Complaint against a bank: RBI Ombudsman, fraud and the Consumer Commission

Common problems

• Unauthorised debits or online fraud
• A failed ATM or UPI transaction not reversed
• Wrong charges, interest or penalties
• Loan problems, such as delay in returning property documents after full repayment
• Credit card disputes and errors in your credit report

Step 1: Complain to the bank

Write to the bank, by email, through its website or at the branch, and keep the complaint number. If the reply is unsatisfactory, escalate to the bank’s nodal or principal nodal officer, whose details are on its website.

Step 2: The RBI Ombudsman

The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026 came into force on 1 July 2026, replacing the 2021 scheme. Under it:

• It covers banks, many NBFCs, non-bank payment companies such as prepaid wallet issuers, and credit information companies.
• You can approach the Ombudsman if the bank rejects your complaint, you are not satisfied with its reply, or it does not reply within 30 days.
• The complaint must be filed within 90 days, counted from the end of the bank’s time to reply or from its last reply, whichever is later. This is much shorter than the one year allowed earlier, so do not wait.
• There is no fee and no limit on the amount in dispute. The Ombudsman can award up to ₹30 lakh for consequential loss and up to ₹3 lakh for harassment and expenses.
• A matter already before a court, tribunal or arbitrator cannot be taken up.
• A complaint filed through an advocate is not accepted, unless the advocate is the person affected.
• An appeal against an award lies to the Appellate Authority within 30 days, extendable by another 30 days. A rejected complaint cannot be appealed.

File online at cms.rbi.org.in, by email to crpc@rbi.org.in, or by post to the Centralised Receipt and Processing Centre, Reserve Bank of India, 4th Floor, Sector 17, Central Vista, Chandigarh 160 017.

Unauthorised transactions and fraud

• Inform the bank immediately and block the card or account.
• Call the cybercrime helpline 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in.
• Under the current RBI rules, if you were not at fault and you report within three working days, you generally bear no loss. Reporting in four to seven working days limits your loss. The bank must credit the disputed amount to your account within ten working days of your report, pending its inquiry.

The RBI has issued revised rules on customer liability that apply to transactions from 1 January 2027. For a transaction on or after that date, check the revised rules.

Other RBI rules worth knowing

• A failed ATM cash withdrawal must be reversed within five days, with ₹100 a day payable for further delay.
• After a loan is fully repaid, the original property documents must be returned within 30 days, with ₹5,000 a day payable for further delay.

The Consumer Commission

Banking is a service under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, so a deficiency can also be taken to the Consumer Commission within two years. It suits cases where you want compensation and costs, or where the Ombudsman route is not available. Choose either the Ombudsman or the Commission for the same dispute.

Common questions