By Abdulsalam Alkali
Claim:
Opay, a fintech microfinance bank, is deducting money from customer accounts to service COVID-19 Survival Fund loans. This claim has been circulating on social media since the beginning of the week.
Verification Process:
A rough search using the Tor browser and DuckDuckGo search engine found no evidence to support the claim. A deeper search traced the origin of the story to a social media page named “Ibadan Crush TV”, which appears to have been the first to publish it. Furthermore, Opay has used its verified official channels to refute the story, describing it as false, malicious, and fabricated. The company insists all customer accounts and deposits remain safe, intact, and fully accessible.
Findings:
Available data confirms that the circulating news is entirely misleading and false. No deductions for loan servicing have been made from Opay accounts. Opay insists that anyone with a genuine claim should come forward to register a complaint. The story originated from a non-credible source, a page focused on entertainment and lifestyle, not a legitimate news medium.
Verdict:
The claim that it is “fake and misleading” is consistent with the available evidence. There is no public traceable evidence that OPay deducts user funds for servicing any “COVID-19 Survival Fund” loan, and strong official statements from OPay denying both loan services and unauthorised withdrawals.