Cash withdrawal shows on your account but you never withdrew it

Who this guide is for

This guide is for anyone whose passbook, statement or SMS shows cash leaving their account when they did not take it out.

• Your statement shows an ATM cash withdrawal at a place or time you were not there.
• Money was debited at an ATM but no cash came out, yet the bank marked it successful.
• A branch shows a cash payment against your account that you never authorised.
• Your card never left your possession, but a withdrawal still appears.
• You shared nothing, yet a fraudulent withdrawal hit your savings or pension account.

What you can do this weekend

Friday evening

Act tonight, because prompt reporting is what protects your money. Do not wait for the branch to open.

• Note the exact date, time, amount and ATM location shown in your SMS or statement.
• Call the bank's 24x7 customer-care or toll-free number and report the disputed withdrawal. Ask them to block the card if fraud is suspected.
• Write down the complaint or ticket reference, the agent's name and the call time.

Saturday

Put everything in writing so there is a dated paper trail.

• Send a written complaint by email to the bank's grievance address, repeating the phone complaint and reference number.
• State clearly that you never made this withdrawal and that you are claiming limited liability for an unauthorised transaction.
• Ask the bank in writing to preserve the ATM electronic journal and CCTV footage, since cameras overwrite footage after a set period.

Sunday

Build your evidence file and prepare to escalate.

• Download the full statement covering the disputed entry and save the SMS alerts as screenshots.
• Note where you actually were at that time, and keep any proof such as toll, fuel, travel or attendance records.
• If you have a public-sector bank or ATM operator, draft an RTI for the ATM logs and footage so it is ready to file on Monday.

Documents and evidence checklist

Step-by-step action plan

1. Report it the same day in writing. Call customer care, then send an email repeating the complaint. Prompt reporting is the single biggest factor in getting your money back and limiting your liability.
2. Get a written complaint reference. Insist on a complaint or ticket number and a written acknowledgement. Without a reference, the bank can later claim you never reported it.
3. Claim limited liability clearly. State in writing that this was an unauthorised transaction, that your card and PIN were secure, and that you are claiming limited or zero liability under RBI customer-protection rules.
4. Demand evidence be preserved. Ask the bank in writing to preserve the ATM electronic journal, switch log and CCTV footage for that machine and time before the footage is overwritten.
5. Ask for a provisional reversal. Request that the disputed amount be credited back while the bank investigates, as the rules expect, and ask for the investigation outcome in writing.
6. File a police or cyber complaint if fraud. If the withdrawal looks like fraud, lodge a complaint at the cybercrime portal or local police and keep the acknowledgement for your file.
7. Escalate to the bank's nodal officer. If the branch stalls, write to the bank's principal nodal or grievance redressal officer, attaching your reference number and evidence.
8. Approach the RBI Ombudsman. If the bank does not resolve it within a reasonable time or rejects you unfairly, file on the RBI CMS portal under the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme.
9. Use RTI for public-sector records. If the bank or ATM operator is public-sector, file an RTI for the ATM logs and footage to test the bank's version of events.

Escalation ladder

Copy-paste complaint template

Adapt the bracketed parts. Keep a copy of everything you send.

To: The Branch Manager / Grievance Redressal Officer
[Bank name and branch]

Subject: Unauthorised cash withdrawal of [amount] on [date] - account [last 4 digits] - request reversal

Dear Sir/Madam,

My savings account [last 4 digits of account] shows a cash withdrawal of [amount] on [date] at approximately [time] at [ATM location / branch]. I did NOT make this withdrawal and I did not authorise anyone to make it.

My debit card remained in my possession and my PIN was never shared with anyone. At the time shown, I was at [your location], for which I can provide proof.

I reported this on [date] by phone; my complaint reference is [reference number]. I am putting it in writing as well.

I request you to:
1. Treat this as an unauthorised electronic transaction and apply limited / zero liability as per RBI customer-protection rules.
2. Credit the disputed amount back to my account while you investigate.
3. Preserve and review the ATM electronic journal, switch log and CCTV footage for that machine and time, before the footage is overwritten.
4. Send me your investigation findings in writing.

Please acknowledge this complaint with a reference number. If it is not resolved, I will approach the RBI Ombudsman through the CMS portal.

Documents enclosed: account statement, SMS alerts, complaint reference, proof of my whereabouts.

