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If you are a victim of online abuse or know someone being victimised, you must report it to the authorities. You can report online abuse in any of the following ways:
Approaching the Police Station
When you go to the police station to complain about a case of online abuse that you have faced, they will ask you to file an FIR. You should make sure you give all the information you know about the incident and abuse that you have faced.
Cyber Cell
Cyber Cells are present in every state and some police stations may have a unit designated to work on cyber crimes. These cells or units will look into and help you out in cases of online violence such as online stalking, hacking, etc. In many states, you can file a complaint online through the website of the cyber cell. For instance, for Delhi, you can file an online complaint here.
If you want to file a complaint, you will have to either:
- File a complaint online with your respective state’s Cyber Cell website or
- Approach the police station where you will have to file an FIR which will be forwarded to the Cyber Cell.
Complaint Portals
Online Crime Reporting Portal
You can also lodge a complaint by using the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Online Crime Reporting Portal. You may be redirected to a specific State Government’s website to register a complaint.
Register a complaint in the section “Services for Citizen”, and click on “Report a Cyber Crime ”. Here, you can provide information about the offender, the victim, and the incident along with any supporting evidence, such as screenshots. You can report anonymously or with identification, and you can track your complaint as well.
Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
You can also directly file a complaint on the Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Complaints can also be made anonymously. You can complain against various cybercrimes by selecting the option ‘Report Cyber Crime Related to Women/Child’ or ‘Report Other Cyber Crime’. You must login and create an account and select “Report and Track” if you wish to track your complaint.
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Manik Pahuja
July 21, 2022
One Girl took my video and Edit this with some another boys video and now she asking for money on Facebook and Said if I don’t give money ₹30,000
she’ll upload this Video on Facebook and other Socia Media Platforms.
She even took my no. from facebook and semd this picture from her profile with fake allegations and asking about money.
Nyaaya
August 8, 2022
You may file a complaint for online abuse by following the steps mentioned in the explainer above.
lalaki
December 3, 2022
Sir I’m from Pakistan and the same thing happened to me by a person in india. How can i complain? I have his phone number and facebook details. He claimed to be a girl at first
Nyaaya
December 8, 2022
You can lodge a complaint by using the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs’ Online Crime Reporting Portal. You may be redirected to a specific State Government’s website to register a complaint. Register a complaint in the section “Services for Citizen”, and click on “Report a Cyber Crime ”. Here, you can provide information about the offender, the victim, and the incident along with any supporting evidence, such as screenshots. You can report anonymously or with identification, and you can track your complaint as well.
Neeraj
August 2, 2022
My wife photos and there personal details show in aisle dating app.please help me
Nyaaya
August 8, 2022
You may file a complaint by referring to the explainer above.
Priyanka Paygude
August 7, 2022
My dad beats me and my sister like wild animals and we are sure wlhe can’t control his anger and thinks he has a full right on us and therefore can kill us too.he used to beat out mom also very badly but I don’t know why but she supports him in hitting us.
Nyaaya
August 8, 2022
Please go through our explainer on Domestic Violence
ajaz pasha
August 10, 2022
my wife filled false 498a on my whole family 3mnths back she came at home and beaten to my mother and broken the hand bone police not taken action after so many times we compliant but no action my sister got new married last year 1kid born 2days back yesterday my wife called to my sis husband and abused to him and broking my sister marraige life
Nyaaya
August 12, 2022
You may refer to our explainer on FIR to file your report.
Nitin
August 26, 2022
He sir, I contacted to a online OTT smaller but he is abusing me on whatsapp. I have blocked him on whatsapp now he is sending bad messages on facebook messenger. Where I have to complain in this regard.
Nyaaya
September 1, 2022
You can complain through any of the mediums mentioned in the explainer above.
Nitin
August 26, 2022
Hello sir, I contacted to a online OTT seller but he is abusing me on whatsapp. I have blocked him on whatsapp now he is sending bad messages on facebook messenger. Where I have to complain in this regard.
Nyaaya
September 5, 2022
You can file a complaint on the Online Complaints Portal mentioned in the explainer above.
Kinjal Singh
September 29, 2022
Hello sir, this is to bring to your notice that i kinjal singh is getting bullied by my fellow school mates by making my fake instagram account and writing shit about me on stories like if you want my nudes dm me and by abusing me but the problem is i don’t know who was doing this but i know for sure that he/she was my fellow school mate.
