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Scam of ₹1 lakh in the name of RBI! Know the whole truth before depositing ₹7,500

Rahul Kumar | July 17, 2026 10:22 PM CST

Reserve Bank of India

A fake letter in the name of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is becoming increasingly viral on social media. It is being claimed that if a person wants the pending amount of ₹1 lakh, then he will have to first deposit a “refundable tax” of ₹7,500. However, the fact check team of the government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) has called this claim completely fake and has appealed to the people not to fall into such a trap.

What is claimed in the fake letter?

The name and seal of RBI is seen on this letter going viral. It is written that the amount of ₹ 1,00,000 is withheld due to transaction failure. To release this amount, tax of ₹ 7,500 will have to be deposited first. The letter also claims that this tax is completely refundable and a total of ₹ 1,06,800 will be sent to your account within 10 minutes of depositing the money.

It has also been said in the letter that the bank account information for depositing the tax will be given by the RBI employees and it has been asked to make the payment as soon as possible.

PIB told- this is completely fake

PIB Fact Check has clarified on social media platform X (earlier Twitter) that this letter is fake. RBI never asks any person to deposit taxes or fees for releasing any payment. People have been appealed not to trust any such message, email or letter and not to send money to any account.

⚠️Scam Alert!
🚨 A letter doing rounds on the internet reportedly issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) claims that the recipient must pay a refundable tax amount of ₹7,500 to facilitate the release of a pending amount of ₹1,00,000. #PIBFactCheck:
❌ This letter is pic.twitter.com/qKfnpQz36Q
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) July 17, 2026

Warning has already been issued

RBI has already many times advised people to beware of such fake offers, frauds in the name of winning lottery, getting money from abroad or getting cheap foreign funds. Fraudsters often try to cheat people by using the name of RBI or its officials.

What to do if you get such a message?

If you also receive any such letter, email, SMS or WhatsApp message, do not trust it at all. Do not transfer money to any account and immediately lodge a complaint with your nearest police station or cyber crime portal.

What advice has RBI given to the people?

RBI does not operate any person's bank account. Be cautious of phone calls or messages coming in the name of RBI officials. RBI never gives information about winning lottery or receiving money from abroad through phone, email, SMS or letter. RBI does not ask for deposit of tax or fees in exchange for releasing any payment. The official website of RBI is only www.rbi.org.in. Be careful of websites with similar names and fake logos.

Kanhaiya Pachauri

Kanhaiya Pachauri is an experienced journalist with 10 years of experience in print, TV and online media. He started his career as a print journalist and has been covering the tech and auto sections for the last few years. He researches technology closely and keeps an eye on the latest trends and developments. Currently, Kanhaiya is associated with TV9, where he is covering the Tech and Auto section. He has made a name for himself for in-depth coverage of the latest developments in the industry. We are ready to provide complete and correct information about any news to the users. When he is not working on technology, he enjoys pursuing his hobbies. He likes listening to music and reading books. He believes that music and books are a great way to relax after a busy day at work.