OPay has launched an enhanced, AI-driven scam alert system that is actively preventing thousands of Nigerians from falling victim to online fraud, the company has announced.
The innovative scam detection engine warns users in real-time if they are about to complete a transaction linked to suspicious activity, helping to stop potentially costly mistakes before they happen. According to OPay, the system leverages machine learning trained on thousands of scam patterns, flagged accounts, and unusual transaction behaviors to protect users.
“When suspicious activity is detected, users immediately receive pop-up warnings,” the company said. “Over 60,000 users are alerted daily, successfully halting approximately 30,000 risky transactions.”
In addition to pop-up alerts, OPay employs a multi-channel security strategy. For higher-risk transactions, users receive SMS, email, app notifications, and even direct phone calls from OPay’s customer service. This approach reaches more than 10,000 users each day, preventing around 8,000 potential scams.
Another layer of protection is the interactive real-time Q&A system that engages users during transactions. If suspicious motives are uncovered, the transaction is either flagged or halted entirely. This feature alone disrupts over 46,000 scam attempts daily, according to the fintech company.
Nigerian users have praised the system’s effectiveness. One user, @JAHS, shared on social media, “OPay alerted me that I might be sending money to a scammer when I wanted to patronize an IG vendor. Stopped the transaction ASAP.”
OPay emphasised that its scam alert system is part of a broader security ecosystem, which includes Face ID verification for transactions, USSD instant account locking, a Large Transaction Shield, and automated callback alerts.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to user trust and safety. “As scams get more sophisticated, the future of financial safety depends on real-time prevention. OPay isn’t waiting for fraud to happen — it’s stopping it in its tracks,” the statement read.
Founded in 2018, OPay is a licensed and NDIC-insured financial institution in Nigeria, offering services such as money transfers, bill payments, airtime purchases, card services, and merchant payments.
