Cyber Scam Helpline Nepal: Call 1247 to Report Online Fraud, and What Happens Next
Short answer: Nepal's new cyber scam helpline is 1247. If you lose money to an online scam, call it straight away, day or night. Since 6 November 2026, police, banks, eSewa, Khalti and telecom companies work together at the Cyber Bureau in Samakhusi, and they aim to start freezing stolen money within 60 minutes.
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What is the 1247 cyber scam helpline?
The cyber scam helpline is the emergency line for Nepal Police's new Integrated Anti-Cyber Scam Response Centre (IACSC). The centre opened on Friday 6 November 2026 in the new Cyber Bureau building at Samakhusi, Kathmandu.
It runs 24 hours a day. The Cyber Bureau says it brings police together with banking, financial, telecom and internet companies. Police announced 1247 as its emergency number, and complaints are accepted around the clock.
This matters because the old way was slow. Official letters between agencies could take months, and the Kathmandu Post reports some victims chased their cases for up to a year. Now staff from the commercial banks, eSewa, Khalti, the telecoms and the police sit in one place.
| Organisation | Planned staff |
|---|---|
| Commercial banks | 60 |
| Nepal Police | 33 |
| Nepal Telecom and Ncell | 6 |
| eSewa and Khalti | 6 |
| Nepal Rastra Bank | 3 |
| Internet service providers' association | 3 |
| Development bankers' association | 3 |
114 people were due to be deployed across three shifts, according to the Kathmandu Post.
How to report online fraud in Nepal: what to do first
Stolen money gets moved on fast, so do these in order.
- Call 1247 straight away. Say you have been scammed. Give the amount, the time, and the account or wallet the money went to. Onlinekhabar reports that victims should now report to the centre's hotline rather than to the Cyber Bureau or individual banks.
- Block your own account. Call your bank or wallet on the number printed on your card or inside its official app, and ask it to block your card, mobile banking or wallet. That applies to eSewa, Khalti and IME Pay, now Khalti by IME. Never use a number sent by SMS.
- Save the evidence. Keep screenshots of the messages, the transaction ID, and the scammer's number or profile link. Do not delete the chat.
- File a written complaint if the officer asks for one, or if you want it on record. The Cyber Bureau's complaint page has a form for online financial fraud and asks for a copy of your citizenship, national ID or passport, plus the full web links and clear screenshots. Hand it in at your nearest police office or the Cyber Bureau, or email it to cyberbureau@nepalpolice.gov.np. The page still lists the Bhotahiti office, while the centre is in the new Samakhusi building, so phone before you travel.
- Do not pay anyone who offers to recover your money. That is often the second half of the same scam.
If 1247 does not connect
The Cyber Bureau's contact page lists a 24-hour duty officer on +977 9851286770 or 01-5319044, extension 100. For follow-up on an online fraud case during office hours, use extension 108.
What happens after you call the cyber scam helpline?
The centre works to fixed time targets. These are targets, not promises, and they come from the guidelines as reported by the Kathmandu Post and Onlinekhabar.
| Time after your complaint | What the centre aims to do |
|---|---|
| Within 10 minutes | Log the complaint and give it a reference number |
| 10 to 30 minutes | Find the account or wallet that received the money and trace where it went |
| 10 to 60 minutes | Ask the bank or wallet to freeze the money, and chase it to the next account if it has moved |
| Within the same hour (Kathmandu Post) | Switch off scam-linked SIM cards and numbers, and block phishing websites and IP addresses |
Phone is likely the best route for now. The Kathmandu Post lists the Nagarik App, the Nepal Police App and an online portal as other channels, but a Cyber Bureau spokesperson told Onlinekhabar just before the launch that the complaint software was not finished.
Will you get your money back?
Not automatically. The centre can get money frozen, but it does not pay refunds itself. Onlinekhabar says it coordinates returning money to victims through court orders, and is also meant to make sure accounts frozen by mistake are released.
The scale is why this exists. Republica reported complaints involving more than Rs 4 billion in alleged losses over three fiscal years.
Our advice: treat 1247 as the fastest way to stop the money moving, not as a refund service. Your speed and your evidence still matter most.
Which scams does the centre handle?
