Nigerians have been warned about fake mobile applications allegedly designed to imitate OPay and deceive merchants by displaying fake account balances and transactions.
The warning followed a video shared on the X platform on Wednesday by a user identified as Abazz, @abazwhyllzz, showing how the alleged scam could be carried out during face-to-face transactions.
According to the information accompanying the video, the fraudulent applications are reportedly labelled “OPay Pro,” “OPay Beta” and “OPay Max.”
The apps are said to closely resemble the legitimate OPay application, making it difficult for unsuspecting traders and business owners to immediately identify them as fake.
The alleged scam works by making a victim believe that money has been successfully transferred into their account when, in reality, no payment has been made.
A fraudster could reportedly present a phone showing a purported payment confirmation or an increased account balance after collecting goods or services from a merchant.
The merchant may then release the goods after seeing what appears to be a successful transaction on the fraudster’s phone.
However, the displayed balance or transaction could be fake because it was generated by the cloned application rather than the official OPay platform.
The warning is particularly relevant to businesses that rely on customers’ phones or screenshots to confirm payments instead of checking their own accounts.
Users have therefore urged merchants to avoid accepting payment based solely on a customer’s phone screen, SMS notification or screenshot.
Instead, merchants are advised to open their own official banking or payment application and confirm that the money has actually been credited before releasing goods or providing services.
The alleged existence of the fake applications also highlights the risks posed by cloned financial apps that imitate the appearance and functions of legitimate payment platforms.
OPay has previously handled complaints relating to suspicious transactions and continues to emphasise the security of its services. However, specific claims about the applications identified as “OPay Pro,” “OPay Beta” and “OPay Max” should be independently verified with the company.
Cybersecurity experts generally advise users to download financial applications only from official app stores and verify the developer and application details before installation.
Merchants have also been advised to make account verification a routine part of every transaction, particularly when dealing with unfamiliar customers.
The video shared by Abazz has renewed calls for businesses and individuals to be cautious when receiving digital payments and to confirm actual credits rather than relying on what appears on another person’s device.
