Financial technology platform, Opay, has debunked a viral claim that it is distributing N5,000 to users during the Christmas festive season.

On Thursday, an X user posted that the fintech sent its users N5,000.

The post read, “Opay just sent every user N5,000 for Christmas Celebration. Did you receive yours?” The user also attached an image to the post.

At press time, the post had garnered over 1,500 views, 85 likes, 63 comments, and had been reposted 65 times.

In response to the viral claim, OPay issued a statement on Friday, describing it as false.

“Opay is not giving money to anyone during this festive season,” the statement read.

The fintech also advised users to avoid falling victim to scammers, particularly those who request sensitive personal information such as Bank Verification Numbers (BVN).s, never share your BVN to anyone,” Opay added.

This is not the first time such a claim has been making the rounds. In 2024, several Facebook posts promoted an OPay giveaway worth N100,000.

One of the posts read, “₦100,000 giveaway happening now. Submit your phone number and apply now. Offer is ending this month.”

In one of the posts, a link to a blog post titled “Elderly care jobs in the USA with visa sponsorships” was attached, revealing it to be a bait scam.

Opay has always advised its users against clicking on dubious links, revealing their passwords, or responding to suspicious calls, emails, or texts. They also urge their customers to report suspicious transactions in their accounts.

In other news, the mobile banking platform was named Fintech Company of the Year and Best Fintech in Cybersecurity at the 9th Tech Innovation Awards, a prestigious platform celebrating excellence in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem on November 29.

While speaking at the event, the Chief Compliance Officer at OPay, Chukwudinma Okafor, said, “These awards are a testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence in fintech and our unwavering commitment to user security. Every innovation we introduce, from secure payments to advanced compliance measures, is designed to give millions of Nigerians the confidence to transact safely. This recognition belongs as much to our dedicated team as it does to the users who inspire us to continually raise the bar for excellence in fintech and cybersecurity.” (The Guardian)

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