How to Report Cybercrime in Nepal — Nepal Police Cyber Bureau Complaint Guide

The Cyber Bureau is the specialised, central unit of Nepal Police dedicated to investigating cybercrime and technology-facilitated offences. Established in 2018 and headquartered in Bhotahiti, Kathmandu, it provides digital-forensic support, coordinates cyber investigations nationwide, and works with provincial police and district police offices so complaints from anywhere in the country can reach it. It is the office most people mean when they search for where to report online crimes in Nepal.

The Bureau takes the lead on offences that have a clear digital element. If the wrongdoing happened online, involved a computer, phone or account, or left a digital trail, it usually falls within the Bureau's remit. Purely offline disputes with no digital component are handled by the ordinary district police office rather than the Cyber Bureau.

This guide is a practical how-to for reporting. For the underlying law — the Electronic Transactions Act 2063, Section 47, the Individual Privacy Act and the Information Technology Tribunal — see Amarnepal's separate cyber-law explainer.

The most convenient channel is the online complaint form on the official Cyber Bureau website, cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np. Look for the 'Report a Cyber Crime' or 'Online Complaint / उजुरी दर्ता' option. The form typically lets you choose a category — such as obscene/intimate-content offences, financial fraud, hacked or fake-account recovery, and other cyber offences — before you describe the incident.

Fill in your details and a clear account of what happened, including dates, times, the platform or website involved, usernames or URLs, and how the incident affected you. Attach scanned copies or clear photos of your evidence and a valid photo ID (citizenship, passport or driving licence). After submitting, you should receive an acknowledgement or reference so you can follow up.

Because portal layouts, categories and form fields change, verify the exact form and the steps on the Cyber Bureau site itself before filing. Make sure the address really is the official nepalpolice.gov.np domain, as lookalike third-party sites exist.

If you cannot use the online form, the Bureau also accepts complaints by email, by phone or hotline, and in person. Reported contact details include the email cyberbureau@nepalpolice.gov.np and Bureau phone lines such as 01-4219044 / 01-4214400, with a hotline mobile widely cited as 9851286770; treat these as indicative and verify the current numbers and email on the Cyber Bureau site before relying on them. For emergencies you can also call the Nepal Police control room on 100, and Hello Sarkar can be reached on 1111.

To report in person, visit the Cyber Bureau in Bhotahiti, Kathmandu during office hours. Bring a written application (nivedan) addressed to the Chief of the Bureau describing the incident, printed copies of your evidence, and a valid photo ID. Carrying an extra printed copy of everything is wise, and keeping the digital originals is essential.

You do not have to travel to Kathmandu to report. If you are outside the Valley, you can lodge your complaint at your nearest District Police Office or local police station, or at the District Administration Office (DAO). These offices record the complaint, take initial action, and forward it to the Cyber Bureau or to the cyber-investigation unit at the relevant Provincial Police Office.

The same essentials apply wherever you file: a written complaint with the facts, a copy of your photo ID, and your preserved digital evidence. If your case is urgent — for example, ongoing blackmail, a live financial fraud, or a hacked account being used against you — report immediately rather than waiting, and keep asking for a reference or record of your complaint.

Evidence is the single most important part of a cybercrime complaint, and much of it can vanish or be edited. Before you block anyone, close an account, or 'clean up' your phone, capture and back up everything. Do not delete the offending messages, posts or your own account, and do not confront or tip off the suspect, as this can lead them to erase the trail.

Save material in more than one place — for example on your device and in cloud storage or email — and, where possible, keep the original files rather than only screenshots, because originals carry technical metadata that can help investigators.

Once your complaint is registered, the Bureau or the receiving police office reviews it and assesses whether there is a digital offence to investigate. You may be asked to provide additional information, hand over evidence, or come in to record a statement, so keep your phone reachable and your evidence organised.

If the matter is investigated, officers gather and preserve digital evidence, may summon the parties involved, and can seek data from platforms, banks or service providers. Where an offence is established, the case is forwarded for prosecution under the Electronic Transactions Act or the relevant provision of the Criminal Code. Outcomes and timelines vary widely by case and workload; for financial fraud in particular, reporting fast can improve the chance of tracing or freezing funds.

Follow up using your reference or the officer handling your case, and keep records of every interaction.

Act quickly. Complaints relating to offences under the Electronic Transactions Act generally must be filed within 35 days of when you become aware of the offence, so do not sit on a serious matter. Reporting early also matters practically, before evidence disappears and, in fraud cases, before money moves further.

If you feel unsafe or are being threatened, prioritise your safety: tell someone you trust, and involve the police without delay. For serious matters, blackmail, or cases likely to go to court, consider consulting a lawyer, and note that support organisations for victims of online harassment and technology-facilitated gender-based violence exist in Nepal.

Because official contact numbers, the online form and procedures can change, always confirm the current details on the official Cyber Bureau website before you file.

Prevention is far easier than recovery. Most cybercrime against ordinary users starts with a weak password, a reused password, or a moment of trust in a fake message, so a few habits sharply reduce your risk.