Guides
What to do now
Practical, sourced guides for anyone in India hit by a scam, a fraud or a data breach: UPI fraud, digital arrest calls, loan apps, lost phones, police refusing an FIR, extortion emails and more.
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In this section
Clicked a scam link? What to do depends on what you did next
Open report
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Life certificate season: the fake 'pension office' call that asks for your PPO number and OTP
Open report2026 / Guide
Sent money to the wrong UPI ID or number? How to ask for it back, and where to complain
Open report
2026 / Guide
UPI charge delayed to after Diwali: who pays the 0.4% fee, and fake 'UPI fee' messages to spot
Open report
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Fake cracker websites before Diwali: big discounts, pay-first links, crackers that never come
Open report
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FASTag annual pass scam: fake sites selling the ₹3,075 pass, and the official way to buy it
Open report
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LIC and insurance 'bonus' calls and a fake Bima Bharosa complaint site: what IRDAI says
Open report
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Private video or deepfake of you going viral? How to stop copies and get it removed fast
Open report
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The 'Boss Scam': a hijacked WhatsApp orders an urgent payment. A call-back checklist for firms
Open report
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Fake government job letter? How to check a recruitment notice before paying a 'joining fee'
Open report
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Instagram or Facebook hacked, or a fake profile of you? How to recover, and the 2-hour rule
Open report
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Loan taken in your name? How to check loans on your PAN, dispute them and claim ₹100 a day
Open report
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Money withdrawn with your fingerprint, no OTP? AePS fraud explained, and how to stop it
Open report
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Festival scam calendar: October–November 2026 dates and the scams that ride on them
Open report
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Installed an app from a link or ad? How Accessibility malware takes over phones, and what to do
Open report
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Police won't register your cyber-fraud FIR? e-Zero FIR, the SP and the Magistrate route
Open report
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WhatsApp hacked? GhostPairing, fake ZIP files, a friend's code request, and how to get it back
Open report
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LPG e-KYC from 1 October: what really changes, and the fake 'gas connection blocked' calls
Open report
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Navratri garba: fake passes, 'rent a garba partner' ads police flagged, and pay-first links
Open report
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Phone lost or stolen? The first-hour checklist for SIM, UPI and bank apps, then the CEIR block
Open report
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Fake UP/DOWN trading games: the early win, the losses and the blocked withdrawal
Open report
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Crypto airdrop scams: how a 'free token' claim empties a wallet, and what to check first
Open report
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Crypto scams in India: how they work, how to check an exchange and what to do if you lose money
Open report
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Fake SIP and mutual fund scams: how to check your money is really invested
Open report
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Fake IPO allotment scams: WhatsApp 'VIP quotas', institutional accounts and payment traps
Open report
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Aadhaar or PAN leaked in a data breach? How to lock it down and check for misuse
Open report
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Bank account frozen by cyber police? What to do if you received tainted money without knowing
Open report
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How to get money back after cyber fraud: the real routes, the odds and 'recovery' scams
Open report
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Digital arrest scam: how to recognise the call, what to do on it, and what to do if you paid
Open report
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Electricity disconnection SMS scam: how to spot the fake 'power cut tonight' message
Open report
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Phone suddenly shows no service? What to do about SIM-swap and eSIM fraud in India
Open report
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Fake e-challan scam: how to check a traffic fine before you pay or tap a link
Open report
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Festive sale scams: how to spot fake shopping sites, gift links and delivery tricks
Open report
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Income tax refund scam SMS: how to spot fake messages and check your real status
Open report
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Infostealer infection: what to do, in the right order
Open report
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Is this a scam? How to check a phone number, link, app, adviser or UPI ID in India
Open report
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Harassed by a loan app? How to check a lender first, and where to complain in India
Open report
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Money on hold after a 1930 complaint? How frozen funds are released back to victims
Open report
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Cyber crime complaint status 'pending'? How to track an NCRP complaint and what to do next
Open report
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Lost money to online fraud? RBI's new refund rules from 1 January 2027, explained
Open report
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Blackmailed after a video call? What to do about sextortion, and how to get the clip taken down
Open report
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ShinyHunters emailed me: what to do about an extortion or sextortion threat
Open report
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Invited to a stock tips WhatsApp group? How to check it before you send a rupee
Open report
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Train ticket scams: fake IRCTC apps, 'confirmed Tatkal' agents and refund calls
Open report
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Lost money in a UPI fraud? What to do in the first hour, and how to complain on 1930
Open report
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