Scams to Avoid: The 'Release Fee' Before Withdrawal and Its Cousins
If you are asked to send money in order to receive money, you are being scammed. That rule has no exceptions worth learning. PINOYLUCK is an independent guide, not a casino; it takes no deposits, runs no games and processes no withdrawals. This page shows how the release-fee trick unfolds step by step, the disguises it wears, and what to do if you are in the middle of one. For readers aged 21+.
How it unfolds
- You register on a site, often one recommended by a stranger, and deposit a small amount.
- The balance grows quickly. Sometimes a 'system error' or a 'bonus' adds a large sum.
- You request a withdrawal. It is 'approved', then held.
- Support explains that a fee must be paid first, by transfer to a wallet number, before the funds can be released.
- You pay. A second charge appears: a different name, a larger amount.
- This continues until you stop paying. The balance was never real.
The displayed balance is just a number on a page the scammer controls. Its purpose is to make each fee look small by comparison.
The names the fee goes by
| Claim | Why it is false | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 'Pay the withdrawal tax first' | No tax authority collects through a transfer to an individual's e-wallet | Do not pay; ask for the legal basis in writing |
| 'Anti-money-laundering clearance deposit' | Compliance checks ask for documents, not deposits | Offer documents through the account upload page only |
| 'Your account number was wrong; pay to unfreeze' | Correcting a detail does not require a payment | Refuse |
| 'Upgrade to VIP to unlock withdrawals' | A withdrawal right that depends on a new payment is a hook | Refuse |
| 'Top up to match your winnings as a security bond' | No cashier works this way | Refuse and stop depositing |
| 'The fee is refundable with your payout' | A payout that never arrives refunds nothing | Stop; begin reporting |
How a legitimate deduction differs
Operators can and do charge fees or apply conditions; those are set by the operator and written in its terms and cashier page. The difference is mechanical. A genuine charge is disclosed in advance and taken out of the amount being withdrawn. It is not collected as a fresh payment to a personal account, and it does not multiply after you pay it.
Four cousins of the release fee
Recovery scams. After you lose money, someone contacts you offering to get it back for an upfront fee, sometimes posing as a lawyer or an agency. It is the same people or their associates.
Task and 'recharge' schemes. You are paid small sums to complete simple tasks, then required to deposit ever larger amounts to unlock earnings.
Agent deposits. A person takes your deposit into their own wallet and promises to credit your account.
Imitation sites. A copy of a known brand on a slightly different address, built so that deposits work and withdrawals never do.
What a real KYC request never asks for
- Money. Verification is documents, not payments.
- A one-time code from your wallet or bank.
- Your MPIN, online banking password or card security number.
- Remote-access or screen-sharing software.
- Identity documents sent to an individual's chat account.
If you are part-way through one
Stop paying now. The money already sent does not become recoverable by sending more; that belief is what the scheme runs on. Take screenshots of the balance page, every chat and each transfer receipt. Do not warn the 'agent' that you are reporting them. Expect pressure at this point: a deadline after which the balance will be 'forfeited', a supervisor who offers a discount on the fee, or a warning that your account will be reported. These are standard closing moves and none of them is real. The only thing with a deadline is your own report, since the wallet provider can do more the sooner it hears from you.
Escalation route
- Operator support, if you believe the site is a genuine licensed operator: use the contact inside your account and ask where the fee is described in the published terms.
- Your e-wallet's in-app help centre: report each transfer and the recipient numbers. Use the app, never a number someone sends you.
- PAGCOR's published complaint channel, found on its official website, for disputes with a licensee.
- PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI Cybercrime Division, through their official websites, for the fraud itself.
A note on this site
PINOYLUCK has no cashier and cannot hold, release or recover anyone's funds. If someone uses this name while asking for a fee, they have nothing to do with this guide. If losses are pushing you to chase, the responsible gaming page is the next thing to read.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a withdrawal fee always a scam?
No. Operators may charge fees stated in their terms, deducted from the withdrawal. A fee you must send separately before any payout is the scam pattern.
They say the fee is refundable. Should I pay?
No. Refundable fees are part of the script. Paying leads to another fee.
Can I get back what I already paid?
Nobody can promise that. Report quickly through your wallet's in-app help and to the cybercrime authorities, and ignore anyone offering recovery for a fee.
Do winnings have to be 'cleared' with a deposit?
No. Clearance by deposit is not a real process.
Can PINOYLUCK release my withdrawal?
No. This is an informational guide with no accounts or funds.