By the Sevetu team
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Short answer
Save six numbers: 112 (any emergency), 181 (women), 1098 (children), 14567 (senior citizens), 1930 (cyber fraud) and 14434 (e-Shram). In danger right now? Call 112 first.
When to call which
112: any emergency
The single emergency number for police, fire and ambulance. The Ministry of Home Affairs says it runs in all 36 states and union territories1. There's also a 112 India app with an SOS button.
181: Women Helpline
For women facing violence in a home, a workplace or in public. It runs 24 hours and connects callers to the police, One Stop Centres, hospitals and legal aid2. West Bengal had not implemented it at the last official count3.
1098: Child Helpline
Runs 24 hours in all states and UTs and is linked to 112 for emergencies4. Call it if you see a child being hurt or made to work, including in a home.
14567: Elderline
The national helpline for senior citizens, open 8 am to 8 pm every day5. For an elder facing abuse or neglect, or a family needing guidance on care.
1930: cyber fraud
If money is taken through a fake job offer, a UPI trick or a scam call, call 1930 the same day, then complete the complaint on cybercrime.gov.in6.
14434: e-Shram
The e-Shram helpdesk for registration and card questions7. The e-Shram card, step by step →
For workers: the three that matter most
- Someone asks for money to give you a job? Don't pay. If you already paid online, call 1930. Fake job offers →
- Unsafe at a house? Leave if you can, and call 112 or 181.
- Wages not paid? Keep every message and the agreement. Your district labour office handles wage complaints.
Keep the job talk inside the app so there's a record of what was agreed.
For households
- Your parent lives alone with a carer? Save 14567 in their phone as well as yours.
- A child at home with a nanny? Save 112 and 1098.
- Check who you hire, with consent. Police verification, city by city → · Check an Aadhaar number, free →
Read next: safety on your first day
Questions people ask
There's no single national helpline only for domestic workers. Use 112 for emergencies, 181 for women, 1930 for online fraud, and 14434 for e-Shram.
Yes, it's toll-free and runs 24 hours, in every state except West Bengal at the last official count.
Elderline, the national helpline for senior citizens, open 8 am to 8 pm every day.
Call 1930 the same day, then file the complaint on cybercrime.gov.in with the payment details and screenshots.
Sources
- Ministry of Home Affairs, reply in the Rajya Sabha, 20 December 2023: ERSS (112) is operational in all 36 States and Union Territories; Child Helpline 1098 and Women Helpline 181 are integrated with it. rsdebate.nic.in (PDF)
- Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Women and Child Development, India's Commitment to Women's Safety, 29 March 2025: Women Helpline 181 provides 24/7 emergency and support services for women facing violence in public and private spaces. static.pib.gov.in (PDF)
- Ministry of Women and Child Development, Rajya Sabha unstarred question 1912, 11 December 2024: the Women Helpline runs under Mission Shakti; the Government of West Bengal is not implementing it. rsdebate.nic.in (PDF)
- Ministry of Women and Child Development, Rajya Sabha reply, 11 December 2024: the 24x7x365 Child Helpline 1098 is implemented in all 36 States and UTs and integrated with ERSS-112. rsdebate.nic.in (PDF)
- Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Social Justice (MoSJE), National Helpline for Senior Citizens, 29 September 2021: Elder Line, toll-free 14567, operates all seven days, 8 am to 8 pm. gconnect.in (PIB copy)
- Kerala Police, National Cyber Crime Reporting Helpline No 1930, read 12 November 2026, and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. keralapolice.gov.in
- Sevetu, The e-Shram card for domestic workers, read 12 November 2026, citing the e-Shram home page: helpdesk 14434. sevetu.com
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Written by the Sevetu teamSevetu is a hiring marketplace for household work in India, operated by Fiel Private Limited. These guides come from the questions families and workers ask us. Nothing here is sponsored, and where a number has no defensible source we say so instead of inventing one. About Sevetu
