Someone says they sent M-Pesa to my number by mistake and wants it back. Is it a scam?
Often, yes. The "payment" is usually a fake message, or the scammer sends real money and then also asks Safaricom to reverse it, so you lose twice. Check your balance and let Safaricom handle any genuine mistake.
The scammer sends a fake M-Pesa SMS from an ordinary number, then calls or texts, sounding upset, asking you to send the amount back. If you send it, you have paid them from your own money.
If money really did arrive by mistake, the sender can ask Safaricom to reverse it. You don't need to send anything yourself.
What to do
- Check your M-Pesa balance and statement.
- Don't send any money back yourself.
- Tell the caller to ask Safaricom for a reversal.
- If a real payment arrived, contact Safaricom customer care so they can handle it.
- Save the number and report it to Safaricom as fraud.
Frequently asked questions
- The money really did arrive. Should I just send it back?
- It's safer to let Safaricom reverse it. If you send it yourself and the sender also asks for a reversal, you can lose the amount twice.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for KSh 300.
Check a person