Given how much of today's society is digital, cybercrime poses a serious risk to people, companies, and governments everywhere. Because of the rapidly changing threat landscape, cybercrime is on the rise as technology integrates into society more quickly than ever before. Given India's sharp increase in cyberthreats, it is critical that people understand how to file a complaint specifically about cybercrimes.

In addition to offering a detailed instruction on how to report cybercrimes in 2025, this page offers samples of a few prevalent categories of cybercrimes.

Cybercrime Types:

Cybercrimes can take many different forms, and knowing these types is essential to accurately reporting the crimes. Some of the most common forms of cybercrime are as follows:

1. Hacking: Unauthorized use of computer networks, systems, or data is known as hacking. A hacking attack typically yields proof of a data breach. Personal, financial, and/or commercial information may be compromised in a data breach.
2. Phishing: Phishing is a scam in which criminals pretend to be reputable organizations and try to obtain sensitive information from consumers (such as bank account details and credit card numbers) by sending phony emails and websites.
3. Malware Attacks: By definition, malware attacks are caused by malicious software, such as viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware. Malware can be obtained through dubious downloads or links that appear genuine. Its goal is to harm your systems or corporate systems and steal or doxx data.
4. Identity Theft: Online fraud, financial account access, and online impersonation are all possible outcomes of cybercriminals stealing a person's personal information.
5. Cyberstalking and Harassment: Cyberstalking and harassment through social media, online messaging, and emails can have a major negative impact on privacy and mental health.
6. Financial Fraud: Financial fraud includes illegal practices such as credit card fraud, UPI fraud, and fraudulent internet shopping websites that are designed to defraud people of their money.
    

India's legal framework is comprised of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860 and the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act). The Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860/Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) have been used in tandem to combat cybercrime in India. These laws specify the offenses and punishments for different types of cybercrimes.
  The IT Act contains some helpfully cited elements, such as:

• Section 66: Addresses offenses involving computers and probably covers the majority of these charges.
• Section 66A: It is illegal to disseminate offensive communications through communication services, etc. Although the Indian Supreme Court invalidated Section 66A in 2015, the statute is still cited in several criminal cases where it is interpreted incorrectly.
• Section 66B: Receiving stolen computer resources dishonestly is punishable under this section.
• Section 66D: Phishing and online banking fraud are common examples of cheating by personation using a computer resource, which is the primary focus of this section.
• Section 66F: Cyberterrorism provisions are found here.
• Section 67: The electronic publication of pornographic material is punishable under this section.
• Section 69: Allows government authorities to monitor, intercept, and analyze data and information under certain constraints.
• Section 43A: Compensation for data protection failures is covered here.

The aforementioned provisions offer a solid legal foundation for handling cyber events and ensuring victims receive just compensation.
 

How to File a Complaint About Cybercrime

If you have been the victim of a cybercrime, you should act right away. To file a cybercrime fraud complaint in 2025, complete these steps:

1. Step 1: Gather Proof
   You should gather all relevant evidence before filing a report, such as screenshots, emails, messages, transaction records, URLs, and IP addresses.
2. Step 2: Create an Online Report
   The Indian government has created a National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.