For a SERVICE deficiency by your bank (wrong charges, harassment by a recovery agent, an ATM failure, a wrongly foreclosed loan, an account frozen without notice) -- not fraud -- complain first to the bank's own Grievance Redressal Officer, then escalate free of cost to the RBI's Integrated Ombudsman if unresolved in 30 days.
RBI Complaint Management System -- Reserve Bank Integrated Ombudsman Scheme: https://cms.rbi.org.in
Helpline: 14448
Handled by: Reserve Bank of India -- Complaint Management System / Office of the RBI Ombudsman
Who can use this: Any customer of a bank, eligible NBFC, non-bank prepaid payment instrument issuer, or Credit Information Company regulated by the RBI, who has already given that entity a chance to resolve the complaint in writing. Some categories are excluded from Ombudsman coverage -- for example, small co-operative banks under a certain deposit-size threshold and certain NBFC categories -- and a complaint generally cannot be filed through an advocate on the customer's behalf unless the advocate is themselves the aggrieved customer.
This does not cover: The criminal investigation itself -- catching whoever took the money -- is a police matter for cybercrime.gov.in or 1930, and should be reported there immediately. But whether your bank must refund you is a separate service complaint this route DOES handle: filing a police complaint does not bar an Ombudsman complaint. Disputes already pending or decided by a court/tribunal. A bank's purely commercial decision (e.g. its own interest rate policy). Employer-employee disputes within a bank. Matters where the bank acted on a court or statutory authority's own order. Grievances against a bank's management or executives personally, disputes with a vendor rather than the regulated entity itself, and a complaint where the Limitation Act period had already expired before the original complaint to the bank.
Time limit: File with the RBI Ombudsman within 90 days of the bank's final reply, or of the 30-day non-reply deadline passing -- whichever is later. (Reserve Bank -- Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 (effective 1 July 2026))
Cost: Completely free at every stage -- no fee to complain to the bank, the credit bureau, or the RBI Ombudsman.
What happens after: The complaint is examined by a Deputy Ombudsman, who may reject it if not maintainable or attempt a conciliated settlement. If unresolved, the Ombudsman can pass a binding Award. Either side can appeal to the Appellate Authority within 30 days; if you don't accept an Award in writing in time it lapses, and you may still pursue a civil suit.
These are the remedies Indian law provides for this kind of situation -- not a recommendation, and not every remedy will apply to your own facts.
Reporting the crime itself -- catching whoever stole the money -- is a police matter for cybercrime.gov.in or 1930, and should be done immediately, within 3 working days if possible to preserve RBI's limited-liability protection. Separately, if your bank refuses to refund you or mishandles your fraud complaint, that refusal is itself a service failure you can bring to this route and, if unresolved, to the RBI Ombudsman -- filing a police complaint does not close off this route.
If the bank gives no reply within 30 days of receiving your written complaint, that itself makes you eligible to go straight to the RBI Ombudsman -- you don't need to wait indefinitely.
Yes. Alongside compensation for any direct financial loss (up to Rs.30 lakh), the Ombudsman can separately award up to Rs.3 lakh for loss of time, expenses, and mental anguish caused by the bank's conduct or that of its recovery agent.
No. Filing a complaint -- online, by email, by post, or through the toll-free helpline (14448) -- is completely free, and you don't need a lawyer or paid agent to do it.
Yes. You can appeal the Award to the Appellate Authority within 30 days. Separately, if you don't accept an Award in writing in time, it lapses, and if your loss exceeds the Ombudsman's Rs.30 lakh limit, a civil suit remains available.
First raise a dispute directly with the credit bureau -- only the reporting bank can confirm a correction, and the bureau must resolve it within 30 days at no charge. Credit Information Companies have been directly covered under the RBI Ombudsman scheme since 1 September 2022, so if unresolved, you can escalate to cms.rbi.org.in.
Governing law: Reserve Bank -- Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS), 2026; Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005
Source: Reserve Bank -- Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 (effective 1 July 2026); Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005; cms.rbi.org.in. State Bank of India v. Pallabh Bhowmik & Ors, Supreme Court of India (decided January 2025), confirms a bank cannot abdicate responsibility for an unauthorised transaction reported promptly, and that liability falls on the bank unless customer negligence is clearly proven -- reinforcing that a fraud report to police does not close off a bank-service complaint (exact neutral citation number not independently pinned down this pass).
Aadhrix does not decide which route applies to you. This describes the official process as published — consider an advocate for advice specific to your situation.
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