Many Kenyans have at one time or another, experienced the frustration of accidentally sending money to the wrong person through M-PESA, only to discover that recovering the funds is not always straightforward.
Safaricom has now clarified the steps customers should take when a recipient disputes or declines an M-PESA reversal request, leaving the sender uncertain about how to recover their money.
The clarification came after a user raised concerns online regarding failed reversal attempts after sending money to the wrong number.
The user identified as Malkia questioned the effectiveness of the M-PESA reversal process, noting that some recipients are able to reject reversal requests, potentially leaving senders without a clear recovery option.
“So nowadays, if you send money to the wrong number by mistake and you reverse, the recipient gets to decline the reversal, and when you reach out to @Safaricom_Care @SafaricomPLC, they ask you to report to the police. Then what’s the point of reversal?” the X user named Malkia stated.
Responding to the concerns, Safaricom explained that customers whose reversal requests are declined should first attempt to contact the recipient directly and request a refund of the mistakenly transferred funds.
According to the telco, if direct engagement with the recipient does not yield results, customers may seek assistance from law enforcement agencies by reporting the matter to the police to facilitate recovery efforts.
Safaricom also reiterated the importance of verifying transaction details before sending money to minimise the risk of erroneous transfers.
The company encouraged customers to take advantage of available verification tools, including the M-PESA One App and the recently introduced “Hakikisha” feature.
“Hello Malkia, kindly note that where an M-Pesa reversal request is disputed by the recipient, you need to contact them directly for a refund or report to police to assist with recovery. Please use One App and hakikisha to confirm transaction details for a better experience,” Safaricom responded.
The Hakikisha feature was introduced as an additional security measure aimed at reducing cases of money being sent to the wrong mobile number. The feature requires customers to confirm a recipient’s phone number before completing a transaction.
Under the system, users receive an additional pop-up notification prompting them to verify the number entered before authorising the transfer.
Safaricom says the enhanced verification process is designed to provide an extra layer of protection for customers and help curb the growing number of accidental M-PESA transactions.
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