Name: [your name]
Account number: [last 4 digits]
Registered mobile: [number]
Date: [date]
Signature: ____________

When RTI can help

RTI works only when the records sit with a public authority. It genuinely helps when:

• Your account is with a public-sector bank such as the State Bank of India or another nationalised bank. You can seek the ATM electronic journal, the switch or transaction log and the CCTV-preservation status for the disputed withdrawal.
• The ATM is operated by a public-sector bank or a government body, so the camera and dispense records are held by a public authority.
• You want the bank's internal investigation report, complaint handling timeline, or the file noting on how your grievance was decided.
• You need to confirm whether the disputed entry was a genuine dispensed-cash transaction or a failed transaction that should have auto-reversed.

An RTI to a public-sector bank can force out the very logs that prove no cash was dispensed, or that someone else withdrew it.

When RTI will not help

RTI does not apply to private banks, because they are not public authorities. If your account is with a private bank such as HDFC, ICICI, Axis or a private ATM operator, an RTI will simply be returned.

For a private bank, the correct first remedies are:

• The bank's own grievance redressal and principal nodal officer, in writing, with your complaint reference.
• The RBI Integrated Ombudsman through the CMS portal at cms.rbi.org.in, once the bank has had a fair chance to resolve it or has rejected you.
• The consumer commission via the e-Daakhil portal for deficiency in service and your loss.
• The cybercrime portal and police if the withdrawal was fraud.

Even for a private bank, the RBI's limited-liability protection for unauthorised transactions still applies, so report promptly and keep proof of when you reported.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting to report. Delay can shift the loss onto you; prompt reporting is what protects your money.
• Reporting only by phone. Always follow up in writing so there is a dated record and a complaint reference.
• Not asking the bank to preserve CCTV footage, which is overwritten within a short window and then lost forever.
• Accepting a verbal rejection. Insist on the bank's decision in writing so you can escalate.
• Going straight to the ombudsman before giving the bank a fair chance, which can get your complaint returned.
• Filing an RTI against a private bank, which has no obligation to answer; use the ombudsman route instead.

FAQs

What should I do first if my statement shows a withdrawal I never made?

Report it to your bank immediately, the same day if you can, by phone and then in writing. Note the date, time, amount and ATM location, and get a written complaint reference. Prompt reporting is the single most important step, because RBI rules limit or remove your liability for unauthorised transactions when you report quickly and your card and PIN were secure.

Will the bank refund money I did not withdraw?

If you report promptly and the transaction was unauthorised, the bank must investigate and reverse a wrongly debited amount, with your liability limited or zero under RBI customer-protection rules. The bank may credit the amount provisionally while it checks the ATM logs and footage. If it refuses unfairly, you can escalate to the RBI Ombudsman.

Can I get the ATM CCTV footage and logs?

Ask the bank in writing straight away to preserve the footage, electronic journal and switch log, because cameras overwrite footage quickly. If your bank or the ATM operator is public-sector, you can also file an RTI for these records. For a private bank, request them through the complaint and ombudsman process instead.

Does RTI help against a private bank?

No. Private banks are not public authorities, so they are not covered by the RTI Act and will return your application. RTI helps only when your bank or the ATM operator is public-sector, such as the State Bank of India. For a private bank, use the bank's grievance process and then the RBI Ombudsman through the CMS portal.

What if money was debited at the ATM but no cash came out?

This is a failed transaction that should auto-reverse to your account. If it does not reverse on its own, raise it with the bank in writing and ask for the reversal, quoting the date, time and amount. The ATM electronic journal will show whether cash was actually dispensed, so ask the bank to check it.

When can I go to the RBI Ombudsman?

Approach the RBI Integrated Ombudsman after you have complained to the bank and it has either rejected you, not resolved it within a reasonable time, or given an unsatisfactory reply. File online on the RBI CMS portal at cms.rbi.org.in. Keep your complaint reference, statement and evidence ready to upload.

Should I also file a police complaint?

If the withdrawal looks like fraud or theft, yes. Lodge a complaint at the national cybercrime portal or your local police and keep the acknowledgement. A police or cyber complaint strengthens your file with the bank and the ombudsman and is often expected when a third party has taken your money.

Clear next steps

• Call your bank now and report the disputed withdrawal; write down the complaint reference and the time of the call.
• Send a short email repeating the complaint and asking the bank to preserve the ATM journal and CCTV footage.
• Save your statement and SMS alerts as screenshots in one folder.
• State in writing that this was unauthorised and that you claim limited liability.
• If your bank is public-sector, draft an RTI for the ATM logs and footage so it is ready to file.