Bank Refusing to Refund a Fraud Transaction? Use the RBI Ombudsman
If your bank will not refund an unauthorised transaction, escalate free to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in. The zero-liability rule, and the new 90-day deadline.
Quick answer: If your bank will not refund an unauthorised transaction, you have a free escalation route. First complain to the bank in writing and give it 30 days. If it rejects your complaint or does not resolve it in 30 days, take it to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in (or call 14448). The Reserve Bank's zero-liability rule is your legal backing: report an unauthorised transaction within three working days and your liability is nil.
Banks do not always refund fraud victims willingly, even when the rules say they should. If yours is stalling or has refused, you are not out of options. There is a structured, free path that ends at the Reserve Bank of India, and the rules are on your side for transactions you never authorised.
The rule that protects you
Under the RBI's customer-protection rules, for an unauthorised transaction, one you did not make or approve, your liability is zero if you report it to the bank within three working days of being notified. The bank must credit the amount within ten working days. Report within four to seven working days and liability is limited. This is the rule to quote when a bank drags its feet.
How to escalate
- Complain to your bank in writing. Report the unauthorised transaction and demand a refund, citing the zero-liability rule. Keep the written acknowledgement and complaint number.
- Give it 30 days. The bank must respond. If it rejects your complaint, or fails to resolve it within 30 days, you can escalate.
- File with the RBI Ombudsman. Go to cms.rbi.org.in, the Reserve Bank's complaint portal under its Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS, 2026), or call the contact centre on 14448. It is free.
- Attach the evidence: your complaint to the bank, its reply or the date it went silent, the transaction details, and any police or cybercrime complaint.
- Track it. The Ombudsman reviews the complaint and can direct the bank to refund and, where warranted, pay compensation.
Under the RBI's Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (updated in 2026), you must file with the Ombudsman within 90 days of the bank rejecting your complaint or the end of its 30-day response window, whichever is later. Do not let the bank run out the clock.
Also report the fraud itself
Separately from the refund fight, report the fraud to the cybercrime helpline 1930 and at cybercrime.gov.in as soon as it happens, so the money can be frozen in the receiving account. The Ombudsman route is about making your bank pay when it should; the 1930 route is about catching the money before it disappears.
Frequently asked questions
When can I go to the RBI Ombudsman? After you have complained to the bank and it has either rejected the complaint or not resolved it within 30 days. From that point you have 90 days to file with the Ombudsman.
Does it cost anything? No. Filing a complaint with the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in is free.
What is the zero-liability rule? For an unauthorised transaction reported to your bank within three working days, your liability is zero and the bank must credit the amount within ten working days.
What if I was tricked into approving the payment myself? The zero-liability rule is for transactions you did not authorise. If you approved it under deception, recovery is harder, and your best move is still to report to 1930 fast so the money can be frozen.
How do I contact the Ombudsman? Online at cms.rbi.org.in, or by phone on 14448.
Related: how to report cybercrime in India and getting a frozen or lien-marked account released.
If your bank is stalling on a fraud refund, you are not alone. See our cybercrime help hub for step-by-step reporting and recovery guides.