Sent Money to the Wrong M-Pesa Till or Paybill? Here’s How to Recover Your Money Back To M-Pesa

Kenyans using M-Pesa can recover money sent to the wrong Paybill or Till number by contacting Safaricom and providing details of the transaction.

Unlike ordinary M-Pesa transfers between individuals, payments made to businesses through Paybill and Buy Goods services require additional verification before a reversal can be processed.

Customers who realise they have paid the wrong business should act quickly and keep the M-Pesa transaction message. The key details required include the transaction ID, amount sent, wrong Paybill or Till number and the date the payment was made.

One option is to contact Safaricom customer care by dialling 100 or 234. The customer should explain that the payment was made to the wrong Paybill or Till and request assistance with the reversal.

Safaricom can then verify the transaction and contact the business that received the money. The company may also establish whether the payment was linked to a service or product that had already been provided.

If the merchant agrees to return the funds, the reversal may be completed within 72 hours. In some cases involving Paybill services, customers may be directed to contact the organisation directly if it manages its own payment reversals.

Customers can also seek assistance through Safaricom's Zuri WhatsApp service on 0722 000 100. They should provide the transaction details and explain that the payment was made to an incorrect Paybill or Till number.

Safaricom may contact the receiving business, verify the circumstances surrounding the payment and facilitate the recovery process where the transaction qualifies for reversal.

Merchants are also expected to cooperate when they receive money that does not belong to them. Safaricom has previously advised M-Pesa Business Till operators to return payments received in error after the necessary verification.

For ordinary M-Pesa transfers sent to another Safaricom number, customers can use the reversal option by forwarding the original transaction SMS to 456. This method is different from Paybill and Till reversals and is subject to Safaricom's verification requirements.

Customers can reduce the risk of making payment mistakes by checking the business name and number displayed before confirming an M-Pesa transaction. Taking a few seconds to verify the details can prevent the need for a reversal request.