How to reverse an M-PESA transaction that went wrong
Safaricom M-PESA can occasionally lead to you sending money to the wrong person. It is possible to send money to an incorrect agent, send to an invalid Paybill number or Till number.
There are several ways to reverse transactions that have already occurred and you may be able to get your money back.
However, it cannot be reversed if someone receiving the money is not the right person at the time of the transaction.
1. Use the sms number 456 to reverse MPESA transactions
Send money to an incorrect number immediately and forward the confirmation message to 456 The SMS code 456 is free of charge.
Safaricom will reply in less than 5 minutes. They will inform you that they received your message and are working on it. It can take up to 2 hours depending on the time of day to reverse the money.
You will need to wait until the next morning if it is late at night, but you can still send the transaction message via 456.
2. Reverse with MPESA Hakikisha
Safaricom offers customers 25 seconds to confirm the recipient of the money after they have sent it. MPESA customers can confirm the name of the recipient by using the Hakikisha prompt
If you see a prompt with a name other than the one you intended, please reply by sending any number of letters. You will then reverse the payment to the wrong person.
3. Visit an MPESA agent to reverse the transaction
An MPESA agent will assist you in getting back your money after you realize you made a mistake.
The National ID card used for registration will be required to prove ownership of the MPESA Account. To prevent theft and impersonation, you will need to also show the transaction message.
After that, the MPESA agent will call Safaricom to request your money be reversed.
4. For assistance, call Safaricom Customer Care.
For prepaid customers, dial 100 and 200 respectively, and wait for a Customer Service agent to assist.
Safaricom Customer Care should be contacted first by sending the MPESA transaction message (to 456),