Mumbai: As cyber fraudsters continue to devise new ways to target citizens in the digital age, the Mumbai Police have achieved a major breakthrough in the fight against cybercrime. Using the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and the Money Restoration Module (MRM), the police have facilitated the direct return of ₹3.97 crore to more than 6,000 victims within just two months.
The initiative has helped victims avoid lengthy legal procedures and repeated visits to courts and banks to recover money lost in financial frauds. The police said their prompt response, technology-driven systems and increased public awareness have posed a major challenge to cybercrime syndicates.
MRM emerges as a new financial security framework
The Money Restoration Module (MRM), developed by the Mumbai Police following directions from the Central Government to ensure the immediate blocking of money involved in cyber fraud, has proved effective in recovering funds.
₹18.27 crore blocked: Through the MRM system, police took prompt action in 24,860 cases over the past two months and succeeded in placing a hold on ₹18.27 crore allegedly defrauded from victims.
₹16.18 crore found refundable: Financial and judicial scrutiny established that ₹16.18 crore of the blocked amount was eligible to be returned to genuine complainants.
₹3.97 crore successfully restored: Of these cases, the restoration process has been completed in 6,096 cases, with ₹3.97 crore transferred directly to the bank accounts of cyber fraud victims. The process of transferring the remaining eligible amount has also been initiated.
One call can help stop fraudulent transactions :
The quick recovery of money has largely been possible because victims reported the fraud during the crucial “golden hour” by calling 1930, following which police acted swiftly to freeze the money in the relevant bank accounts.
As soon as a citizen reports a cyber fraud, the national cybercrime helpline 1930 acts as a lifeline. Based on the information provided by the victim, police coordinate with banks to prevent the money from being transferred further into other suspicious accounts.
Earlier, even after fraudulent funds were frozen, victims often had to make repeated visits to courts and banks to recover their money. With the MRM system, the process has now been streamlined, enabling frozen funds to be restored directly to the victim's account after completion of the required legal formalities.
Police crack down on cyber fraud infrastructure : Over the past four years, the Mumbai Police Cyber Cell has also taken extensive action against the infrastructure used by cybercriminals.
30,000 bank accounts frozen: Around 30,000 first-layer bank accounts used for transferring proceeds of cyber fraud have been frozen or placed under lien, preventing criminals from withdrawing the money. 17,000 mobile numbers deactivated: More than 17,000 mobile numbers allegedly obtained using fake documents and used for committing cybercrime have been traced and permanently deactivated.
GRM portal helps resolve complaints : The Grievance Redressal Mechanism (GRM) portal has also emerged as an important safeguard for citizens whose bank accounts are frozen during cybercrime investigations.
Of the 2,337 public grievances received through the portal over the past two months, the police have resolved 2,169 complaints through a transparent and speedy process.
Police appeal: Act during the “golden hour” : The Mumbai Police have appealed to citizens not to panic if they become victims of cyber fraud. They should immediately call 1930 without any delay, as quick reporting increases the chances of stopping the movement of the defrauded money.
Victims have also been advised to preserve all transaction-related information, including bank details, UTR numbers, WhatsApp chats, screenshots and records of suspicious calls, which can help investigators trace the fraudsters and recover the money.
BOX: What are MRM and GRM?
Earlier, one of the biggest challenges was that even after police managed to freeze fraudulent funds, the money often remained blocked for months or years due to court formalities and banking procedures. Victims had to make repeated visits to courts and banks to reclaim their own money.
The MRM has automated and streamlined this process. Police, the victim's bank and the fraudster's bank can now coordinate in real time. Once the required legal formalities are completed, the recovered money can be credited directly to the victim's bank account.
The GRM portal, meanwhile, addresses cases where genuine citizens' bank accounts are frozen during cybercrime investigations due to technical links or suspicion, despite having no connection with the crime. Through the portal, the account holder, bank and investigating officer can communicate directly. Verification can also be conducted through video conferencing, allowing eligible and genuine accounts to be unfrozen promptly without unnecessary delays.
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