Money Restoration Portal: how cyber-fraud victims get frozen money back

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Last updated: 31 October 2026 · Public pages of the Money Restoration Portal (How to Apply, FAQ, Contacts) checked on 31 October 2026; based on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ statements of July and August 2026

Quick answer: If you reported a cyber fraud on cybercrime.gov.in or helpline 1930 and a bank put the money on hold, you can ask for it back on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Money Restoration Portal, mrm-ncrp.mha.gov.in. You need the 14-digit acknowledgement number from your complaint, a PAN card copy and a bank account in your name. The police verify the request, and the bank releases the money within 15 calendar days of the police order. If more than ₹50,000 is held in one bank, an FIR is needed first.

In this guide (tap to jump to a section)
  1. What the portal is, and what it isn’t
  2. Before you start: keep these ready
  3. Step by step: apply for your money
  4. The ₹50,000 rule: when you need an FIR
  5. Why you may get back less than you lost
  6. If the bank or police don’t act
  7. Mistakes that delay the refund
  8. Watch out for scams
  9. Frequently asked questions
  10. Official links
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What the portal is, and what it isn’t

When you report a financial fraud, banks try to stop the money moving on and mark it with a “lien” (a hold) in the accounts it reached. Until 2026, getting that held money back usually meant chasing the police station and the bank, and often a court order. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, now runs a Money Restoration Module for this. MHA said in July 2026 that it has been working since April 2026, along with a separate Grievance Redressal Module for people whose accounts were frozen.

It is only for money that was frozen after a cyber-fraud complaint. It does not search for forgotten bank deposits, PF or insurance. For those, use our Unclaimed Assets Portal guide or the “Where could my money be?” finder.

Haven’t reported the fraud yet? Do that first, as fast as you can: call 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in. The portal can only return money that banks managed to hold.

Before you start: keep these ready

  • The 14-digit NCRP acknowledgement number you got when you registered the complaint
  • The mobile number you used in the complaint, for the OTP
  • A copy of your PAN card
  • Details of a working bank account in your own name, where the money should be credited
  • A copy of the FIR, if more than ₹50,000 is held in any one bank (see below)
  • A court order, if you already have one: the portal has a “Select Court Order” option to upload it

Step by step: apply for your money

  1. Wait for the SMS. After the money is put on hold, the bank works out how much can actually be returned. You then get an SMS and an email with the portal link. The portal’s FAQ says to apply after the date given in that SMS.
  2. Raise Refund Request. On mrm-ncrp.mha.gov.in, open “Raise Refund Request”, enter the 14-digit acknowledgement number and verify the OTP.
  3. Check the refund account. Under “Refund Account Details” the portal shows the account where the money will be credited. Correct it if needed. If you have a court order, upload it here.
  4. Add your PAN card copy and give the indemnity undertaking: a promise to produce the amount before the court if asked, and to follow the court’s orders. The money is handed to you as interim custody while the case goes on.
  5. Submit with the captcha. You get a 14-character request ID starting with “MR” by SMS and email. Note it down.
  6. Police verification. The request goes automatically to the police station handling your complaint. The investigating officer checks that the held money is yours.
  7. Release. On the officer’s order under Section 106(3) of the BNSS, the bank has 15 calendar days to release the money to your account. Use “Track Your Complaint” on the portal to follow it.

The ₹50,000 rule: when you need an FIR

The portal’s FAQ draws one line that catches many people out. If the amount held in a given bank is below ₹50,000, the police can order the release without an FIR, subject to the SOP’s conditions. If the amount held in a bank account is more than ₹50,000, an FIR is mandatory before the money can be restored. The limit applies bank by bank, not to your total loss.

A worked example: Meena lost ₹1,20,000 to a fake share-trading app and called 1930 the same evening. The money was traced to two banks: ₹35,000 was put on hold in an account at Bank A and ₹60,000 at Bank B. The ₹35,000 can be released on the police officer’s instructions without an FIR. The ₹60,000 at Bank B needs an FIR first, so Meena asks the cyber police station to register one and keeps a copy. The remaining ₹25,000 had already left the accounts and was never held, so the portal can’t return it.

Why you may get back less than you lost

  • Only held money can come back. Whatever the fraudsters moved out before the hold is not covered.
  • The “restorable amount” can be lower than the hold. The portal’s FAQ gives this example: ₹50,000 is put on hold but only ₹40,000 is actually left in the account and can be linked to you, so ₹40,000 is the restorable amount.
  • Several victims, one account. Mule accounts often hold money from many people. The officer checks the money trail and timestamps. Where the money can’t be split by victim, it is shared out in proportion to each claim.

If the bank or police don’t act

  • If the bank can’t comply or disagrees with the officer, it has to record its reasons on the portal, and the matter can go to the local court for directions.
  • You can also go to court yourself. The portal names Sections 497, 498 and 503 of the BNSS for this. A lawyer at the District Legal Services Authority can advise free of charge if you qualify.
  • The portal’s Contacts tab lists a cyber-crime nodal officer and a grievance officer for every state and union territory. Write to them, quoting your acknowledgement number and request ID.

Mistakes that delay the refund

  • Applying before the date in the SMS. Until the bank has worked out the restorable amount, there is nothing to release.
  • Giving an account that isn’t yours, or one that is closed or frozen. Use an active account in your own name.
  • Not registering an FIR when more than ₹50,000 is held in one bank. The request will wait until there is one.
  • Changing your mobile number. The OTP goes to the number used in the complaint.
  • Losing the acknowledgement number. Save the SMS or email from the day you complained, and screenshot the request ID.

Watch out for scams

Fraud victims are targeted a second time. People pretending to be from “the cyber cell”, “RBI” or a “refund department” call victims offering to release frozen money for a fee or ask for an OTP or screen-sharing app. Nothing on the official portal asks you to pay. Apply only on mrm-ncrp.mha.gov.in, and check the address ends in .gov.in. Never pay anyone to “release” money, and never share an OTP. Report new attempts at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930.

What to do next

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay to apply?

Nothing on the official portal asks for a fee. You apply yourself online. Anyone asking for money to “release” your refund is a warning sign.

How long does it take?

The bank has 15 calendar days after the investigating officer’s order. The police verification before that has no fixed time on the portal, so follow up with the police station if it stalls.

I lost the money months ago. Can I still apply?

Yes, if your complaint is registered and some money was put on hold. Wait for the SMS that confirms a held amount, then apply.

Will I have to return the money later?

The money is given to you as interim custody. You sign an undertaking to produce it before the court if required and to follow the court’s further orders.

Last updated: 31 October 2026. Rules and portals change. If something here no longer matches what you were told, please tell us.

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About this guide: Written by the Unclaimed Now Editorial Team from the Money Restoration Portal’s published process and FAQ, and the Ministry of Home Affairs’ statements of 21 July and 11 August 2026 (via PIB). Unclaimed Now is an independent guide, not a government website. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. How we write our guides.