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The short answer
To file an RBI Ombudsman complaint, first complain in writing to the bank or NBFC. If it does not reply within 30 days or you are not satisfied, file free on cms.rbi.org.in within 90 days under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026. For an unauthorised debit, report to the bank and to 1930 at once, because how fast you report decides your liability.
RBI Ombudsman complaint from Odisha: the route in one view
An RBI Ombudsman complaint is the main free remedy for anyone in Odisha with a grievance against a bank, a non-banking finance company (NBFC), a payment app or wallet, or a credit information company. The route has three stages:
- Complain to the bank or NBFC first, in writing.
- If there is no reply within 30 days, or the reply is unsatisfactory, file with the RBI Ombudsman on cms.rbi.org.in.
- If the Ombudsman passes an award you do not accept, appeal to the Appellate Authority within 30 days.
Since 1 July 2026 this works under the Reserve Bank Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026, which replaced the 2021 Scheme and shortened the time to approach the Ombudsman. Commercial banks, regional rural banks, State and Central Co-operative Banks, eligible NBFCs and payment system participants are covered. Scheduled urban co-operative banks are covered; non-scheduled urban co-operative banks are covered only if their deposits are ₹50 crore or more.
Step 1: a written complaint to the bank
Ombudsman complaints made without first going to the bank are not taken up. So:
- Complain through the bank's grievance portal, email to its customer care, or a letter at the branch. Ask for and keep the complaint reference number or a stamped acknowledgement.
- State the account or loan number, dates, amounts, what went wrong and what you want: refund, reversal of charges, closure, correction, compensation.
- If the branch does not respond, escalate to the bank's Principal Nodal Officer, whose details every bank must display on its website.
Typical grounds include unexplained charges, non-credit or delayed credit of money, ATM or UPI failures, refusal to close an account, delay in returning property papers after a loan is repaid, mis-selling of insurance or investment products with a loan, non-observance of the Fair Practices Code by an NBFC, and harassment by recovery agents (see the planned guide loan recovery agent harassment).
Step 2: filing on cms.rbi.org.in
You can approach the RBI Ombudsman if the bank rejected the complaint, gave a reply you are not satisfied with, or did not reply within 30 days (or any longer time RBI, NPCI or the card network allows for that type of dispute). Under the 2026 Scheme:
- Time limit: file within 90 days from the end of the bank's reply period or from its last communication, whichever is later. Under the 2021 Scheme this was one year, so older advice online is out of date.
- The original complaint to the bank must itself have been made within the period of limitation under the Limitation Act, 1963.
- How to 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 160017. Complaints from Odisha are received there centrally, whichever RBI Ombudsman office then handles them.
- No fee is charged.
- The RBI contact centre 14448 guides you on filing and gives status, but does not take complaints.
Upload the bank complaint, the bank's reply if any, statements and screenshots. Keep the complaint number to track it on the CMS portal.
What the Ombudsman can award
There is no ceiling on the amount in dispute. The Ombudsman can award compensation of up to ₹30 lakh for consequential loss, and up to ₹3 lakh for loss of time, expenses, harassment and mental anguish. Proceedings are summary and informal, mostly on documents. Many complaints end by the bank settling once the Ombudsman takes the matter up.
A complaint is not maintainable if the same grievance is pending before or decided by a court, tribunal, arbitrator or other forum. Matters of a bank's commercial judgement (for example, whether to sanction a loan), employer-employee disputes and disputes between banks are excluded. Criminal proceedings or a police investigation about the same fraud do not bar the complaint. A representative must be authorised in writing; an advocate can file only if the advocate is personally the aggrieved person.
Step 3: appeal
An appeal against an award lies to the Appellate Authority, the Executive Director in charge of the RBI's Consumer Education and Protection Department, within 30 days of receiving the award. If the Ombudsman rejects the complaint, you still have the consumer commission or a civil court within the ordinary limitation period.
Unauthorised transaction refund: what the bank must do
For money taken from your account by card, UPI or net banking fraud, act at once: block the channel through the bank's app or helpline, report the fraud on 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in, and give the bank a written complaint. The steps are set out in cyber crime complaints in Odisha.
