Nepal Police Cyber Bureau recovered money for about 10% of complainants — Kathmandu Post
In Nepal, the police cyber bureau has managed to recover money for only about 10% of people who filed complaints about fraud during online purchases. As the Kathmandu Post reports, investigations are complicated by the use of personal bank and payment accounts registered in other people’s names, through which perpetrators receive and transfer funds.
According to the bureau, it received 1,373 complaints about online fraud in the 2023–24 fiscal year and 2,939 in 2024–25. In 2025–26, the number of reports fell to 808, while 83 complaints were received in the first two and a half months of the current fiscal year. Cyber bureau representative Deepak Raj Awasthi noted that a lower number of complaints does not necessarily mean there are fewer such cases.
Advance payments and fake sellers
Buyers in Nepal are increasingly ordering clothing, footwear, household goods and other products through Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Some sellers operate without official registration, making it difficult for buyers to verify who is behind a social media page.
Pokhara resident Samjhana Pandit said she transferred 250 Nepalese rupees for the delivery of two skirts to a seller she found on TikTok. After that, she said, the seller began demanding full prepayment and later stopped responding to calls and messages. Another buyer, Chilla Khatri from Lalitpur, paid a 2,000 Nepalese rupee advance for a mirror worth 7,500 rupees ordered through Instagram but did not receive the item.
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Awasthi advised people to be cautious if a seller does not offer payment upon delivery and demands a full transfer in advance. He also recommended checking contact details and the business address, reviews, and the seller’s registration with government authorities.
Business registration and a new mechanism
The cyber bureau has proposed creating a specialized center involving police and bank employees. Victims would be able to report fraud by phone, while specialists would try to stop suspicious transactions before funds are transferred further. The proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs and must also be approved by the Ministry of Finance.
The country already has the 2024 E-Commerce Act and a 2025 directive requiring online sellers to register with the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection. Currently, 384 e-commerce businesses are registered there, while another 1,418 are in the registration process. A fine of 20,000 rupees is предусмотрен for violating the requirement, but it has not yet been imposed.
