Scams to Avoid: The 'Release Fee' Before Withdrawal and Its Relatives
The oldest trick in the withdrawal queue is to ask for money before paying money. This page takes it apart. MAGICJILI is an independent guide, not a casino. It takes no deposits, runs no games, holds no balances and therefore has nothing to release to anyone. For readers 21+.
The trick, step by step
- You see a balance, often a large one, on a site or app. Sometimes it grew suspiciously easily.
- You request a withdrawal. It shows as pending.
- A message arrives: the payout is approved but held. A fee is needed to release it. It may be called tax, clearance, anti-money-laundering verification, channel fee or account upgrade.
- You pay. A new obstacle appears with a new name and a higher price.
- This repeats until you stop paying. The balance was never real money.
The balance on screen is a number the scammer typed. It exists to make each fee look small by comparison.
Why a genuine fee is never paid first
An operator that owes you money and is entitled to a charge simply subtracts it. If a payout of ₱5,000 carried a ₱50 fee, you would receive ₱4,950. There is no reason to make you send ₱50 separately, except that the sender has no intention of paying the ₱5,000. Those figures are an illustration of the logic, not any operator's actual fee; real charges are set by the operator and shown on its cashier page.
What they say, and what is true
| The claim | Why it is false | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 'Pay the tax first, then we release' | Any lawful deduction would come out of the payout itself | Do not pay. Ask for the rule in writing from on-site support |
| 'AML rules require a verification deposit' | Identity checks use documents, not transfers. A deposit proves nothing about who you are | Refuse. Complete KYC only through the account's upload page |
| 'Your account is frozen; upgrade to VIP to unlock' | Account status is not something you buy | Stop. Screenshot the message |
| 'The fee is refundable with the withdrawal' | It is a promise from the party already withholding your money | Treat it as lost if sent. Report at once |
| 'Send to this personal wallet, the cashier is under maintenance' | Licensed operators take payments through their cashier, not individuals | Do not send. Report the receiving number through your wallet app |
How to tell a real hold from a fake one
Real withdrawals do get delayed. The usual causes are unfinished KYC, a name mismatch between the casino account and the wallet, an active bonus with wagering left, or a manual review. Every one of those is cleared by doing something, such as uploading a document or finishing wagering. None is cleared by sending money. That is the test.
What a real KYC request never asks for
- A payment, deposit or 'verification fee' of any amount.
- Your e-wallet MPIN or online banking password.
- A one-time code from your phone.
- Documents sent to a personal Telegram, Messenger or WhatsApp account.
- Installation of a screen-sharing or remote-control app.
Relatives of the release fee
The task scam. You are paid small amounts for simple tasks, then told to 'top up' to unlock a larger commission. The top-up is the release fee in a different costume.
The recovery scam. After you have lost money, a 'recovery specialist' offers to retrieve it for an advance payment.
The cloned cashier. A copy of a real operator's site accepts your deposit and shows a balance that cannot be withdrawn without, inevitably, a fee.
The helpful agent. Someone offers to 'process' a stuck withdrawal faster for a tip paid to their own wallet.
Where to take it
- The operator's own support, on the domain you have verified. Ask them to confirm the hold reason in writing.
- Your e-wallet's helpline inside the app, for any payment already sent. Use the in-app Help section; do not call a number given to you by the people asking for the fee.
- PAGCOR's published complaint channel, if the operator is licensed and will not resolve it. The regulator's site lists how.
- The PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or the NBI Cybercrime Division, for fraud. Bring receipts, chat logs and the receiving account details.
No hotline numbers appear on this page. They change, and scammers plant fake ones; get current contacts from each official website.
If you have paid once already
Stop there. The second fee is always described as the last. Report the transfer through your wallet immediately, save the conversation, and do not accept help from anyone who contacts you afterwards offering to get it back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a withdrawal fee always a scam?
No. Operators may charge fees, and they are set by the operator and listed on its cashier page. What marks the scam is being told to send the fee separately before the payout.
They say it is a government tax. Could that be true?
A lawful deduction would be withheld from the payout, not collected by transfer to a wallet number. Ask for the rule in writing and check the operator's licence.
My balance is huge and I only deposited a little. Is it real?
On an unlicensed or cloned site, a displayed balance is just a figure on a page. If withdrawing it requires payment, it is not real.
Can MAGICJILI release my withdrawal?
No. This guide has no accounts or funds and no connection to any operator's cashier.
How do I report the wallet number I sent money to?
Open your e-wallet app, go to Help, and report the transaction with its reference number.