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29 Jul, 2024
By Online Legal India
Published On 05 Feb 2021
Updated On 06 Jan 2025
Category Consumer Complaint
In the modern digital age, mobile applications have become an integral part of our lives. From online banking and shopping to entertainment and social networking, mobile apps are crucial tools for performing various tasks. However, with the rapid increase in app usage, cybercrimes have also seen a corresponding surge. These crimes can range from identity theft, financial fraud, data theft, harassment, and more. If you have been a victim of a cybercrime involving a mobile app, it is crucial to know how to file a complaint and seek legal assistance.
In this blog post, we will walk you through the process of filing a cybercrime complaint against a mobile app in India, explaining the legal framework, procedures, and important steps you must follow.
Before we dive into the complaint filing process, it’s important to understand what constitutes a cybercrime, especially in the context of mobile applications. The target of cybercrime tends to steal your documents to steal money from your bank account or demand money to unlock some important files and folders. So, the main target of cyber criminals is to demand money in different ways.
However, there are some cybercrimes which do not demand money from anybody. They are sent to track the data of the movement of the person, and activities and spying them for broader aspects of social reformation or mean purpose of defaming somebody or some political reasons. Whatever the type of crime, you can seek help from the cybercrime department of India. Nobody has the right to breach your data without your permission.
Different kinds of data theft and cybercrimes happen every hour in India through different technical implementations including mobile application spying. In the context of mobile apps, cybercrimes can involve in the following ways:
Data Theft:
Some applications may access your phone and its data to try to enter your personal banking account.
Financial Fraud:
After the data theft or direct access to your smartphone's entire area (SMS, Calls, fishing, screen-sharing), the application can help commit financial fraud.
Cyberstalking or Harassment:
By accessing and using different types of applications and suspicious mobile applications, hackers try to defame some people. Their target is to demand money otherwise they will release some personal photos and videos on the internet and social profile.
Phishing Attacks:
There are some suspicious applications on the internet that seem to be useful for the users but they take access to your personal data namely the credit card details, CVV, year of expiry, ID, and Password of bank account, debit card or similar other things that help empty your bank account.
Malware Distribution:
Lots of applications contain malware or malicious ware that contains system or file-corrupting software that infects your system. On the other hand, this software may also demand money to unlock the files and folders that are highly essential for you. Usually, high-profile people as well as companies and the banking sector’s laptops, computers, and mobile phones are the main targets of bright hackers.
Privacy Violations:
Collection of user data, its use, and spread or shared to others for any mean interest is a violation of privacy. Hence, you need to take action against those apps if you understand that the application is violating your privacy.
If you fall victim to any of these types of cybercrimes, you can seek support from the Cybercrime Department of India. It is better to file a complaint as soon as possible so that you get protection from the malicious application that is stealing or corrupting your data. With their active collaboration, offenders will come under justice.
Collect Evidence and Documents
Before applying to the cybercrime department, you need to collect evidence of the incident you have faced. The suspicious impact you have faced must be noted down and some evidence must be collected through screenshots and video recordings. Otherwise, you will not be able to file a complaint. If the specialist department does not get evidence, they will not be able to file a complaint against the mobile application. Along with all these, you have to submit your personal identification details (complainant’s details).
The documents that you need to add to the complaint are:
Collect the documents that you require. According to the demands of the cybercrime departmental norms. Before filing a complaint, you have to collect all of them. Here is a list of major documents and evidence that you keep handy.
If you encounter suspicious activities or fraud on a mobile app, take screenshots or screen recordings of the suspicious activities.
If there is financial fraud happening to you, you must keep screenshots of the way they have done it, the data of the bank, UPI, or the numbers to which the amount has been transacted. If you have installed any screen-sharing app, you need to provide the details of the application and the sharing number/code.
You must keep records of the chat, messages, emails, calls, calling numbers, and everything as proof of the fraudulent activities. If there is any suspicious phishing, you need to keep the screenshot and related documents.
