Safaricom users to now easily reverse wrong M-Pesa transactions through SMS

Sending cash to a wrong number remain one of the biggest and scariest nightmares M-Pesa users go through on a daily basis.

It is neither a slumberland for Safaricom, M-Pesa reversal requests is a big issue and the telecommunications giant receives over 10,000 daily calls from customers seeking transaction reversals.

The telecommunications giant is now keen to put an end or at least reduce the number of M-Pesa reversal calls.

M-Pesa users will now be able to easily reverse cash sent to unintended recipients without much hassle.

Safaricom has introduced a convenient way clients can reverse cash transactions through text messages.

Customers who send money to the wrong recipients will be required to send the transaction code, via text message, to the number 456.

“Safaricom has introduced a service where you can reverse money sent to another person in error. Simply send the wrong M-Pesa transaction message to 456,” said a text message the telco sent to its subscribers Wednesday.

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The service is currently on trial and is expected to be fully activated in a matter of weeks.

Safaricom , which processes 500 M-Pesa transactions per second, has been testing the SMS reversal service among its staff.

Yesterday it extended the trial to a few customers signaling confidence and final stretch of the novel service.

Safaricom says that once the text message is sent its customer care representatives will in two hours confirm, from the sender and recipient, that the transactions was erroneous and then reverse the transaction where there is no dispute.

Subscribers can cancel transactions within this period at no cost

In October 2015, the firm introduced a service dubbed “Hakikisha” Swahili for confirm which gives customers a 15-second window to confirm the name of the intended recipient through a pop up on their mobile phones.