As Safaricom customers use the M-PESA platform for daily transactions, errors can occasionally occur.

A user may accidentally send money to the wrong recipient, pay into an incorrect paybill or till number, or, less commonly, withdraw cash from the wrong agent.

These errors can cause distress, especially when the money was intended for a loved one or to pay for essential goods and services.

Safaricom provides different ways to reverse wrong M-PESA transactions. This article explains the available options.

One way to initiate a transaction reversal is through an SMS service. To initiate the process, the customer needs to forward the original M-PESA transaction message to 456.

Once the message is received, the system automatically verifies several conditions, such as whether the request has been made by the sender or recipient of the funds, if the request falls within 24 hours of the transaction, whether the recipient has enough balance to allow a full or partial reversal, and if the recipient’s number is not blacklisted.

The system also checks that the maximum of three reversal attempts per transaction has not been exceeded.

After the verification, the customer receives an SMS confirming if the reversal request was successful and indicating the expected time it will take to complete the process.

To reverse a transaction on the mySafaricom App, the payment must have been made through the app.

After completing the transaction, tap the Reverse Transaction icon and confirm the request.

You’ll receive a notification within two minutes that the reversal has been initiated, followed by an SMS from “Reversal.” Safaricom will then follow up with the recipient, and feedback will be provided within two hours.

DIY Reversal (Do-It-Yourself)

A DIY (Do-It-Yourself) reversal allows you to reverse funds sent via M-PESA from the recipient’s account (Party B) back to the sender’s account (Party A) without needing to call customer care.

Alternatively, you can visit a Safaricom retail center or M-PESA agent with your national ID and the transaction message. The agents will initiate the reversal process by contacting Safaricom on your behalf.

Reversing Payments to Businesses or Till Numbers

However, reversing a payment made to a business or till number is slightly different and requires direct assistance from Safaricom’s customer care.

To begin this process, you should first gather all the necessary details, including the transaction ID, the incorrect paybill or till number, and the amount sent.

With this information ready, you can then contact Safaricom by calling 100 or 234, or by chatting with Zuri on WhatsApp via 0722000100. A customer care agent will guide you through the reversal process, which may take up to 72 hours to complete.

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