How do you report a numismatic scam operating across multiple Indian states — which authority has national jurisdiction?

The I4C — Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre

The I4C is the primary national coordination body for cybercrime in India, established under the Ministry of Home Affairs. When a fraud is identified as multi-state — the same UPI account defrauding victims in different states; the same phone number appearing in complaints from multiple states; the same fake certificate circulating in multiple state jurisdictions — the I4C can coordinate investigation across state cybercrime cells. Victims in different states can each file at cybercrime.gov.in; the I4C aggregates complaints from multiple states and coordinates the joint investigation.

The practical trigger for I4C involvement: when cybercrime.gov.in complaints from multiple states name the same phone number, UPI ID, or account, the system's pattern matching identifies a coordinated fraud network. This is why filing at cybercrime.gov.in even for small amounts matters — individual ₹500 complaints that don't seem worth pursuing individually become a ₹50 lakh organised fraud case when 200 such complaints are aggregated.

CBI jurisdiction — the threshold and the referral

The CBI has jurisdiction over economic offences of national significance, inter-state fraud, and cases referred to it by the Supreme Court or High Courts. The CBI's Economic Offences Wing investigates organised financial fraud. For a numismatic fraud network that has defrauded hundreds of people across states with aggregate losses in the crore range, CBI jurisdiction can be established. The referral typically happens when: a High Court or the Supreme Court directs CBI investigation in response to a PIL or criminal appeal; or the Ministry of Home Affairs refers the case to CBI from the I4C coordination database.

SFIO — when corporate structures are involved

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has jurisdiction when the fraud involves companies or LLPs. A numismatic fraud ring that operates through a registered company (posing as an auction house or valuation agency) falls within SFIO's jurisdiction. Complaints to SFIO are made through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal. SFIO has extensive investigative powers including compulsory production of documents and examination of persons — more comprehensive than regular police powers.

Laws & authorities referenced in this chapter

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) — Ministry of Home Affairs; multi-state cybercrime coordination

CBI (Economic Offences Wing) — jurisdiction over organised inter-state financial fraud above threshold

SFIO (Serious Fraud Investigation Office) — Ministry of Corporate Affairs; fraud involving corporate structures

National Cybercrime Reporting Portal — cybercrime.gov.in; complaint aggregation feeds I4C pattern detection