relevant. Counterparty's KYC name and ID (visible on the trade).
Bank statement showing the affected outflows. Cybercrime cell will work with the receiving bank's nodal officer to attempt freezing.
Realistic outcomes
Quick filing (under 24 hrs): 30-50% recovery is reasonable expectation if funds haven't been laundered too far.
Slow filing (1-2 weeks): recovery rate drops to 5-15%.
Months later: typically 0%, but the police record is valuable for tax/dispute purposes.
Key takeaways
- File at cybercrime.gov.in within 24-48 hours.
- Speed is the single biggest factor in recovery.
- Provide trade history, UTRs, KYC, screenshots — the full chain.
- Even late filing creates a police record that helps later.
