Verified 12 September 2026

How to Reverse Money Sent to the Wrong Till

By Aisha Hassan · M-PESA Till hub

Act fast, but not through 456: Safaricom lists its 456 self-reversal for person-to-person sends and airtime bought for yourself. Call Safaricom customer care on 100 (prepay) or 200 (postpay) with the transaction code, the amount and the wrong till number. Safaricom contacts the merchant, and the merchant has to agree before the money comes back.

The fastest route

Call 100 (prepay) or 200 (postpay). Have the transaction code, amount and wrong till number ready. Safaricom's M-PESA Reversal page (last updated 1 September 2025) lists 456 for person-to-person sends and own airtime, not tills, and its Business Till page (last updated 22 July 2025) says Safaricom contacts the merchant about reversal requests that come in through customer care.

If the merchant refuses

The reversal needs the merchant. Safaricom's reversal terms say the recipient is contacted for consent before a reversal is completed, and its published pages describe no way to take money back without that consent. Keep the transaction code, contact the business directly, and if you were tricked, report it to the police.

Are the charges refunded?

Paying a Buy Goods till costs the customer nothing (Safaricom makes an exception for fuel stations), so there is usually no customer fee to recover. Safaricom lists no fee for asking for a reversal either. Anyone who asks you to pay to reverse a payment is not Safaricom.

Timing

Quickest if the money is still in the till. Slower if the recipient must confirm. Once they withdraw, recovery is not guaranteed and may need Safaricom, and for large sums a police report.

If the request stalls

Call Safaricom on 100 (prepay) or 200 (postpay) with the transaction code and details. Keep the original M-PESA confirmation; that transaction code is what makes any reversal possible.

Scam warning

Fraudsters send fake reversal SMS to trick you into sending money back. A real reversal goes through Safaricom's own channels (456 for person-to-person sends, customer care on 100 or 200 for tills), not a stranger's WhatsApp. Safaricom says it calls merchants about reversal requests only from 0722000000. Confirm the current reversal shortcode on safaricom.co.ke, since Safaricom updates it.

Frequently asked

How do I reverse a wrong till payment?

Call Safaricom customer care on 100 (prepay) or 200 (postpay), quoting the transaction code. The 456 self-reversal is for person-to-person sends, not tills.

How fast?

Quick if the money is still in the till, longer if the recipient must confirm.

What if they withdrew it?

Recovery is not guaranteed. Contact Safaricom immediately.

Verified 12 September 2026. Independent guide, not Safaricom. Confirm current merchant band table, reversal shortcode and any till-name-change process on safaricom.co.ke.