Q: What is Wadivo?
A: Wadivo is a fintech start-up with an African focus that allows individuals who have been overcharged for services to recover them. Its first launch was in Cameroon in April 2023 and targeted the banking sector. Any individual holding a current account in Cameroon will be able to recover the account maintenance fees that were charged on their bank accounts between 2018 and 2020. Indeed, the law prescribes that these be free of charge over this period. The product offering is expanding to now covers telecoms.

Q: How does Wadivo work?
A: Through our platform, we aggregate individual complaints from individual users. On the strength of numbers and the law, Wadivo and its attorneys initiate a discussion with the service provider for recovery.

Q: Does Wadivo have any special agreements or ties with certain banks or Telcos in Cameroon?
A: No. Wadivo is a platform independent and serves the interests of its users. We collaborate with all banks and Telcos to resolve our customers’ claims.

Q: How do I sign up on Wadivo?
A: To sign up, simply visit our website and complete the registration form.

Q: Do I have to fill in all the fields on the form?
A: Yes. Many sites ask for voluntary information that is not strictly necessary. Wadivo only collects data that is strictly necessary, so all fields are required.

Q: My country is not listed as a country option during registration. What does this mean?
A: If your country name does not appear in the list, it means that unfortunately you cannot register at this stage. But check the website in the future.

Q: Can I register on behalf of someone else?
A: No, registration is personal.

Q: Can I cancel my registration before the closing date?
A: You can only cancel within the legal 14-day period after you have registered.

Q: Can I use any format for the password?
A: Yes, unless the system specifies the format (letters, capitals, numbers etc).

Q: How can I get a copy of the contract?
A: The link of the contract is automatically sent to your email address upon registration. You can also copy it from the website.

Q: How can I negotiate and change the terms of the contract?
A: You can either agree to the terms or not sign up. They cannot be changed. The key points to remember in the Contract are: 1) you give Wadivo the exclusive mandate to negotiate the refund, 2) you make certain declarations and 3) you agree to the commission that Wadivo will receive.

Q1: What is the Wadivo Telco offer?
A: Through Wadivo, users will be able to claim the reimbursement by their Operator of certain charges unduly made from their airtime without their consent.

Q2: Who qualifies to make a Telco claim on Wadivo?
A: Any mobile user on any network in Cameroon is eligible if they are the registered person of the SIM, directly or under a company, and they had their number for at least five (5) years. You cannot claim on an old number that is no longer in your name.

Q3: What type of charges can be refunded?
These are charges for services (games, ringtones, apps) that you did not subscribe to. Typically, these services are installed unknown to you, and after some time (it can be days or months), you are asked to renew. You will have been debited in the interim and if you stop it, the Operator will not reimburse. Worse still, the same service can re-install again later.

Q4: Why do Operators activate un-approved services?
A: The services are provided by third parties who share revenues with Operators. The latter must decide how the services are delivered on subscriber SIMs. The first option is to obtain prior approval. The other is to activate by default, until the subscriber stops. Telcos are complex organizations and prefer the latter for simplicity. MTN and Orange in Cameroon operate that way, but this comes as a cost to the subscriber. 

But it should be noted that Operators also propose services and send activation massages direct. In the case of MTN, they will come under the sender Yello.

Q5: Are Operators legally allowed to charge for un-approved services?
A: No. No person has to pay for a service they did not consent to and were not informed of. In a dispute, your Operator would have to prove that you authorized the service.

Q6: Can I claim for the cost of SMS on these un-authorized services?
A: Yes. SMS are generally free when you are in Cameroon. But if you are roaming, their cost can be very high. Your Operator will send a popup to offer a service, treat it as an SMS, and charge you for receiving it. In the case of MTN, if you decline or ignore it, they will send a second popup asking why. Whether you reply or not, they will charge for another SMS. So, in one minute, MTN will have hit you with 700CFA if you are in Europe or 300CFA if you are in Nigeria, for something you did not ask for or know about.

Q7: What is the difference between a SMS and a popup?
A: There is a big difference. An SMS stays in your saved messages when received until you delete it. Unlike an SMS, a popup notification shows on your screen but leaves no trace after it is closed. So, you must be vigilant and make a screenshot of any relevant pop-up as soon as you receive it.

Q8: How do I find those un-approved services on my phone?
A: You will find them in your SMS messages list. The provider generally sends SMS under a short number or their name. Some of these are 8725, 8706, 8710 and ZIK (for MTN), and 8929, 8947, 8986 and Orange Celebrity (for Orange).

Q9: My Operator charges high fees for data. Can Wadivo help reduce these?
A: No, Wadivo only handles the un-authorized deductions for un-approved services.

