You invested in a scam or can't withdraw your money: what to do now (India)
Last updated: 2026-07-11
If you've realised an investment was a scam, or an app is now stalling your withdrawal, do two things immediately: stop sending any more money, and do not pay any "fee", "tax", or "margin" someone says will unlock your withdrawal — that demand is part of the scam, not the way out. This has happened to a lot of careful people; being scammed is not a failure of intelligence, it is the result of a deliberate con. Below is what to do now, calmly and in order.
Take one breath first. The scam runs on urgency and shame — the fear that if you don't send "just one more payment" you'll lose it all, and the embarrassment that keeps you from telling anyone. You can slow this down. Sending more money will not bring back what's gone; it only deepens the loss.
Beware the "recovery" scam — this is the most important warning on this page. After a loss, you may be contacted by "recovery agents", "refund officers", a fake "cyber cell", or a lawyer who promises to get your money back — for an upfront fee, a "processing charge", or a "tax". No one can promise or guarantee recovery of money lost to a scam, and any offer that asks for a fee upfront to recover it is itself a scam — often the same people, coming back for a second bite. The only real routes are the official ones below: 1930, cybercrime.gov.in, SEBI SCORES where a registered intermediary is involved, and your own bank. Never pay anyone to get your money back.
What to do now
- Stop sending money — immediately. No more deposits, no "top-up to withdraw", no "one last payment". Every further rupee is lost.
- Do not pay any fee, tax, or margin to "withdraw" or "unlock" your money. A genuine platform never asks you to send fresh money to release your own balance. This demand is the scam's final stage — paying it only funds the next demand and marks you as someone who will pay again.
- Preserve the evidence before anything else. Screenshot the app or portal, your "balance" and the failed withdrawal, every chat and message, the group, and any profiles involved. Save transaction IDs, UPI references, bank transfer details, account numbers or UPI IDs you paid, and phone numbers. Do this before you block anyone or delete the app — this record is what every report rests on.
- Tell your bank right away. Report the payments as fraud, ask them to flag the beneficiary and block further debits, and get a complaint reference. Speed helps the money trail be followed, though recovery is never guaranteed.
- Report to the cyber-crime channels — use both. Call 1930, the national cyber-fraud helpline, and file at cybercrime.gov.in. The linked guides walk you through exactly what to have ready and what happens after — see how to report online fraud: cybercrime.gov.in and 1930 and the 1930 helpline: when to call and what happens after.
- Where a SEBI-registered intermediary is involved, raise a grievance on SEBI SCORES. If your complaint is against a registered investment adviser, research analyst, or broker, SEBI SCORES (scores.sebi.gov.in) is SEBI's official grievance system. Check the exact process and any timelines on the SCORES portal itself. Note that a pure scam app run by strangers is usually not registered at all — for that, the cyber-crime route above is the main one.
- Tell someone you trust. The scam keeps you isolated and ashamed so you'll keep paying quietly. Telling a family member or friend breaks that, and helps you think clearly about the steps above.
Where to report — and why each place
| What is happening | Where to report |
|---|---|
| Money sent to a scam / an app won't release your funds | Call 1930 and file at cybercrime.gov.in — and tell your bank. |
| The payments left your bank / UPI | Your bank's fraud channel first, to flag and try to hold the transfer. |
| A complaint against a SEBI-registered adviser, analyst, or broker | SEBI SCORES (scores.sebi.gov.in) — SEBI's grievance system. |
| Someone now offering to "recover" your money for a fee | Nowhere — it's a fresh scam. Do not engage or pay. Stick to the official routes above. |
Honest about what reporting does
Reporting is the right thing to do and your strongest response — but it is a process, not a switch. Filing a complaint does not guarantee your money comes back, and no one can honestly promise recovery. What is true is that reporting quickly gives the best chance of the money trail being followed, that the fraud is on record, and that acting fast — stopping payments, preserving evidence, calling 1930 — is the most that anyone in this situation can do. Keep every acknowledgement and reference number, and keep the people you trust in the loop.
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