According to Onlinekhabar, the centre covers:
- Investment, job and romance scams
- Online buying and selling fraud
- "Digital arrest" calls and blackmail
- QR code and digital wallet fraud
- Phishing, smishing (SMS) and vishing (phone calls)
- Cryptocurrency fraud, SIM swap fraud and social media fraud
- Fake lottery and gift parcel scams, and online betting fraud
How to avoid the most common online scams in Nepal
Most of these scams need one thing from you: a code, a PIN or a tap on a link.
- Never share an OTP, PIN or password. An npCERT advisory reported by ICT Frame says real banks and wallets never ask for these by phone or SMS.
- Hang up on KYC callers. Police data reported by Republica show 2,379 complaints in three fiscal years from people who lost money after calls about updating bank details or after giving out OTPs. Call back on the number in your bank's app.
- Do not scan a QR code to "receive" money. A QR code and a PIN are for paying.
- Ignore festival prize and cashback links. The same npCERT advisory warns about links offering lottery wins, free gifts or unrealistic cashback. Treat free recharge offers by SMS the same way, and recharge only with the operator's own codes or app, as in our Ncell and NT recharge guide.
- Avoid banking on open public Wi-Fi. Use mobile data or your own pocket WiFi.
Key takeaways: Call 1247 the moment you realise you have been scammed. Then block your own card or wallet and save the evidence. A freeze can stop the money moving, but Onlinekhabar reports that getting it back still goes through a court order.
Antivirus and phone gear in our store
Antivirus cannot stop someone talking you into sharing an OTP. On a computer it can catch malware and warn you about some dangerous websites. These are the security and phone basics we sell, including power banks and earbuds.
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| Kaspersky Small Office Security | For 5 computers and 1 server | Rs 10,500 |
| Havit PB89 10000mAh | Power bank | Rs 2,550 |
| Havit PB91 20000mAh | Power bank | Rs 3,000 |
| JBL Tune Flex 2 | Wireless earbuds | Rs 14,500 |
Prices checked on 9 November 2026.
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Kaspersky Plus 2023, 1 device
Kaspersky Plus 2023, 3 devices
Havit PB89 10000mAh Power Bank
JBL Tune Flex 2 Earbuds
Frequently asked questions
What is the cyber scam helpline number in Nepal?
1247. Police announced it as the emergency number for the Integrated Anti-Cyber Scam Response Centre, which takes complaints 24 hours a day.
When did the 1247 helpline start?
The centre began work on Friday 6 November 2026 in the new Cyber Bureau building at Samakhusi, Kathmandu.
Should I call my bank or 1247 first?
Our advice: call 1247 first. Onlinekhabar reports that victims should now report to the centre's hotline rather than to the Cyber Bureau or individual banks. Then block your own card or wallet using the number on your card or in its official app.
Will I get my money back after calling 1247?
Not automatically. The centre aims to start freezing money within 60 minutes, but frozen money goes back to victims through a court order, according to Onlinekhabar.
What if 1247 does not connect?
Call the Cyber Bureau's 24-hour duty officer on +977 9851286770 or 01-5319044, extension 100, or email cyberbureau@nepalpolice.gov.np. You can also file a complaint at your nearest police office.
What documents do I need for a Cyber Bureau complaint?
A complaint form, a copy of your citizenship, national ID or passport, and the full web links and clear screenshots of what happened.
Sources
- Integrated Cyber Scam Response Centre notice, Nepal Police Cyber Bureau, read 9 November 2026
- Contact numbers and follow-up extensions, Nepal Police Cyber Bureau, read 9 November 2026
- How to report a cybercrime, Nepal Police Cyber Bureau, read 9 November 2026
- Nepal sets up round-the-clock centre to combat online financial scams, The Kathmandu Post, 6 November 2026
- Integrated Anti-Cyber Scam Centre to begin operations on Friday, Onlinekhabar English, 5 November 2026
- Integrated response centre opens to control cyber fraud (in Nepali), Prasashan, 6 November 2026
- Integrated Cyber Scam Response Centre opens (in Nepali), Pardafas, 6 November 2026
- Integrated Cyber Scam Response Centre opens (in Nepali), Sankalpa Khabar, 6 November 2026
- Integrated Cyber Scam Response Center launched in Nepal, ICT Frame, 7 November 2026
- npCERT Cybersecurity Advisory Nepal: How Banks and Users in Nepal Can Stay Safe During the Festive Season, ICT Frame, 8 November 2026
- Online scams drain over Rs 4 billion in three years as Nepal plans anti-scam center, Republica, 29 October 2026