---
title: "Is this a crime or a privacy complaint? | dpdpr.in"
description: "A quick triage: police, regulator or company first."
url: "https://dpdpr.in/rights/crime-or-privacy/"
canonical: "https://dpdpr.in/rights/crime-or-privacy/"
site: "dpdpr.in"
updated: "2026-11-02"
disclaimer: "Independent reference, not legal advice. Not affiliated with the Government of India or MeitY."
---

# Is this a crime or a privacy complaint?

Plain-language help for ordinary people. General information, not legal advice. Helplines, portals and screen names were checked against official Government and regulator pages on 1 November 2026. Portals change: if a screen looks different, follow the words on the screen and the official guide linked in each step.

Ask one question first: **did someone cheat, threaten or impersonate you?** If yes, it is a crime. Go to 1930, cybercrime.gov.in or the police at once. Privacy complaints can follow later.

| What happened | Where to go |
|---|---|
| You lost money, or someone has your OTP or card details | Crime: 1930 now, then cybercrime.gov.in, and your bank |
| Someone threatens, blackmails, stalks or shares intimate images | Crime: police or cybercrime.gov.in; ask the platform to remove (2 hours for intimate images) |
| A fake profile uses your name | Both: platform first, then cybercrime.gov.in if used to cheat |
| A SIM or loan was opened with your documents | Both: Sanchar Saathi or the lender, plus a cybercrime or police complaint |
| A call or SMS tried to cheat you but you lost nothing | Report: Chakshu on Sanchar Saathi |
| Unwanted marketing | Privacy: 1909 or Chakshu within 7 days |
| A company shares or sells your data, or ignores your request | Privacy: the company, then the sector regulator; from 13 May 2027 the Data Protection Board |
| A company leaked your data in a breach | Privacy: ask the company, report to CERT-In; if fraud follows, it is also a crime |
| Poor service or wrong bill | Consumer: the company, then the National Consumer Helpline |

Identity theft and cheating by impersonation using a computer or phone are offences under sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

- [I4C (Ministry of Home Affairs): National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and 1930](https://i4c.mha.gov.in/ncrp.aspx)
- [Chakshu: report suspected fraud or spam (Sanchar Saathi)](https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/)
- [TRAI public notice: block commercial calls and SMS through 1909](https://www.trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-10/Ads_8_2024.pdf)
- [CERT-In: contact and incident reporting](https://www.cert-in.org.in/s2cMainServlet?pageid=CONTACTUS)
- [National Consumer Helpline (Department of Consumer Affairs)](https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/public/)