Until the end of 2026, the RBI circular of 6 July 2017 on limiting customer liability applies:
| Situation | Your liability |
|---|---|
| Fraud due to the bank's negligence or deficiency | Zero |
| Third-party breach, reported within 3 working days of the bank's alert | Zero |
| Third-party breach, reported in 4 to 7 working days | Lower of the amount or ₹5,000 / ₹10,000 / ₹25,000, by account type |
| Your own negligence, such as sharing an OTP or PIN | Full loss until you report it |
The bank must credit the amount provisionally (a "shadow reversal") within 10 working days of your report and resolve the complaint within 90 days; the burden of proving your liability is on the bank.
On 24 June 2026 the RBI issued amendment directions on limiting customer liability in digital transactions, which apply to electronic banking transactions made on or after 1 January 2027. Under them, liability for a third-party breach is zero if you report to the bank within five calendar days; a one-time (once in a lifetime) compensation of 85 per cent of the net loss or ₹25,000, whichever is less, is available for frauds with a gross loss of up to ₹50,000, even where the customer was negligent, if reported to the bank and to 1930 or the cyber portal within five days; a disputed credit card transaction gets a provisional credit within five calendar days; and banks must resolve fraud complaints within 45 days (60 days for cross-border transactions). Check the RBI's current directions for the exact conditions.
Failed UPI and ATM transactions
Under RBI's turnaround-time rules of 2019, a UPI transfer debited but not credited must be reversed by the next working day (T+1), and an ATM withdrawal where cash was not dispensed by T+5. If the bank is late, it owes ₹100 per day of delay, without your asking. If it does not pay, that is itself a ground for an Ombudsman complaint.
Other remedies
- A consumer complaint before the District Commission, for deficiency in banking service, within two years. Choose one forum: the Ombudsman will not hear a grievance pending before the commission.
- A civil suit, or a reply to the bank through a legal notice, where larger sums or disputed loan accounts are involved.
- For errors in a credit report, see the planned guide on CIBIL credit report errors.
If you cannot afford representation, see free legal aid in Odisha. This area is described under consumer disputes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I complain to the RBI against a bank online?
File on cms.rbi.org.in after first complaining to the bank and waiting 30 days or receiving an unsatisfactory reply. Upload the bank complaint and reply. There is no fee.
What is the time limit for an RBI Ombudsman complaint?
Under the 2026 Scheme, in force from 1 July 2026, within 90 days from the end of the bank's reply period or its last communication, whichever is later. The earlier one-year limit no longer applies.
Will I get a refund for an unauthorised transaction?
If the fraud was due to the bank's fault, or a third-party breach reported within three working days, your liability is zero under the 2017 RBI rules, and the bank must credit the amount within 10 working days. For transactions on or after 1 January 2027, revised RBI directions apply, with a five-day reporting window.
How much compensation can the RBI Ombudsman give?
Up to ₹30 lakh for consequential loss and up to ₹3 lakh for time, expenses, harassment and mental anguish. There is no ceiling on the amount in dispute.
Can I complain to the RBI Ombudsman about an NBFC or loan app?
Yes, if the NBFC or payment entity is regulated by the RBI and covered by the Scheme. Unregistered lending apps are not covered; report them to the police and on cybercrime.gov.in.
Is there an RBI Ombudsman office in Bhubaneswar?
Complaints from anywhere, including Odisha, are filed online or sent to the RBI's central receipt centre in Chandigarh, which allots them to an Ombudsman office. You do not need to visit an office.
Official sources
- RBI Complaint Management System
- RBI FAQs on the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, 2026
- RBI circular: limiting customer liability in unauthorised electronic transactions (2017)
- RBI: turnaround time and compensation for failed transactions
- Report on RBI's final digital fraud protection rules (June 2026)
- RBI press release, 24 June 2026: amendment directions on limiting customer liability in digital transactions
General information, not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts and documents, and the law and official procedures change. Check the current position with the concerned office, or take advice on your own facts, before acting.