M-pesa Reversal: Safaricom's Steps After a Scam

Safaricom is telling Kenyans who send money to a fraudster to act fast: call customer care, keep the evidence and report the number. A self-service reversal exists, but only within 24 hours and only if the money is still there.

Safaricom has pushed a fraud awareness campaign on its WhatsApp channel, People Daily reported on 3 November 2026. An infographic titled "Umetuma pesa kwa con? Fanya hivi haraka!" ("Sent money to a con? Do this quickly!") sets out what victims should do next.

The message is simple: speed matters. Safaricom says customers can also use My OneApp, the app that replaced the M-PESA app, to report fraudulent transactions. Safaricom's own My OneApp FAQs list "Report Fraud" under Quick Care.

The campaign also repeats an old warning. Safaricom says it only calls customers from 0722 000 000, and that nobody should share an M-PESA PIN, password or verification code.

It lands as mobile money fraud keeps climbing up the agenda in Kenya. Liners recently covered the CBK's role in an M-Pesa fraud case against Safaricom and the move from the M-PESA app to My OneApp.

How to try to reverse a transfer

1. Call Safaricom straight away on 100 (Prepay) or 200 (Postpay), People Daily reports, citing Safaricom.
2. Keep the evidence. Save the M-PESA message, the number and any chats with the sender.
3. Report the number. SMS the suspicious number to 333, or use Report Fraud in My OneApp.
4. Try a DIY reversal. Safaricom's reversal page says you can forward the original M-PESA message to 456 within 24 hours. It covers Safaricom-to-Safaricom transfers only, and allows up to three attempts.
5. Don't send more money, and follow up using the reference number you are given.

A reversal is not guaranteed. Safaricom's page says it depends on the recipient still having enough balance and their number not being barred from reversals. Fraudsters often move money fast.

Sources: People Daily, 3 Nov 2026; Safaricom: M-PESA reversal; Safaricom: My OneApp FAQs; Safaricom: M-PESA fraud awareness.