How to claim RBI digital fraud compensation in 2027: steps and timelines
Claim RBI 2027 digital fraud compensation: 5-day bank + 1930 filing, 45/60-day bank clocks, zero liability vs ₹25,000 payout steps, checklist, and FAQs.
If your loss was in 2026 or earlier, read this first: Lost money to fraud in 2026? Why RBI’s 2027 compensation cut-off matters.
Who this complete guide is for
This is the practical claim guide for RBI’s revised digital fraud liability framework that applies to electronic banking transactions from 1 January 2027. Use it when money has left your account through a scam-linked UPI, card, net-banking, or similar electronic banking transaction (EBT), and you need to know exactly what to do, in what order, and by which deadline.
For the big-picture policy explanation, start with RBI digital fraud compensation from 2027: what Indian customers must know. This page is the how-to.
Always cross-check the latest text on rbi.org.in and your bank’s published customer-liability policy. Banks implement RBI Directions through their own forms and portals.
First, identify which track you are on
Under the Amendment Directions, outcomes usually fall into one of these tracks after the bank examines your complaint:
Track A — Zero liability + reversal
You can get full reversal (value-dated) when:
- the fraudulent EBT is due to bank negligence / deficiency, or
- it is an unauthorised fraudulent EBT from a third-party breach and you report it to the bank within five calendar days of occurrence.
After you report, further unauthorised loss on that trail is generally borne by the bank.
Track B — Small-value compensation (the “85% / ₹25,000” route)
This is the pilot-style compensation for bona fide individual victims (including sole proprietors) when the case sits in the customer-negligence / compensation pathway and:
- gross loss ≤ ₹50,000, and
- you reported to the bank and to 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in within five calendar days, and
- the bank establishes the loss as bona fide.
Payout: 85% of net loss, or ₹25,000, whichever is less — once in a lifetime.
Net loss = gross loss − recoveries already credited.
Track C — Limited / denied outcome
Late reporting, failed bona fides checks, or facts showing higher customer liability can mean partial or no payout under these rules. The bank must still examine the complaint and, if rejecting, explain why.
You do not choose the track yourself. You file correctly and fast; the bank classifies liability. Your job is to protect eligibility and evidence.
Absolute timelines (pin these)
| Clock | What you must do / what the bank must do |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Fraudulent EBT occurs (date of the transaction). |
| Within 5 calendar days | Report to your bank (24x7 channel) and to 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in. Required for small-value compensation eligibility; also critical for third-party-breach zero liability. |
| As soon as complaint is received | Bank should acknowledge with complaint number + date/time, and take steps to stop further unauthorised EBTs. |
| Within 5 calendar days of notification (credit cards) | Where applicable, bank provides shadow reversal of the disputed amount (temporary credit you generally cannot spend). |
| Within 45 calendar days of bank receiving complaint | Domestic fraudulent EBT: bank examines, establishes liability, and responds. |
| Within 60 calendar days | Cross-border fraudulent EBT: same bank response outer limit. |
| Within 5 calendar days of your compensation application | If eligible under the small-value mechanism and the bank gives you the claim form after examination, bank pays the compensation after receiving your application. |
| Pilot window | Small-value compensation applies to eligible fraudulent EBTs occurring for up to one year from the Directions’ effective date (1 Jan 2027). |
Source anchors: RBI press release and Commercial Banks Amendment Directions notification.
Step-by-step: how to claim (do this in order)
Step 1 — Stop the bleeding (same hour if possible)
- Open your official bank / UPI app and freeze UPI, cards, or net banking if the controls exist.
- Call the bank fraud number from the back of your debit card or the bank’s official website — not from a missed-call / WhatsApp number.
- Change UPI PIN / app password from a device you trust.
- If anyone asked you to install AnyDesk / TeamViewer “for refund,” uninstall and hang up — see Bank asked you to install AnyDesk for a UPI refund? That call is a scam.
Step 2 — Report to the bank (starts the bank clock)
Use a channel that creates a timestamped acknowledgement:
- in-app “unauthorised / fraudulent transaction” report
- phone banking / toll-free fraud desk
- SMS reply number shown in the debit alert (if provided)
- dedicated fraud email / branch escalation if digital channels fail
Save:
- complaint / reference number
- date and time of reporting
- name/ID of the agent if you called
- screenshots of the acknowledgement screen or SMS
Ask the bank to block further debits and to treat the case as a fraudulent EBT complaint under the customer-liability framework.
Step 3 — Report on 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in (same day if you can)
For the small-value compensation path, reporting on the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in within five calendar days is a stated condition.
When filing:
- enter each UTR / transaction ID
- upload SMS alerts and screenshots
- note scammer phone numbers, UPI IDs, URLs
- download / screenshot the acknowledgement number
Keep the cybercrime acknowledgement with the bank complaint — you will need both.
Broader process tips: How to Report a Cyber Crime in India: Where to Go, What to Expect.
Step 4 — Build your evidence pack (Day 0–2)
Create one folder (phone + email to yourself):
- bank SMS / email alerts for every debit
- UPI / card / net-banking transaction history PDF
- chat screenshots (WhatsApp, SMS, email) with the scammer
- fake website URLs, APK names, caller numbers
- your cybercrime acknowledgement
- your bank complaint acknowledgement
- note of when you first noticed the fraud
Clear evidence helps the bank establish bona fides faster.
