Secure your accounts

Pick what went wrong. Each list is in the order that actually matters: the first step is the one that stops the damage spreading.

Do this from a device you trust. If the phone or computer involved might be compromised, use a different one; a family member’s is fine.

If you have already reported something

The follow-up call is its own scam, and it is the one people lose the most to. It is worth five minutes before it happens rather than after.

The call that comes afterSomeone will offer to get your money back. They will know your name and the amount. Here is the whole script, and what to say.

Take back an account

Step-by-step recovery for the accounts that get taken over most. Each one ends on the platform's own security page. We cannot change your password for you.

Habits that prevent most of this

Five things that stop the majority of what gets reported here. None of them takes more than a minute.

Nobody legitimate asks for an OTP
Not your bank, not the police, not this portal. An OTP request is the single clearest sign of fraud.
Never install an app someone asks you to install on a call
Screen-sharing and remote-access apps are how money leaves accounts while the victim watches.
Verify using a number you already have
Not the number that called you, and not one from the message. Use the number on your card or your last statement.
Use an authenticator app rather than SMS
A swapped SIM cannot intercept a code that never travels over the network.
Check your UPI mandates every few months
A recurring mandate set up once can keep pulling money for months.