Friend Got Scammed Through SIM Port - Lost 1.6L+ in Transactions, Need Advice!

Hey everyone, sharing a scam story involving my friend to warn others and also get some advice. Here’s what went down:

My friend applied for an AU card through an agent, who arranged a KYC visit at his place. The KYC person suggested that my friend port his SIM to Airtel postpaid, which he’d already been considering. So, he agreed, and the KYC person arranged someone to come over to complete the SIM porting process.

When the person arrived, he handed my friend an Airtel SIM, saying it would activate in 3 days. But 3 days later, the SIM still wasn’t working. Turns out, the person who ported the SIM had registered it in their own name! This gave the scammer control over my friend’s number, along with access to his ICICI iMobile app, Amazon, and other accounts.

The fraudster made several transactions totaling over ₹1.6 lakh on various e-commerce websites, including purchasing gold jewelry and food orders. They also used my friend’s Amazon account to buy a OnePlus phone and AirPods, totaling another ₹40k. They even changed the credit card PIN, locking my friend out.

Worst part? My friend was in a remote area for Diwali, so he couldn't act quickly. The Airtel customer service required verification info that had been changed by the fraudster, so he couldn't block the SIM. With ICICI Bank, he couldn't block the cards because the PIN and credentials were changed, and since it was Diwali, most bank services were closed.

1-2 days later, he managed to block the cards and filed complaints with ICICI Bank and on the Cybercrime portal. ICICI has temporarily reversed the transactions, but he’s still without the SIM, and we’re waiting for a permanent resolution.

Questions I’m hoping the Reddit community can help with: -What steps should he take next? -Will ICICI permanently reverse the fraudulent OTP-based transactions? -Any way to get his ported SIM back, now that it’s in someone else’s name with Airtel? -Are there specific police or cybercrime resources in Delhi that could help?

Any advice on how to navigate this mess is much appreciated. Thanks for reading and stay cautious out there!