Nyaaya
October 7, 2022
Every day there are several persons who become victims to various offences committed by imposters. These victims have the right to report such instances as the attackers are in violation of various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (fraudulent impersonation is a statutory offence) and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The most relevant section for fake accounts is Sec 66D of the IT Act which states that: “Whoever, by means of any communication device or computer resource cheats by personation, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend up to three years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend up to one lakh rupees”. Moreover Sec 66C of the Act states that “Whoever, fraudulently or dishonestly make use of the electronic signature, password or any other unique identification feature of any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to fine with may extend to rupees one lakh.”
In case of fake accounts that are used to cheat others by appropriating the personal information of other users without their consent or by using made-up personal details, the creator can be held liable under Section 416 of the IPC which deals with cheating by personation. The provision states that a person is said to ‘cheat by personation’ if he cheats by pretending to be some other person. The imposter would be held guilty whether the individual personated is a real or imaginary person. Under Section 468, any person who commits forgery of an electronic record for the purpose of cheating would also be held guilty.
Chethan
September 16, 2022
Someone in Instagram posting derogatory posts against religion
Nyaaya
September 19, 2022
You can use the report tool on Instagram to report the post or profile.
Anirudh
September 17, 2022
Hello,
Someone created a fake account on Instagram and sent very vulgar messages to me and my ex-girlfriend.
Nyaaya
September 21, 2022
Step 1: Immediately report the case to the Social Media service provider. For Instagram, you can use the following link to report the impersonation: https://help.instagram.com/370054663112398/?helpref=uf_share
Step 2: Report the case of impersonation and inappropriate messages to the authorities. You can file the complaint in the following ways-
1. Online at https://www.cybercrime.gov.in/
2. At your nearest Police Station
3. At the District Cyber Cells
Following are the documents related requirements for a social media cyber crime complaint-
1. Copy/screenshot of alleged contents/profile
2. Screenshot copy of URL of alleged contents
3. Contents should be in both hard & soft forms
4. Soft copy should be given in CD-R only
Nita
September 27, 2022
a big brand posted my picture from Intagram on their commercial website for their personal promotion without asking for my consent or paying for the same or even giving credits and used them for 2 months without my knowledge. When I asked them they said they will take it down. But i need either remuneration or credits for the same. I bought their dress with my own money and tagged them while posting the picture on my page but they used it for commercial purpose without letting me know. I need to know how can I get back at them.
Nyaaya
October 7, 2022
A legal notice can be sent to the brand claiming monetary damage and due credits for the photo as the brand is violating your Right to Publicity, the right of an individual to prevent others from using his name, likeness, photograph or image for commercial purposes without obtaining consent. This right (Right to Publicity) was recognized by the Delhi High Court in the case of ICC Development v. Arvee Enterprises (2003).
Using a photograph for commercial purposes without someone’s consent is violation of right to privacy which is considered as unfair trade practice and also misappropriation of intellectual property. The action of the brand is also violating Section 38 and 57 of Copyright Act, 1957 which protects the unauthorized use of authors marketing rights and reputation.
A complaint can also be filed with the Police’s Cyber Cell after submitting a formal written complaint to the cell, after which the cyber cell will carry out its investigation.
Ashvini Mahajan
October 11, 2022
This was helpful.
Someone has been stalking and abusing me on “Confessout” page and since its an annonymous messaging website, i don’t know the identity. It has been 3+ years. All the vulgar and offensive messages are from the same person. I am totally clueless on what to do. This person even sends me stalking messages like they stalk me in public and message me annonymously on the website about what i wore and how i was looking. This is really traumatising for me to know someone is so abnormally obsessed with abusing and stalking me for absolutely no reason. I doubt certain people though. It will be really helpful if anyone can help me with the issue
Nyaaya
October 25, 2022
Stalking is a punishable offense under the Indian Penal Code and you can legally approach the authorities for redressal. Here are two ways to do that-
1. You can file a complaint at your nearest police station and get an FIR registered. You can get an FIR registered even without knowing the identity of the harasser. The police can look for the harasser during investigation. Make sure you mention all the details of case to the police for better investigation.
2. Alternatively, you can file a cyber complaint at https://cybercrime.gov.in/Webform/crmcondi.aspx . For this you have mention your details along with the events that have emerged as stalking behaviour.