Nigeria’s leading mobile money operator, OPay, has debunked a report claiming it will take a long, indefinite break starting 1 September, noting that its operations will continue.
The financial technology company disclosed this in a Sunday disclaimer, urging its customers to disregard the post.
Earlier, a post circulated on social media claiming that OPay would shut down its operations on 1 September and would not process any transactions until further notice.
The viral post further urged OPay customers to withdraw their funds from the fintech platform as soon as possible to avoid inconveniences.
However, OPay stated that it is not going on a break, as claimed in the rumour, noting that the viral post contained several red flags suggesting it did not originate from the company.
It further urged its customers to rely only on communications published through its official pages, adding that users should verify social media posts before sharing them.
https://x.com/OPay_NG/status/2094046311158825382
“OPay is not going on break in September. We’re here, and we’re going nowhere! True OPay users know how to identify our official communications.
“Take a closer look at the viral post, and you’ll spot the red flags. Always verify before you share. Filter the noise! Follow our official pages for authentic OPay updates,” OPay said.
Meanwhile, this is another instance of the challenges corporate organisations face on social media, as unauthorised entities impersonate them to commit fraud and disseminate misleading information.
In recent months, May & Baker, MTN, Wema Bank and other corporate organisations have dissociated themselves from social media posts published by unauthorised entities impersonating their brands and issuing purported corporate messages.
Similarly, in July, there was unauthorised video advertisements on TikTok, offering financial assistance such as grants, loans, giveaways, and investment opportunities, were used to scam Nigerians.
The investigation found that the fraudulent ads, some of which were AI-generated, were designed to target and lure unsuspecting Nigerian users into scams.
Since its establishment in 2018, OPay has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading digital financial platforms, providing payment, savings, credit and other financial services as a mobile money operator.
The company has also expanded beyond Nigeria into emerging markets across Africa and Asia, including Indonesia, Pakistan and Egypt.
