Don't Reverse It: Safaricom Tells M-PESA Users What to Do After Receiving Money Sent by Mistake

Safaricom has issued a fresh warning to M-PESA users across Kenya, urging customers to exercise caution when they receive unexpected money from unknown numbers.

The telecommunications company says customers should not manually send back funds to a caller who claims to have transferred money to them by mistake. 

Instead, users are advised to follow the official M-PESA reversal procedure to protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated mobile-money scams.

The warning comes amid growing concerns over fraudsters using social engineering tactics to trick unsuspecting customers into surrendering their own money.

According to the advisory, a fraudster may deliberately send money to a random M-PESA number before contacting the recipient and claiming that the transaction was accidental. The caller may then pressure the recipient to return the money to a different phone number.

The danger, Safaricom warns, is that the fraudster may subsequently initiate or request an official reversal of the original transaction. 

If the unsuspecting customer has already sent the money to another number, they could end up losing their own funds.

To avoid falling victim, customers who receive money they believe was sent to them by mistake are encouraged to use Safaricom's official reversal process rather than acting on instructions from an unknown caller.

Safaricom has advised customers to forward the original M-PESA transaction message to 456 as soon as possible. The company can then investigate the transaction and facilitate a reversal where the claim is found to be genuine.

The warning is particularly significant given the central role M-PESA plays in Kenya's economy. Millions of Kenyans use the platform for everyday transactions, including purchasing goods, paying bills, sending money to relatives, paying school fees and conducting business.

Fraudsters have increasingly exploited this widespread use by relying on convincing phone calls and messages designed to create panic or pressure recipients into making quick financial decisions.

Safaricom has also reminded customers never to disclose their M-PESA PIN, one-time passwords or other confidential account information to people claiming to represent the company.

Customers who receive suspicious calls or messages are encouraged to avoid sharing sensitive information and to contact Safaricom through its official customer-support channels or visit a Safaricom shop for assistance.

The company’s latest warning highlights the importance of verifying unexpected transactions before taking action. 

For customers who genuinely receive money by mistake, using the official reversal process remains safer than personally transferring funds to an unknown number.