Victims of cyber fraud will now be able to recover their money without having to approach courts, following the introduction of a new digital mechanism by the Central Government aimed at speeding up the refund process and reducing procedural delays.
The Centre has rolled out the Money Restoration Model (MRM) and Grievance Redressal Model (GRM), two technology-based platforms developed to facilitate quicker recovery of funds lost in online scams. The initiative is being implemented through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) in collaboration with cyber police units across the country.
The new system has been introduced amid a surge in cybercrime cases involving fake investment offers, impersonation fraud, digital arrest scams, phishing attacks and other online financial frauds that target unsuspecting citizens. Under the revised procedure, victims who report cyber fraud promptly can benefit from immediate action by cyber police, who can freeze the destination bank account before the fraudsters transfer or withdraw the money. Previously, victims were required to obtain court orders to claim the frozen amount, often resulting in lengthy delays.
With the implementation of the MRM system, frozen amounts of up to Rs 50,000 can now be returned directly to victims without court intervention, significantly reducing the time required for the refund process. In cases involving larger sums, authorities can also facilitate the return of funds if the amount has been divided into multiple transactions below the prescribed limit.
The Nagpur Cyber Crime Branch has already begun operating under the new framework and has reported encouraging results. Since July 1, the unit has handled nearly 700 cyber fraud complaints and assisted victims in recovering around Rs 25 lakh. The initiative is being carried out under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Deepak Agrawal and Assistant Commissioner of Police Shinde, with teams led by Senior Police Inspectors Sudhir Borkute and Suresh Damre overseeing the recovery efforts.
Police officials have advised citizens to report cyber fraud cases immediately through the national cybercrime helpline or the nearest cyber police station, noting that early reporting greatly improves the chances of freezing transactions and recovering the lost amount.
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