How to file an RBI Sachet complaint in 10 minutes

RBI's Sachet portal (sachet.rbi.org.in) is the official channel for complaints against unregulated lenders, illegal loan apps, and harassment by recovery agents. It's free, takes 10 minutes, and creates a paper trail that police actually respect.

Before you start — collect this

• App name + Play Store / App Store URL
• Lender legal name (if shown) and any NBFC registration number
• Screenshots: disbursal SMS, EMI schedule, harassment messages, threatening calls
• Your loan amount, disbursed amount, charges deducted, total repayable
• Your full name, PAN, registered mobile number, email

Step 1 — Register on the Sachet portal

Go to sachet.rbi.org.in → "File a Complaint". Use the mobile number that's registered with the loan app — RBI cross-references this with the lender's records.

Step 2 — Pick the right category

Choose "Unauthorised entity / Illegal loan app" if the lender is not on RBI's NBFC list, or "Harassment by Recovery Agents" if the disbursing entity is regulated but the collection is abusive. Picking the wrong category sends your complaint to the wrong RBI desk and adds 2–3 weeks.

Step 3 — Describe the issue (200 words is plenty)

Stick to facts, dates, amounts. Avoid emotional language. Include: loan amount, disbursed amount, charges, what the app/agents did, and what relief you want (refund of illegal charges, removal from contacts, takedown of the app).

Step 4 — Attach evidence

Upload screenshots, call recordings (if legal in your state), and the KFS if you have it. Max 5 MB per file.

Step 5 — Save the complaint number

You'll get a complaint reference ID. Save it. This is what you'll quote when you escalate to police, the Banking Ombudsman, or social media.

What happens next

RBI forwards the complaint to the regulated entity (if any), which must respond within 30 days. If they don't, or you're not satisfied, you can escalate to the Banking Ombudsman.

Parallel actions to take today

• File a police complaint or check if FIR is justified
• If contacts are being harassed, follow the 24-hour harassment response
• Verify whether the app is even legal using the 30-second legality checklist
• Understand the RBI Digital Lending Guidelines so you can quote chapter and verse

FAQ — RBI Sachet

Q: Is Sachet for individuals or only NGOs? Individuals. Anyone can file directly without a lawyer. The portal was specifically designed for retail borrowers who were previously stuck calling the lender or going to police.

Q: How long does Sachet take to resolve? 30 days for the lender to respond. Most regulated lenders resolve within 15 days because RBI tracks unresolved Sachet cases and uses them in supervisory reviews. Unregulated lenders rarely respond — but the Sachet number itself becomes evidence for police FIR and cybercrime cases.

Q: Can I file anonymously? No, but your details are not shared with the lender beyond what is needed to identify the loan account. If you fear retaliation, file a parallel police complaint so there is a criminal-side record.

Q: What if Sachet rejects my complaint? Rare, but it happens when the entity is genuinely outside RBI's jurisdiction (e.g. pure cybercrime). In that case Sachet usually redirects you to cybercrime.gov.in or the local police. Save the Sachet rejection — it is useful for the next channel.

Q: Should I file Sachet AND cybercrime at the same time? Yes, for app-based loans. Sachet handles the lender side (refund, takedown, agent discipline). Cybercrime handles the data-misuse side (contact scraping, photo morphing, threatening messages). The two channels do not duplicate — they cover different parts of the same incident.