Leading telecommunications provider Safaricom has announced that its subscribers will now be able to reverse cash sent to unintended recipients through text messages.
Safaricom processes around 500 M-Pesa transactions per second and has been testing the SMS reversal service among its staff.
On Wednesday, it extended the trial to a few customers ahead of full launch “in a matter of weeks.”
Customers who send money to the wrong recipients will be required to send the transaction code, via text message, to the number 456.
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The cash transfer will thereafter be suspended.
According to the Business Daily, the company says that its customer care representatives will in two hours confirm, from the sender and recipient, that the transaction was erroneous and then reverse the transaction where there is no dispute.
“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.
Most users have complained of sending money to the wrong recipients and not being able to reverse the transaction.
[caption caption="Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore"]
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In October 2015, the firm introduced a service dubbed “Hakikisha” which gives customers a 15-second window to confirm the name of the intended recipient through a pop up on their mobile phones.
Subscribers can cancel transactions within this period at no cost. Safaricom’s mobile application also allows users to confirm their intended recipient even before they input their personal identification number (PIN).
