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Clicked a scam link in India? Do this in the next hour.
Fake e-challans, KYC updates, electricity bills and parcel messages all end the same way: a page that asks for your card, UPI PIN or OTP. If you filled one in, the next hour decides whether the money can be stopped.
Lost money? Call 1930 now. It is the National Cyber Crime Helpline, and it can alert banks to freeze the money while it is still moving. You can also file at cybercrime.gov.in.
The first hour, in order
- Call 1930 if any money has left your account. Have the transaction ID or UTR number, the amount and the time ready. You'll find them in your bank or UPI app.
- Block the card and freeze UPI. Most bank apps can block a card from the cards menu. Call your bank's official number, printed on your card or shown in its app, never one from the SMS or from a web search. Ask them to block net banking too if you typed those details.
- Report the transaction as fraud in writing. Use the bank's app, email or branch and keep the complaint number. Under RBI rules, if the fraud wasn't caused by your own negligence, reporting within three working days means zero liability for you. If you shared an OTP or PIN, the loss is yours until you report it, so don't wait.
- Change passwords and your UPI PIN from the official apps, and sign out of other devices.
- Uninstall any app they asked you to install, such as AnyDesk, QuickSupport, TeamViewer or an ".apk" file sent on WhatsApp. These let a scammer read your OTPs and screen.
- File the complaint on cybercrime.gov.in the same day, even after calling 1930. Keep the acknowledgement number for your bank.
Only received the message, and didn't click or pay? Report the SMS, call or WhatsApp on Chakshu, on the Sanchar Saathi portal. That route is for reporting the message itself. For lost money, always use 1930.
How the common scams work
Fake traffic e-challan
An SMS says you have an unpaid traffic fine and links to a copy of the Parivahan site. The real one lives on parivahan.gov.in. Any other domain asking for your card is fake.
KYC update / account blocked
"Your account will be blocked today, update your KYC." Banks don't block accounts by SMS link. KYC is updated in the bank's own app or at a branch.
Electricity bill disconnection
"Your power will be cut tonight at 9:30 pm, call this officer." The "officer" asks you to install a screen-sharing app or pay a small amount through a link.
Parcel held / India Post
"Your package could not be delivered, the address is incomplete." The link asks for a small redelivery fee to capture your card details.
UPI refund or "receive money"
You are asked to enter your UPI PIN to "receive" a refund. A PIN is only ever needed to send money. Entering it to receive means you are paying.
Tax refund / reward points
"Income tax refund of Rs 15,490 approved" or "your credit card points expire today". Real refunds go to your bank account automatically. Points are redeemed in the bank's own app.
Signs a page is fake
- The address isn't the real one. Government sites end in .gov.in or .nic.in, and banks are moving to .bank.in. parivahan-challan-pay.in is not parivahan.gov.in.
- It asks for a card number, CVV, UPI PIN or OTP to "verify", "unblock" or "receive" something.
- It is urgent: tonight, within 24 hours, before court action.
PhishClean warns you before you type. It flags look-alike bank and government domains, and fake e-challan, KYC, electricity and parcel pages that ask for card, UPI or OTP details. All checks run on your device.