Worried your bank account is empty after cyber fraud? Here’s what to do immediately

If you have ever received a transactional message from your bank saying that a massive amount has been deducted, but you did not make the transaction, you might have been scammed. While your first instinct may be to panic, call the person who just contacted you, keep checking your account, or try to figure out how it all happened, people often forget that in times like these, the first few minutes are crucial.

But for someone who has just discovered that their hard-earned money has been debited from their account, the bigger question is: what should they do next? Should they call the bank first and get their account blocked, call 1930, or file a police complaint?

According to a 2025 Press Information Bureau (PIB) report, the surge in cybersecurity incidents from 10.29 lakh in 2022 to 22.68 lakh in 2024 reflects the growing scale and complexity of digital threats in India. At the same time, the financial toll is becoming more pronounced, with cyber frauds amounting to ₹36.45 lakh reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).

Act immediately after a cyber fraud

According to Gaurav Gupta, Group Head - Financial Crime Intelligence, Axis Bank, if someone suspects they have been a victim of cyber fraud, they should act immediately. They should report the incident to their bank through official customer service channels, block compromised cards or accounts, including relevant digital channels, and change passwords or PINs linked to their banking services.