Cybercrime has emerged as a disturbingly widespread criminal offence transacted online through digital channels and technology systems. The vast dimension of cybercrime covers deceitful and sham emails, malware used by cyberattacks for monetary gains, social media interactions through fake profiles and users, deploying phishing attacks for dispatching malicious links or messages to fake sites to steal credit card numbers, passwords or user names or eCommerce or bank fraud and much more. New ways are being engineered by cyberattacks to defraud people and infiltrate online networks.
The Information Technology Act,2000 of India, asserts unequivocally that a complaint of cybercrime can be filed at any cyber cell because of its worldwide scope and jurisdiction. The aggrieved can report a crime to any cybercrime cell across India, wherever the occurrence of the crime may be or the residence of the victim lies. The enforcement of global authority under the Indian IT Act signifies that any cyber or e-crime perpetrated at any location globally that has its effect on a computer system or network across India, or is enacted by an individual in India, is subject to Indian law and can be inquired into by Indian authorities.
Filing of a complaint online can be done by accessing the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) or non-digitally by reporting to any cybercrime cell or by filing an FIR at your local police station if there is no presence of a cybercrime unit. The Helpline number is also available, and you can call up the dedicated complaint number, 155260, declared by the Ministry of Home Affairs from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on a business day.
The covering letter of the cybercrime application has to be directed to the Head of the Cybercrime cell and you should incorporate in your complaint the following:
- Your name, phone number, email ID, and address
- Thorough details concerning the cybercrime
- Supporting documents as substantiating evidence.
In case there is no cybercrime cell available in your city, you can lodge an FIR at the local police station. If there is no acceptance of your complaint, you can approach the Commissioner or the Judicial Magistrate of the city.
Filing a Cybercrime Complaint in India
The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal deals with transgressions related to hacking, online scams, financial fraud, identity theft, and cyberstalking or bullying. Users can make formal complaints on the website and upload the appropriate data.
There is no restrictive nature of the time limit or any fixed duration for filing a cybercrime complaint, but it is always recommended to report the incident promptly, particularly in the case of financial fraud, for a quick recovery of the losses. In the event of an online UPI or banking fraud, immediately informing within three days presents a favourable chance for full recovery and compensation. For various other cybercrimes, submission of a report within a week or a month is proposed.
You can start a complaint by dialling the helpline number 1930 and later registering it officially on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal within 24 hours. After dialling 1930 for reporting the incident, you receive an acknowledgement number through SMS. For formal registration of the complaint, you need to utilize the acknowledgement number to file the entire complaint with documents and proper information on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal within 24 hours.
The portal shows three options – Women-Children related crime, financial fraud and other cyber-crime. Complaints reported on this portal are dealt with by law enforcement agencies and are police based. You will find different sections when you access the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, namely: Register a Complaint, Suspect Data, and Track Your Complaint.
To file a complaint, you need to go to Register a Complaint where you view a checklist for the complainant. You are required to maintain all the information mentioned in the Checklist such as:
- Incident date and time
- Incident details: Maximum 1500 characters, Minimum: 200 characters
- Soft copy of any National ID: Voter ID, Driving License, PAN Card, Passport, Aadhar Card in PDF, JPEG, JPG, and PNG format.
In case of financial fraud, keep the following information ready and handy:
- Name of the Bank
- 12 Digit Transaction Number
- Date of Transaction
- Fraud Amount
- Soft copy of the relevant evidence related to the crime (not more than 10 MB each)
- Optional/Desirable Information: Suspected website URL, Social Media, suspect details (if necessary, such as Email ID, Mobile no, Bank A/C number, Address and soft copy of photograph of the suspect).
- If you are a new user, you have to enter your Login ID (preferably your Email ID), Mobile number, OTP Number, and select your State/City. Then click submit to get logged in.
After you are logged in, you will enter a new page which asks for the complete details of the incident related to the category of complaint, date and time of the incident, suspect details, and complainant details. Then click Preview and Submit.
Online financial frauds offer you several options on the portal, whether it is Debit or Credit Card fraud, SIM Swap, Demat, E-Wallet-related fraud, Internet Banking or UPI-related scam. Suppose you select UPI-related fraud under the sub-category of Complaint, you find queries like, Have you lost your money Yes or No, Victim Account Details. You have to select your Account details and the name of your bank from the Select option given. Let’s presume you select a digital wallet as the mode of payment and use PhonePe as your digital payment platform. You need to input your A/C number, Wallet Transaction ID, UTR Number-12 digits, the amount, the transaction date and time, and the reference number. After saving all these details, you will receive the account details of the victim.
If the fraud was committed from the same account number by the same person for a different amount, in that case, you only need to change the transaction ID, the amount details and the approximate time. After that, you need to click Add More. In case the fraud was enacted through a website, then mention the website URL; if through Telegram, then input the Telegram ID, supporting evidence, and upload media and a PDF image.
Stepwise Process to File a Cybercrime Complaint Online
Here we break down the procedure to file a cybercrime complaint online for you to follow:
- Access the website – https://cybercrime.gov.in and tap the ‘File a complaint’ button
- After accepting the terms and conditions on the subsequent page, navigate to the ‘Report other cybercrime’ button
- Choose the option of ‘citizen login’ and input the necessary information
- Submit the OTP, complete the captcha and tap the submit button
- On the following page, key in the information in the form. This segment is split into 4 portions. Preview the details completed and submit them.
- You will now be taken to a page that contains incident details. Fill in the details and supporting proof of the crime. Tap on ‘Save and Next’.
- The upcoming page will ask for details related to the alleged suspect, if there is any
- After completing all details, confirm it and tap submit.
Supporting Documents Depending on the Cyber Crime
Email Fraud and Abuse
- A written complaint stating the complete incident
- Copy of the questionable mail from the offender
- Complete the header of the suspicious mail
- Soft and hard copies of the email sequence
Fraudulent Online Financial Operations, ATM transactions, Net Banking
- Copies of Bank statements for the previous six months
- So-called fraudulent transactions that need attention
- Evidence of phishing SMS sent or questionable fraudulent email thread
- Address proof copy and ID proof as shown in the bank records
Data Breach and Theft Complaints
- Copy of the breach or stolen data, together with its copyright certificate
- Information about the employee or employees involved in the so-called data theft
- Appointment letter and NDA with the alleged employee
Conclusion
Filing an online complaint regarding a cybercrime has become more convenient and easier than before, due to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, and the emerging concern around cyber safety in an ever-growing online environment. Be it financial fraud, cyberbullying, identity theft or any kind of cybercrime and online malicious activity, an understanding of the lodging of a cyber complaint and reporting it is a fundamental start aimed at achieving justice and integrity. By subscribing to the given protocol of collecting evidence, selecting the appropriate category and filing your complaint, you are not only safeguarding yourself but also promoting the cause of a secure digital environment for all. After all, your voice matters, so remain informed and observant, and be proactive, as the law favours the aggrieved party, and so is the aiding technology.
