Mumbai: The city police’s 1930 cyber helpline has managed to save or block around Rs 202 crore of online fraud funds in 2025.Soon after the cyber call centre receives a complaint about a fraud, it tries and blocks the bank accounts of the accused persons to stop or freeze the transfer. As a process, the amount is returned to the victim after a court’s order. The call centre, located in Bandra West where over three dozen trained police personnel work round the clock, received 8.7 lakh calls from Mumbaikars last year. The police, with the help of nodal officers of banks and payment gateways, managed to block or save around Rs 202 crore, including around Rs 21 crore in the month of Dec alone.Since 2022, the call centre has helped Mumbaikars save over Rs 390 crore. Between 2022 and 2025, the call centre got a total of 15.6 lakh calls. Lakhmi Gautam, joint commissioner of police (crime branch), said 1930 is a 24-hour facility and it has been established as a part of I4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre) of the govt of India.“On receiving a call, a complaint is registered in the NCCRP (National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal) and immediately a request is sent to the bank to freeze the money. As a result of prompt action, we were able to save Rs 202 crore last year. I appeal to people that in case anyone is subjected to any financial digital fraud, they should immediately call 1930 as your complaint within the golden hour greatly increases the chance to save a maximum amount of cheated money,” said Gautam.Last year, fraudsters using the phishing technique siphoned off Rs 11.3 crore from a south Mumbai businessman’s company. Timely reporting to 1930 resulted in saving Rs 11.19 crore. In another case, a Bandra doctor who was put under digital arrest and lost Rs 1.29 crore, got back 100% of his money.The NCCRP, set up on Aug 30, 2019, operates across the country through the 1930 helpline. In Mumbai, a team led by sub-inspector Mangesh Bhor looks after the 1930 helpline activities. It now has a staff of around 50 people.
