If you have lost money online
Act within hours, not days. Report the fraud on the national cyber crime helpline 1930 or at cybercrime.gov.in, and inform your bank immediately so the money can be traced and held where possible. Keep screenshots of messages, transaction IDs and the numbers or links used.
Matters I handle
- Online banking, UPI, investment and job frauds
- Identity theft and cheating by personation under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000
- Hacked email and social media accounts
- Sextortion, morphed images and online harassment
- Online defamation and removal of unlawful content
- Defence of those accused in cyber offences
- Unfreezing of bank accounts frozen in cyber complaints
For businesses
Data protection, website terms, privacy policies and response to data breaches are increasingly legal questions. I advise on these alongside the related contracts.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I report an online fraud?
Call the national cyber crime helpline 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in as soon as possible, and inform your bank at once so the money can be traced and held.
My bank account has been frozen in a cyber complaint. What can I do?
Find out which agency asked for the freeze and on what complaint, then approach that agency and, where needed, the court for release of the account or of the amount not connected with the complaint.
Someone is circulating morphed photos of me. What are my options?
Preserve the evidence, report it on the platform and to the police, and ask the platform's grievance officer to remove the content. Offences under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita may apply.
Can lost money be recovered?
Recovery depends largely on how quickly the fraud is reported. Amounts held in the receiving accounts can be released to the victim through the bank, the police and the court.