How to File a Cybercrime Complaint under PECA 2016
What PECA covers
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 criminalises unauthorised access to an information system, electronic forgery and fraud, identity theft, cyber-stalking, and offences against the dignity and modesty of a natural person. Many everyday online harms fall within one of these sections.
Table of Contents
Preserve the evidence first
Before you report, preserve everything. Take full screenshots showing the URL, the profile and the timestamp. Save message threads, transaction records and email headers. Do not delete the offending content or block the account before capturing the evidence – deletion destroys your case.
Where to complain
Complaints are made to the Cybercrime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency, through its online complaint portal, its helpline, or in person at a regional office. Provide a written complaint with a clear chronology, the evidence annexed, and your contact details.
What happens next
The complaint is scrutinised, an inquiry is conducted, and if a cognizable offence is disclosed an FIR is registered and investigation follows. Trials take place before designated courts. Progress can be slow – follow up in writing and retain the diary number.
Parallel remedies
A criminal complaint does not exclude civil remedies. Defamation and damages actions remain available, and platform-level reporting can secure faster takedown of the offending material than the criminal process will.
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