Step 5 — Wait for the bank’s examination (up to 45 / 60 days)
The bank must examine the complaint, classify liability, and respond within:
- 45 calendar days (domestic), or
- 60 calendar days (cross-border).
Possible outcomes:
- Zero liability → reversal details (value-dated).
- Eligible for small-value compensation → bank provides the prescribed application form for compensation.
- Rejected / customer liability established → bank must give reasons and supporting details.
If the bank misses the outer timeline, keep a written follow-up (app chat + email) citing the complaint number and the 45/60-day requirement. Escalate inside the bank’s grievance redressal ladder if needed.
Step 6 — If you get the compensation form, file it immediately
When the bank is satisfied the complaint is bona fide and falls under the small-value mechanism:
- Fill the bank’s compensation application form completely.
- Attach the cybercrime acknowledgement and bank complaint proof if asked.
- Submit through the channel the bank specifies (branch / email / portal).
- Keep a stamped/PDF copy of what you submitted.
Payout clock: the customer’s bank should compensate within five calendar days of receiving that application (for eligible cases under the Directions).
Expected amount examples:
- Lost ₹10,000, no recovery → 85% = ₹8,500
- Lost ₹40,000, no recovery → capped at ₹25,000
- Lost ₹40,000, ₹15,000 recovered before compensation → net ₹25,000 → 85% = ₹21,250
Step 7 — After payout or rejection
If paid: watch for later recoveries. If money is recovered after compensation, the bank recalculates net loss and adjusts amounts among you, RBI, and banks as per the Directions’ illustrations.
If rejected: ask for the written reason. Check whether you still have a banking ombudsman / RBI grievance path available for your case type, and whether a police / cybercrime investigation is continuing. Rejection under the small-value pilot does not erase the underlying crime complaint.
Lifetime rule: this small-value compensation is once in a lifetime for you as an individual (joint-account claims also consume that eligibility in the way the Directions prescribe).
Eligibility checklist (print this)
You are in the strongest position for small-value compensation if all of these are true:
- You are an individual / sole proprietor (not filing as a company claim under this pocket)
- Gross loss on the complaint is ≤ ₹50,000
- Transaction date is on/after 1 Jan 2027 and within the compensation mechanism’s operative window
- You reported to the bank within 5 calendar days
- You reported on 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in within 5 calendar days
- You can show it was a real scam loss (bona fide), not a gift/known transfer
- You have not already taken this lifetime compensation earlier
For zero-liability reversal, focus on bank negligence or third-party-breach facts plus the 5-day bank report where that track requires it.
What usually breaks claims
- Waiting more than five calendar days “to see if money comes back”
- Reporting only to friends / only on Twitter, not to the bank channel that logs a complaint
- Skipping 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in
- Sharing OTP/PIN again during a “refund recovery” callback
- No UTR / no screenshots
- Assuming every scam automatically pays 85% without bank examination
Prevention still matters. Patterns that create these losses are covered in The UPI Trap: How ₹500 Becomes ₹50,000 in One Click and Online Banking Fraud: Why Your Bank Won't Save You (And What Will).
Sample message you can send your bank (Day 0–1)
Subject: Fraudulent EBT complaint — request acknowledgement and liability examination
I report fraudulent electronic banking transaction(s) in account / UPI ID ________ dated ________ for ₹________ (UTR ________).
I request immediate block on further unauthorised EBTs, registration of this complaint with acknowledgement number, and examination of liability under RBI’s Directions on limiting customer liability in digital transactions (effective for EBTs from 1 January 2027).
I have also filed / am filing on 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in (acknowledgement ________).
Please confirm whether the outcome is zero-liability reversal or the small-value compensation process, with timelines.
Send via the bank’s official secure channel and keep the sent copy.
Official links
-
RBI notification — Commercial Banks Responsible Business Conduct Third Amendment Directions, 2026
-
Helpline 1930
Frequently asked questions
What should I do in the first hour after a digital fraud?
Freeze UPI/cards via official bank channels, change PINs, report to the bank, and file on 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in. Do not install remote-access apps for a “refund.”
How long does the bank have to respond?
Up to 45 calendar days for domestic fraudulent EBTs and 60 calendar days for cross-border cases, after the bank receives your complaint.
When is compensation money paid after I submit the form?
For eligible small-value cases, the customer’s bank should pay within five calendar days of receiving the compensation application form.
Do I need both bank and cybercrime acknowledgements?
Yes for the small-value compensation route described in the Directions: report to the bank and on 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in within five calendar days, and keep both acknowledgements.
Can companies claim the ₹25,000 compensation pocket?
The small-value mechanism described here is for a bona fide individual person, including a sole proprietor. Companies should follow their bank’s corporate fraud process and legal remedies.
Related reading on CyberSathi
- RBI digital fraud compensation from 2027: what Indian customers must know
- How to Report a Cyber Crime in India: Where to Go, What to Expect
- How to Report Cyber Crime in India: A Ground Reality Guide
- Bank asked you to install AnyDesk for a UPI refund? That call is a scam
- The UPI Trap: How ₹500 Becomes ₹50,000 in One Click