App Information: Collect the details of the application and the permission you have given to it. Some applications want to be allowed with unwanted permissions which is not required. You can also raise a complaint against those apps that ask for unwanted permissions. You need to keep the details of the application, app storage access, version of the app, and all related details. You must mention whether you have installed the application by downloading it from the search engines Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
Give the details of the handset model that you have been using and have faced the issue of suspicious activities. Inform them about the type and version of the operating system.
These pieces of evidence will be crucial to your case and will help law enforcement agencies investigate the matter.
Report the Issue to the App Developer
In some cases, you will get the option on the app store/ play store to report to the application. Some application provides an option in the app to report the issue. It is a common procedure before complaining about an app. However, when any application intentionally is doing it, they will not provide you with any solution for it. However, most genuine applications do not have such malicious activities. If there is any, they have support channels for addressing the resolution. You will get an email address and/or contact number to get connected. Sometimes, you will get a response if you write your issue in the remarks of the application rating and review section.
However, while reporting to the developer is essential, it may not always lead to a resolution. Therefore, you may still need to file a formal complaint with the authorities.
File a Complaint with the Cyber Crime Cell (CCP)
If you face any cyber-related issues, you have to raise a cyber-complaint to a specific department. The government of India has set up a cell called Cyber Crime Cell (CCP). It is under the central bureau of investigation.
You can file the complaint through online or offline procedures. Online complaint filing is more convenient than the offline process. You can raise a complaint from the comfort of your home if you do it online. Your form will not submitted if there is any niche vacant to fill up. You will get an error notification mentioning the specific niche. So, everything will be completed easily.
Way to file via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
You can visit the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (https://cybercrime.gov.in). It is a government website designed to get reports of cybercrimes happening in India. The process of filing a complaint is easy here. Here you will get the option to file complaints against mobile applications.
Here is how you can file a cybercrime complaint through the portal. Let’s learn:
Step-by-Step Guide:
Choose the second or third option: Financial Fraud or Other Crimes. Then, you will get the page to sign up to file a complaint. If you are a new user, you have to register your profile with proper credentials and then sign up. After that, you have to register your complaint related to online fraud, harassment, financial fraud, phishing, cyberstalking, defamation, social defamation, and so on.
Before registering any cybercrime offense, you have to keep in mind some essential documents. The following documents and information are mandatory according to the rules (according to the cybercrime complaint website).
“Checklist for Complainant
Please keep this information ready before filing your complaint:
Mandatory Information
1. Incident Date and Time.
2. Incident details (minimum 200 characters) without any special characters (#$@^*`’’~|!).
3. Soft copy of any national ID ( Voter ID, Driving license, Passport, PAN Card, Aadhar Card) of the complainant in .jpeg, .jpg, .png format (file size should not be more than 5 MB).
4. In case of financial fraud, please keep the following information ready:
i) Name of the Bank/ Wallet/Merchant
ii) 12-digit Transaction ID/UTR No.
iii) Date of transaction
iv) Fraud amount
5. Soft copy of all the relevant evidence related to the cybercrime (not more than 10 MB each)
Optional/Desirable Information:
1. Suspected website URLs/ Social Media handles (wherever applicable)
2. Suspect Details (if available)
i) Mobile No
ii) Email id
iii) Bank Account No
iv) Address with proof
v) Soft copy of a photograph of the suspect in .jpeg, .jpg, .png format (not more than 5 MB)
vi) Any other document through which suspect can be identified.”
Post Complaint Tracking:
After filing the complaint, you need to keep in touch to check whether there is any action against the complaint or if there is any resolution for your complaint. Just keep a complaint ID (Acknowledgement Number) noted down to track. Click on the Track Your Complaint on the main menu bar and enter the number. You will get the details of the action taken on your complaint.
Conclusion
Filing a complaint against a non-native or international mobile app in India can be more challenging than reporting a local app, but it is still entirely possible. Whether it’s through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, direct reporting to the app developer, or legal action in consumer courts, the Indian authorities have mechanisms in place to address cross-border cybercrimes.
By understanding your rights, gathering evidence, and following the proper channels, you can hold the perpetrators accountable and seek justice. Contact Online Legal India to raise any kind of cybercrime complaint or complaint against any mobile application. Contact them today!
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