An email lands in your inbox, and suddenly it feels like luck has finally arrived. It claims that a huge amount of money has been approved in your name, and all you need to do is pay a small fee to receive it. The message looks official, carries government references and even mentions the Reserve Bank of India. For many people, that is enough to create urgency. But this is exactly where the trap begins. A new warning has now highlighted that such emails are not what they appear to be, and opening the wrong message could lead to financial loss. Here’s everything you need to know about the RBI donation and lottery payment email scam.
Many Indian citizens have reported that they are receiving emails regarding them being selected to receive money under a so-called ‘Donation Program 2026’, compensation for winning a lottery, inheritance funds, or other payment schemes. They also reported that the emails appeared official and were sent from email addresses designed to look legitimate and trustworthy.
Moreover, users also reported that scammers often use official-looking names, fake documents, payment notices, and urgent messages that push them to act quickly.
The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit has recently issued a warning regarding such emails that are being circulated in the name of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). They have officially clarified on its official X handle that the emails are fake. Moreover, the authorities said that RBI has not issued any such email and is not running any donation programme, compensation payment, lottery reward, inheritance fund, or related scheme.
Such scams are usually played by the book, as the fraudster will initially send you an email that would look like official mail. The content of the mail usually comprises things like ‘ You have won a lottery’ or ‘You have been selected to receive a donation amount’.
Furthermore, they’ll add that it’s a limited-time offer, and you need to act fast if you need to claim that. Usually the mail has a link that takes you to an external website where they ask you to fill out a form asking you to share your bank details, personal information, or complete a few steps to receive the money, while at times it’s also possible that they may ask it over mail itself.
If you respond to that, then the scammers will entertain you further and request a small payment to release the amount or include links and attachments that can steal your information. Once you reply or click on 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.
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Follow these steps to avoid falling into such scams: