The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a fresh scam alert warning against fake emails claiming lottery compensation money, inherited foreign funds, or qualification for an RBI-backed 'Donation Program 2026'. According to reports from PIB Fact Check, the government's official fact-checking unit, fraudsters are circulating emails falsely pretending to come from the Reserve Bank of India. The scam messages reportedly ask people to pay a so-called 'crediting fee' under various financial schemes. Many Indian citizens have reported receiving emails regarding being selected to receive money under these schemes, with the emails appearing official and sent from email addresses designed to look legitimate and trustworthy.
As reported by PIB Fact Check, the fake messages claim recipients are eligible to receive funds through donation programmes, compensation for winning lotteries, inheritance funds, or similar financial schemes. Users are being asked to make payments to access these funds. The scam operates by requesting 'crediting fees' - a term scammers use to make payment requests sound official, usually referring to fees for money that has been 'approved', 'awarded', 'released', or 'credited' to accounts. Once payment is made, scammers either disappear or continue demanding additional payments under new excuses. The fraudsters usually send emails with content like 'You have won a lottery' or 'You have been selected to receive a donation amount', adding that it's a limited-time offer and you need to act fast if you need to claim that.
According to the government warning, the emails are part of a phishing scam aimed at tricking people into sharing sensitive information. As reported by PIB Fact Check, users are being asked to share bank details, passwords, Aadhaar information, PAN details, OTPs, or direct payments. The alert specifically notes that such scams often target senior citizens, first-time internet users, job seekers, and people unfamiliar with digital banking fraud. If you respond to the email, scammers may continue contacting you and keep asking for more payments or sensitive details, which can lead to financial loss or identity theft.
PIB Fact Check has confirmed that the RBI has not issued any such email, is not running any donation programme, and is not offering lottery compensation or inheritance schemes. In a social media post on X, the PIB Fact Check team explicitly states, "Neither the Reserve Bank of India has issued any such email, nor is it running any such donation programme, compensation payment for winning lottery or any other fund or scheme." The warning comes at a time when phishing scams and digital payment frauds are rising sharply across India alongside increasing online banking adoption. Many fake emails use RBI logos, official-looking signatures, forged government seals, or fake payment documents to appear genuine, sometimes including fake RBI officer names and fabricated transaction numbers.
The government has advised users to never click on unknown links in emails or messages, never share bank details, OTPs, passwords, or identity documents, and verify all financial communication through official websites. According to PIB Fact Check, users should avoid clicking on suspicious links, never share banking details, passwords, OTPs or personal information, ignore emails or messages demanding advance payments, and verify information only through official government or RBI channels. No government body asks you for advance payments to release funds, and authorities always verify the claims of a scheme via official government or RBI channels. With online financial frauds increasing, experts recommend people remain cautious about unsolicited emails and messages promising lottery winnings, donations, compensation payments or easy money. To stay updated with regional alerts, individuals should demand processing fees to clear larger prizes, never send money to receive a prize or financial reward, use lookalike or generic domains, check headers carefully as official Indian government communications end strictly in .gov.in or .nic.in, and pause and independently verify before responding. For reporting suspicious content, citizens can contact PIB Fact Check at +91 8799711259 via WhatsApp or email at factcheck@pib.gov.in.
