Almost every cyber-crime begins the same way — a single click, a single OTP shared, a single moment of panic — and almost every successful recovery begins with the same thing: a calm next 60 minutes. This guide is built from the real intake calls we receive at Prismatic Global Legacy's Social Work line, and is designed for anyone in India who has just realised something has gone wrong online.
Minute 0–5 — Stop the bleeding. If a financial app is involved, disconnect your phone from the internet first, then call your bank's emergency number (printed on the back of every card) to freeze cards and outgoing transactions. If a social account has been taken over, request a forced sign-out from the platform's security dashboard before changing the password.
Minute 5–20 — Report to 1930. India's National Cyber Crime Helpline operates 24×7. A complaint here within the 'golden hour' can trigger a freeze on fraudulent transactions before the money fully disappears. Have your transaction reference, amount, time, and the suspected number/email ready before calling. Many recovered cases — particularly UPI and Aadhaar-linked frauds — happen because someone called 1930 inside the first hour.
Minute 20–45 — File on cybercrime.gov.in. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal lets you file under three categories: 'Report Women / Child Related Crime' (no FIR required), 'Report Financial Fraud' (links automatically to 1930), and 'Report Other Cyber Crime'. Choose carefully — the route changes how quickly the case is escalated.
Minute 45–60 — Preserve evidence and start the platform takedown. Screenshot every conversation, every transaction, every URL. Save messages as files where possible. If image-based abuse is involved, use Meta's IX (Image-based Abuse) takedown form, X's Sensitive Media report, or YouTube's Privacy form. The reports work faster when you have proof you've already filed with 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
Beyond the first hour — find someone to walk with you. This is the moment most people quietly do alone, and where the most secondary damage happens. PGL's Social Work programme offers confidential, trauma-informed support — counsellors, legal partners, takedown coordination — at no charge for survivors. You can reach our team through the WhatsApp or contact button on the Social Work page, where you'll also find more about how we help. The first hour is technical. The hours after that are human, and you don't have to face them alone.
