Safaricom Clarifies M-PESA Reversal Process When Recipients Decline Requests
Many Kenyans will probably be nodding in frustration at the thought of trying to recover money they accidentally sent to the wrong person through M-PESA, only to be left hanging on if they'll get it back.
Safaricom has now shed more light on the specific steps you should take if someone disputes or declines an M-PESA reversal request - leaving you in limbo and wondering if you'll ever get your cash back.
When Reversal Requests Don't Go As Planned
This clarification came in response to a social media user who went public on their X (formerly Twitter) account about having trouble with a reversal after sending money to the wrong phone number.
Malkia, the user in question, asked the simple question: what's the point of having a reversal process if receivers can just reject your reversal request and leave you with no clear way to get your money back.
"So, nowadays if you send money to the wrong number by mistake and you reverse it, the recipient gets to just say no to the reversal, and when you reach out to @Safaricom_Care @SafaricomPLC, they tell you to go and report to the police. Then, what's the point of trying to reverse it at all?" Malkia said in her X post
Safaricom's Clarification and How To Proceed
When they heard the concerns, Safaricom said the next step after a receiver rejects your reversal request is to try to get in touch with the recipient directly and get them to give you your money back.
If that doesn't work, Safaricom advises you to take the matter to the police to see if they can help you recover your cash.
Safaricom also made it clear how important it is to double-check the details on the transaction before sending money over, to try and avoid those pesky mistaken transfers in the first place.
Checking The Details Before You Send
The company went on to say that you can use the M-PESA One App or the new "Hakikisha" feature to help verify your transactions and keep your money safe.
"Hello Malkia, just to let you know - when an M-Pesa reversal request gets turned down by the receiver, the next thing you should do is try to contact them and get your money back or report the issue to the police to see if they can help. And yeah, do take advantage of the One app and the Hakikisha feature to double-check the details before sending any money," Safaricom replied in a statement.
The Hakikisha Feature Exposed
The Hakikisha feature is actually a pretty cool new security feature that has been introduced specifically to cut down on people accidentally sending money to the wrong mobile numbers.
The idea is that before you can send money, you get a pop up asking you to confirm the recipient's phone number. This extra check should help you catch those mistakes before you hit send, reducing all the hassle and stress of trying to recover your funds afterwards.
Preventing Accidents Before They Happen
Safaricom is confident that this new feature is designed to protect customers and cut down on those embarrassing and costly mistakes. By forcing you to double-check the recipient's phone number before you send the money, they're trusting that you'll be able to catch those mistakes before they happen and avoid all the potential problems down the line.
By putting the focus on that pre-transaction verification, Safaricom is showing off their commitment to putting customers first and making sure that the whole mobile money ecosystem in Kenya is a lot safer for everyone involved.
