Archive · 6 Dec 2025
Act within 'Golden Hour' to recover lost money to scams
Imagine you lose money to a scam.
There's a special time called the 'Golden Hour' where if you report the crime quickly, you have a better chance of getting your money back.
This is because the money can be frozen before the scammers move it away.
Two people, Preeti and a woman from Mumbai, were able to get their money back because they reported the crime right away.
Experts say that the 'Golden Hour' is now just 60 minutes because money moves so fast these days.
If you don't report the crime quickly, the money can be moved to many different accounts and it becomes very hard to get it back.
So, if you ever lose money to a scam, remember to report it as soon as possible to the cybercrime helpline or the online portal.
The 'Golden Hour' is the critical period of up to three hours after a fraudulent transaction where quick action can help freeze funds and recover stolen money.
Preeti, wife of BJP Chikkaballapur MP K Sudhakar, lost Rs 14 lakh to a digital arrest fraud but was able to recover her money by reporting the crime within the 'Golden Hour'.
A Mumbai woman lost Rs 93,000 to cyber fraud while booking a hotel online but was able to recover her money by alerting the bank and the police within the 'Golden Hour'.
Experts recommend immediately calling the cybercrime helpline or reporting the fraud online through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCPR) to increase the chances of recovering lost funds.
Due to fear and confusion, many people do not report cybercrime quickly, making it difficult to trace and recover the lost money.
- Who
- Victims of cyber fraud, including Preeti and a Mumbai woman
- What
- The importance of acting within the 'Golden Hour' to recover money lost to cyber fraud
- When
- The 'Golden Hour' is the critical period of up to three hours after a fraudulent transaction
- Where
- India, with specific incidents in Chikkaballapur and Mumbai
- Why
- To increase the chances of recovering lost funds by freezing accounts before the money is moved further
- Golden Hour
- Critical period of up to three hours after a fraudulent transaction
- Cybercrime Helpline
- 1930
- National Cybercrime Reporting Portal
- NCPR
- Amount Recovered by Preeti
- Rs 14 lakh
- Amount Recovered by Mumbai Woman
- Rs 93,000