"Digital arrest" does not exist under Indian law. No agency, CBI, customs, police or otherwise, can arrest you or hold you in virtual custody over a video call. If you have received such a call threatening you over money laundering, illegal parcels or a pending case, do not transfer any money and do not stay on the call out of fear. This is a scripted psychological scam that has defrauded Indians of thousands of crores. If you or someone you know has already been targeted or has lost money, here is exactly what to do next, and in what order.
Step 1: Call the 1930 cyber helpline immediately
Speed matters more than anything else in financial cyber fraud. Do not wait to consult a lawyer or visit a police station first.
- Dial 1930, the National Cybercrime Helpline, as soon as you realise you have transferred money to a fraudster.
- Have ready: your bank account details, the transaction reference number (UTR) for the transfer, and any account details of the fraudster that you have.
- If reported within the "golden hour" (the first few hours after the transfer), the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System can request an immediate freeze on the funds in the fraudster's account before they are withdrawn.
Step 2: File a complaint on the cybercrime portal
After the 1930 call is logged, you should receive an acknowledgment number by SMS. Follow up with a formal written complaint:
- Go to cybercrime.gov.in and register an account.
- File a complaint under the "Financial Fraud" category.
- Upload every piece of evidence you have: call recordings or logs, screenshots of the video call or chat, any fake identity documents the scammers showed you, and your bank transaction receipts.
Step 3: File an FIR for significant amounts
For a meaningful loss, convert your online complaint into a formal First Information Report (FIR) at your local Cyber Police Station. Many cities, including Delhi, have dedicated Cyber Police Stations by district. An advocate can help ensure the FIR correctly invokes the applicable provisions, which will typically include cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (formerly Section 420 IPC), and impersonation offences since the fraudsters posed as police or government officials, alongside identity-theft and computer-fraud provisions under the Information Technology Act. The exact sections depend on the specific facts of your case, so have your advocate confirm the applicable provisions rather than assuming a fixed list.
Do you need a lawyer for a digital arrest scam?
Calling 1930 and filing the online complaint are things you can and should do yourself, immediately, without waiting for a lawyer. But freezing a fraudster's account is not the same as getting your money back. Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 (which replaced the CrPC), releasing frozen funds back to you generally requires an application before the jurisdictional Magistrate. This is the step where an advocate practising in your local trial courts becomes necessary: filing the formal application, tracking the case, and following up with the bank once the court order comes through.
How can you recognise the scam before it starts?
Genuine law enforcement and courts do not conduct arrests, interrogations or "verification" proceedings over WhatsApp or Skype video calls, and they do not ask you to stay on a call while transferring money to a "government" or "RBI" account for "verification" that will supposedly be refunded. Any call combining urgency, secrecy ("do not tell your family"), and a request to move money is a scam pattern, regardless of how convincing the uniform, ID card, or background on screen looks.
What if a scammer uses a deepfake video or voice of someone I know?
Deepfake impersonation is now covered by the amended IT Rules, 2026, which require platforms to remove non-consensual deepfake and impersonating content within 2 hours of a valid complaint. See our guide to the 2026 IT Rules deepfake takedown deadlines for how to get that content removed alongside reporting the financial fraud itself.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Applicable FIR sections and court procedure depend on the specific facts of your case; consult a qualified advocate promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Is "digital arrest" a real legal power in India?
No. There is no provision under Indian law, including the BNSS, that allows any agency to arrest a person over a video call or hold them under virtual house arrest. Any call threatening this is a scam, regardless of how official the caller sounds or looks.
What is the "golden hour" in cyber fraud reporting?
It refers to the short window, typically a few hours, after a fraudulent transfer during which the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System can still request banks to freeze the funds in the recipient account before they are withdrawn. Reporting to the 1930 helpline immediately, rather than waiting to consult a lawyer first, meaningfully improves recovery chances.
Do I need to file an FIR, or is the online complaint enough?
For smaller amounts, the online complaint on cybercrime.gov.in may be sufficient for the portal to act on freezing funds. For significant amounts, or if you want a formal criminal investigation, you should also file a First Information Report (FIR) at your local Cyber Police Station, which is a separate step from the portal complaint.
How do I get money released after it has been frozen?
Freezing a fraudster's account does not automatically return your money. Release requires an application before the jurisdictional Magistrate, generally under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, asking the court to direct the bank to release the frozen funds to you as the rightful owner. This step is where most victims engage an advocate.
What if the scammer already withdrew the money before it could be frozen?
Recovery becomes considerably harder once funds are withdrawn or moved across multiple accounts, but it is not automatically hopeless. Continue to cooperate with the cyber police investigation, preserve every piece of evidence, and consult an advocate about what recovery options, if any, remain available on the facts of your case.