CITIZENS COMPASS— Popular fintech company, OPay, has clarified the reports circulating on social media claiming the stoppage of phone numbers as account numbers.
OPay debunked this saying it has not changed its stance on using phone numbers as account numbers.
It urged its users to disregard the reports describing it as misinformation and misleading.
OPay’s reaction followed a post by an X user, Israel Gharee, who claimed that the Fintech company had discontinued the use of phone numbers as account numbers and was now issuing standard account numbers to customers.
The post advised customers still using their phone numbers as OPay account numbers to visit OPay agents to have their accounts updated.
However, OPay, in a response posted on its official X account, dismissed the claim.
“OPay still uses phone numbers as wallet account numbers,” the company stated, adding that customers did not need to visit an OPay agent to upgrade or change their account numbers.
It threatened legal actions against the purveyors of misinformation against its services saying: “Creating and intentionally sharing false and misleading information about a financial institution can mislead the public, create unnecessary panic and cause reputational harm,” It said.
The company subsequently requested the author of the post to delete it within 30 minutes, warning that failure to comply could result in “further legal action as appropriate.”
Citizens Compass reports that the CBN’s Payments System Vision 2028 identifies security, consumer protection, trust and collaboration as key priorities for Nigeria’s evolving payments ecosystem.
The post by the X user reads: “OPay is no longer using phone numbers as account numbers. They’re now issuing standard account numbers, so if you’re still using your phone number as your OPay account number, hurry to an OPay agent to get yours updated.”
In response to Israel’s post, Opay posted thus: Hello @Israelgharee. This post is false and misleading. OPay still uses phone numbers as wallet account numbers.
Customers do not need to visit an OPay agent to upgrade or change their account numbers. Please disregard this information and rely only on verified communication from OPay’s official channels for updates about your account.
Creating and intentionally sharing false and misleading information about a financial institution can mislead the public, create unnecessary panic and cause reputational harm.
You are hereby requested to delete the post within 30 minutes of this notice. Failure to comply may result in further legal action as appropriate.
We strongly urge the public to always verify information through OPay’s verified communication channels before sharing or acting on any claim.
As at the time of filing this report, the X user was yet to pull down the post which has generated reactions among social media influencers.
An X user, Osaro posted thus: “Even after several hours, he still hasn’t deleted it. I don’t understand why people keep doing this, and I hope he doesn’t cry foul later.”
