How to File FIR Online and Report Cybercrime in India

1. Understand what an online FIR actually means

If you have lost money or received frightening messages, the first priority is safety, not choosing the perfect legal label. An FIR is the police record of information disclosing a cognizable offence. An online complaint, a lost-property report and an FIR are different documents. A website may accept your information without immediately registering an FIR, so always check what the acknowledgement actually confirms and which police unit will handle it.

BNSS section 173 [CrPC section 154] governs information about cognizable offences. It permits electronic communication, with the information taken on record when signed within three days. Follow the receiving police authority’s instructions for completing that requirement. Do not assume that submitting a form, receiving an OTP or obtaining a complaint number necessarily completes every legal step required for registration in your particular state or Union territory.

2. Know which law applies after 1 July 2024

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 came into force on 1 July 2024. Conduct before that date remains governed by the applicable old substantive criminal law, including the IPC. The date of reporting does not retrospectively convert an earlier IPC offence into a BNS offence. Give police the incident dates accurately, especially where messages or transactions span the changeover.

Procedure requires a separate transition check. Investigations, inquiries, trials, applications and appeals already pending at commencement can continue under the CrPC because of the BNSS savings provision. Evidence law also has transitional savings. Cyber offences may additionally fall under the Information Technology Act, which was not replaced by the BNS. You need not identify every section yourself; a clear factual account is more useful than an inaccurate list of offences.

Need help with this? Read our guide to /advocates.

3. Take urgent steps after financial cyber fraud

Call 1930 promptly when you discover financial cyber fraud, and report the transaction to your bank or payment provider through an independently verified channel. Ask for a complaint reference and explain whether a card, account, wallet or UPI transaction is involved. Speed can help authorities and financial institutions attempt to interrupt movement of funds, but neither a helpline call nor a portal complaint guarantees that money will be recovered.

Complete the corresponding cybercrime portal complaint promptly and follow any instructions linked to your acknowledgement. Record transaction identifiers, amounts, times, beneficiary details and the number used by the caller. Secure compromised accounts using a trusted device, change exposed credentials and revoke suspicious access. Never give an OTP, PIN or screen-sharing access to someone claiming that another payment is necessary to release a refund or activate an investigation into your complaint.

4. File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in

Type cybercrime.gov.in directly into your browser rather than following an unsolicited advertisement or message. Select the reporting route that matches the incident and read the current instructions. The portal provides reporting options for financial fraud, other cybercrime and specified crimes against women and children. Some reporting options have different identification requirements. Do not assume that an anonymous reporting facility is available for every offence or that anonymous reporting guarantees individual case updates.

Describe what happened in chronological order: how contact began, what was promised or threatened, what you did, and when you discovered the problem. Enter contact details carefully so the responsible police agency can reach you. Upload relevant material within the portal’s current limits, review the submission and save the acknowledgement. State and Union territory law-enforcement agencies investigate complaints; the national portal is not itself a substitute for the investigating police agency.

5. Use state police services without confusing reports

For offences outside the cybercrime portal’s scope, check your state or Union territory police website for its citizen services. Availability differs: a service may offer electronic FIR registration for specified offences, general complaints, lost articles or appointment requests. Read the service description before submitting. Use only an official police portal, and avoid private websites that charge money while suggesting that they can guarantee registration or influence police action on your behalf.

If electronic reporting is unavailable or unsuitable, approach a police station with your account and supporting records. BNSS section 173 [CrPC section 154] expressly allows information irrespective of the area where the offence occurred, supporting registration commonly called a Zero FIR. Territorial questions should not prevent receipt of cognizable-offence information. Ask for an acknowledgement and, once an FIR is registered, the free copy available to the informant or victim under the provision.

6. Preserve evidence before it disappears

Keep original messages, emails, account statements, payment receipts and downloaded transaction records. Screenshots are useful, but preserve complete conversations and original files where possible. Record usernames, profile links, website addresses and the dates on which you accessed them. Do not edit screenshots to make them more persuasive or delete embarrassing parts of a conversation. Explain any missing information honestly, including whether a disappearing-message setting or account suspension affected what remains available.

The BSA governs electronic evidence in applicable new proceedings, while older pending proceedings may remain under the Indian Evidence Act. BSA section 63 [Indian Evidence Act section 65B] addresses admissibility requirements for specified electronic records, including certification. A lawyer can help identify what is required for the particular record. You do not need to solve every admissibility issue before reporting; preserve originals and tell investigators where the underlying data can be found.

7. Understand preliminary inquiries and registration

Not every report leads to the same immediate police response. BNSS section 173(3) introduces a specific route for offences punishable with three years or more but less than seven years: with prior permission from an officer not below Deputy Superintendent of Police, police may conduct a preliminary inquiry within fourteen days or proceed with investigation where a prima facie case exists. This is not a universal waiting period for every complaint.

In Lalita Kumari v. Government of Uttar Pradesh (2013), the Supreme Court explained the obligation to register an FIR where information discloses a cognizable offence under the earlier framework. Its principles must now be read alongside the express BNSS provisions where those apply. A factual dispute, a transaction between acquaintances or an overlapping civil remedy does not by itself answer whether criminal ingredients are present. Equally, an unpaid debt is not automatically cheating.

8. Escalate refusal through the lawful route

If the station refuses to record information disclosing a cognizable offence, retain a dated copy of what you submitted. BNSS section 173(4) [CrPC section 154(3)] allows the substance of the information to be sent in writing and by post to the Superintendent of Police concerned. Attach relevant documents and earlier acknowledgements, explain the refusal briefly, and keep delivery proof. Avoid threats, inflated allegations or repeated submissions containing materially different versions of events.

If that does not resolve the matter, seek advice about an application to the competent Magistrate under BNSS section 175(3) [CrPC section 156(3)]. The BNSS route includes an affidavit-supported application and procedural scrutiny; it is not simply an automatic instruction to register every grievance. A lawyer or legal-aid service can help distinguish this remedy from a private complaint and identify the correct court, supporting documents and necessary account of earlier police approaches.

9. Track the complaint and protect sensitive information

Use the portal’s official tracking facility and preserve the acknowledgement number securely. Ask the receiving police unit whether an FIR has been registered, which station holds it and who is handling the investigation. When submitting additional evidence, refer to the existing complaint so officers can connect the material. A portal status message may describe an administrative step rather than a final decision about guilt, recovery of money or closure of proceedings.

Avoid publishing identity documents, bank statements, intimate images or an accused person’s personal information on social media. Public posting can expose victims further, compromise evidence and create fresh legal problems. Share sensitive material through authorised channels and ask how it should be delivered safely. If someone claims to be an investigator, verify their identity through the police station’s independently obtained contact details before sending documents, paying anything or installing an application on your device.

10. Get support and keep expectations realistic

For immediate physical danger, contact emergency services or approach the nearest police station rather than relying only on an online submission. If intimate content, stalking or threats are involved, explain the immediate risk and ask about protective steps. Children and survivors of sexual offences may require additional statutory safeguards. A trusted support person can help organise documents and accompany you, but the account should remain your own rather than a rehearsed or embellished version.

Legal assistance is useful when registration is disputed, a bank account has been frozen, several jurisdictions are involved or you receive a police notice yourself. Ask the District Legal Services Authority about eligibility for free legal services if cost is a barrier. Keep a simple case folder with the complaint, acknowledgements, evidence index and follow-up dates. Reporting promptly improves the opportunity to investigate, but no responsible adviser can promise arrest, conviction or complete financial recovery.