OPay Releases Statement Over Viral Claim It Stopped Using Phone Numbers as Account Numbers

• OPay dismissed a viral social media post claiming it had stopped using customers' phone numbers as wallet account numbers
• The fintech company warned that spreading false information about a financial institution could cause public panic and reputational harm
• OPay issued a 30-minute ultimatum to the author of the post, threatening legal action if it was not taken down

Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.

OPay has publicly rejected a viral social media claim suggesting the fintech company had stopped using customers' phone numbers as wallet account numbers, calling the information false and misleading.

The controversy began after an X user, Israel Gharee, posted that OPay had switched to issuing standard account numbers and was no longer accepting phone numbers as account identifiers.

The post told customers still using phone numbers as their OPay account numbers to visit an OPay agent to upgrade their accounts.

OPay rejects viral account number claim

OPay pushed back directly through its official X account, making clear that phone numbers remain valid wallet account identifiers on its platform, Leadersgip reports.

The company also said customers have no reason to visit any agent for an account upgrade or change, contrary to what the viral post suggested.

OPay urged the public to ignore the circulating information and rely only on its verified communication channels for anything related to their accounts.

The company also clarified how its wallet system works.

Regular customers continue to use their registered mobile phone numbers as account identifiers. A separate My BizPayment feature exists on the platform, which can give eligible users merchant account numbers for business purposes.

The existence of that feature does not mean OPay has ended phone-number-based accounts for ordinary customers.

OPay threatens legal action over false post

PremuimTimes reports Beyond the denial, OPay took a firmer stance on the wider issue of misinformation about financial institutions.

The company said:

"Creating and intentionally sharing false and misleading information about a financial institution can mislead the public, create unnecessary panic and cause reputational harm.

OPay gave the author of the post 30 minutes to delete it, warning that failure to do so could lead to "further legal action as appropriate."

This is not the first time the fintech company has had to deal with damaging online misinformation.

Opay warns against misinformation

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that in September, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre arrested an X user who had posted a false notice claiming OPay was shutting down and urging customers to withdraw their funds.

Police said the post attracted about 572,000 views within minutes of being published.

The Central Bank of Nigeria lists OPay Digital Services Limited as a licensed mobile money operator, placing it within Nigeria's regulated payments system.

OPay has advised customers and members of the public to verify any information about its services through its official channels before sharing or acting on social media claims.