Q10: Can I claim to get a refund for any missing mobile money transfers?
A: No, the refund is only for the un-authorized services concerning your airtime.

Q11: How do I submit a Telco Claim?
A: After registration, you press Submit a Telco Claim. Wadivo verifies mobile numbers to ensure that the SIM owner is the person submitting a claim. A One Time Password (OTP) will be sent to you. Once you enter the OTP you received, it opens the claim form itself.

The second step is to complete that form. When it opens, your mobile number is already displayed. Until 18 September 2023, you had to enter the Amount of the Claim and upload the proof. Neither is required after that date.

Q12: What comprises the Amount of the Claim form?
A: That amount is a fixed sum to be claimed on your behalf by Wadivo, including damages. It was estimated by Wadivo based on the claim Amounts declared until 18 September 2023, multiplied by 5. It is set at 15 000 for MTN and 30 000 for Orange.

Q13: My charges are higher that the fixed Amount. Can I claim more?
A: No, the offer is based on the fixed amount. Wadivo appreciates your situation but equally, others will be in the opposite situation.

Q14: Why do refunds reflect a 5-year period?
A: The overcharges are being treated as breach of contract. Under normal commercial claims, there is a prescription of 5 years. Things would be different if they are considered a criminal offense.

Q15: Can I register multiple claims?
A: Yes. But you must first register a new number for your next claim by pressing the button on your Profile page. You will go through validation for that number and follow the same steps as for the first claim. The second number can be on the same network or on another, but there will only be one claim per mobile number.

Q16: What if I do not receive my OTP?
A: The delivery of OTP is dependable. If you have not received it after a few minutes, it probably means that you entered the wrong mobile number. In that case, please try again.

Q17: What if I enter the wrong OTP by error?
A: The system will inform you that the OTP is incorrect, and you will be able to try again.

Q18: Do I incur any cost in receiving an OTP?
A: No. Like a normal SMS, the cost is borne by Wadivo as sender, except if you are roaming where the carrier charges will apply.

Q19: I had registered as a user before, to submit a banking claim. Do I need to register again?
A: Yes. Telco claims have a different procedure with OTP, and the Telco contract is different.

Q20: How do I correct an error on my Claim?
A: You can make a new claim with the correct information. Wadivo will recognize and adjust for the duplication. You can also send an email to contactcameroon@wadivo.com.

Q21: Does the list of Operators on the form include all existing mobile operators?
A: Not necessarily. Based on preliminary surveys, for efficiency, Wadivo focuses its offer on those Operators with the largest number of expected claims.

Q22: Is there a deadline for submitting a claim?
A: Yes. The deadline is Oct 15, 2023. It may change at any time without prior notice. This would be announced on the Wadivo website.

Q23: How long will it take for me to obtain my refund?
A: This is based on the length of the process. Wadivo will engage the Operators monthly, and the latter will have one month to reconcile the claims. Therefore, Wadivo estimates that it will take two to three months.

Q24: Can my claim be rejected after a successful submission?
A: Your claim can be processed by Wadivo but can be later rejected by the Operator. In that case, it will likely mean that you have not had your number for 5 years.

Q25: What happens if the Operator refuses to pay?
A: Wadivo doubts that this will happen because it is not in their commercial interest. Wadivo can first engage the regulator (ARC). Second, your mandate gives Wadivo the right to sue the Operator. Wadivo does not envisage it will come to that but, if necessary, we will instruct lawyers and start preparations for legal action.

Q26: How do I know if the reimbursement of my claim was successful?
A: Settlements will be announced regularly either in the media or via a general email, and also on the website of Wadivo.

Q27: How will I receive my refund once my claim is settled?
A: Operators will refund by credit to the mobile number. This is the only mode of payment and in particular, no payment in cash will be made.

Q28: How can I be sure that Wadivo will not divert my refund?
A: Under the terms of the Contract, your refund is made directly to your mobile account so there is no possibility of diversion. The Operator only pays in accordance with the terms of the Contract.

Q29: How is the cost to me of the Wadivo Telco claim?
A: The submission of claims is free. We do not charge our users any up-front fee but a commission of thirty (30) percent of the amount recovered from the Operator. There is no cost to the user if no money is reimbursed.

Q: How do I contact Wadivo?
A: To contact us, you can send an email to contact@wadivo.com. We are also available on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Q: What is the customer service phone number?
A: The number is listed on the website. Wadivo maintains a detailed and frequently updated FAQ and in addition, you can join the community blog

Q: How does Wadivo protect my personal and financial information?
A: At Wadivo, we take privacy very seriously. All personal and financial information is stored securely and confidentially. We will never share your information with third parties without your explicit permission.