[kictanet] MPESA - Need for Consumer Protection (Attn:Safaricom)

Tue Oct 6 07:45:25 EAT 2009

Thanks to all who have posted their comments on this issue.

I just received correspondence from the very top level management of Safaricom Ltd who confirmed that they are treating this matter with the utmost concern and urgency that it deserves.

We hope such fraudsters are caught and that this is seen as a challenge to improve our electronic transaction and payment gateway systems in Kenya. Am sure Safaricom will handle the matter and try to solve the problem soonest.

Thanks to everybody who read.

Melissa Nanjaya Makokha

________________________________
From: Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
To: melissa makokha <mmakokha at yahoo.com>
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Tue, October 6, 2009 7:19:18 AM
Subject: Re: [kictanet] MPESA - Need for Consumer Protection (Attn:Safaricom)

Well i empathise with Melissa and Fellow Kenyans who have had a misfortune with Mpesa, while i am confident that the issues will be resolved i would also like to point out that this is a complicated matter "Peculiar habits " in some cases, on christmas day i received some amount wrongfully just in time for the Celebration (I was actually shopping for Chicken) but as a good Kenyan i knew i brother would go hungry on this auspicous occassion and i promptly made a call to the Mpesa call centre and returned the money and i tell you the guy was amazed that i was returning money at such a time. What i am simply saying is that Mpesa is bigger than Safaricom, some of the problems are caused by Consumers and the agents whereas others are systemic, while transacting yesterday i noticed a consumer getting personal with an agent for being asked to produce his ID, to make it worse the guy wanted to deposit the money into someones number and the agent refused, that
 not withstanding, we must acknowledge  the role the new service has played  as we await a  speedy resolution  to Melissa's problem and many others  who might be on the same boat, lets resolve the issue with some sobriety
My thoughts

On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 11:55 PM, melissa makokha <mmakokha at yahoo.com> wrote:

I will determine the position tomorrow and keep you posted. Safcom has a whole department of risk, fraud, forensic etc....it has one of the best PI firms at its disposal.  The fraudster is still using the sim card and when you try and call the number it just keeps on ringing....surely, by now, Safcom ought to have traced the fraudster since my little cousin's sim card is not in use, after the Fraudster replaced it!
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________________________________
From: Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni at gmail.com>
>To: melissa
> makokha <mmakokha at yahoo.com>
>
>Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>Sent: Mon, October 5, 2009 10:56:33 PM
>
>Subject: Re: [kictanet] MPESA - Need for Consumer Protection (Attn:Safaricom)
>
>
>>Well, someone also sent money to my number, i am not registered on M-PESA and was not allowed to withdraw it from the dealers because they said i was registered and could only change my SIM card etc at a Safaricom care centre... sadly, i have not had a chance to visit one.
>
>However, the sender of my money said they did receive a confirmation that the money had been received successively to a "Steve Ogolla". I called customer care and was informed that the money would be returned to the sender in 7 days if i failed to withdraw it. To date, its over 14 days since this transaction happened,  the sender has not received back the money and i too cannot claim it. It may be "Steve" is already enjoyed the funds.
>
>It would be good that Safaricom investigates this case to safeguard abuse and protect consumers! 
>
>
>On Mon, Oct 5, 2009 at 8:49 PM, melissa makokha <mmakokha at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>>Dear Safaricom MD
>>
>>My little cousin, an upright citizen working for African Alliance received KShs.40,000 in two tranches, first 25 then 15k while she was in Uganda on business. She is a non-registered user. She arrived in Kenya before the 7 days expired ( period within which a non-registered user can withdraw cash) and was informed the money had  been withdrawn within two days at 3 points - Nakumatt Lifestyle and in Naivasha on the 1st day and thirdly in Mombasa.
>>
>>The amounts were withdrawn by a fraudster named Grace Mumbi Muriithi.  This fraudster visited a safaricom dealer, swapped my cousin's sim card and registered her fraudulent name. My cousin has had the line for 5 years. When you log in the safaricom database for users, my cousin is the user of the line, and this
>> fraudster Grace is the MPESA registered user.
>>
>>Before you start, no, my cousin did not give anyone her PUK or PIN number and NO, she is not trying to defraud Safaricom. She has reported to the Safaricom office and of course was sent to the police to report the matter. She reported the same to Central Police Station. The police informed her that they have received similar cases of even larger amounts, KShs.50,000, 75,000 etc....but that Safaricom has not given them further facilities or support to investigate and the police do not know of any case that has been solved.
>>
>>Dear MD, perhaps this sounds like a million other cases that you have heard.....my cousin is being shoved back and forth by safaricom customer care ...you have also received an email to this effect....We hope you will assist in having such fraudulent cases investigated.  My little cousin has suffered irreparable harm and injury to her feelings....and her wallet! We do not
>> understand how another party can swap a sim, register an MPESA account with a different name from the user name without Safaricom customer care agents knowing or picking it up.
>>
>>We hope Safaricom solves this issue. We hope my little  cousin is fully compensated by Safaricom...Whether it does or not....word has already began spreading out, at least to our family. We will use Postapay for the time being.....
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________________________________
From: Catherine Adeya <elizaslider at yahoo.com>
>>To: mmakokha at yahoo.com
>>Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>Sent: Mon, October 5, 2009 2:51:06 PM
>>Subject: Re: [kictanet] Consumer Protection - Safaricom
>>
>>
>>Wamuyu,
>>
>>I may be wrong but I think it is the way you borrow money from a bank and you have to pay interest or something like that. I think this service is sort of a loan.........................so I guess your  issue is whether the Kshs 5 is too much but charging something is within their right ( I may get hollered at for this). Another case in point is even those market women who loan maybe 500 shs from the market 'loan sharks' and have to pay back an extra 50 shs at the end of the day when they return the money. 
>>
>>Anyway I am sure there will be more people on the list who can advice, I have a few clues on where to report but do not want to write so authoritatively. 
>>
>>And Alex....congratulations are in order!
>>
>>Nyaki
>>
>>
>>
>>
________________________________
From: Wamuyu Gatheru <wamuyulearn at yahoo.co.uk>
>>To: elizaslider at yahoo.com
>>Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>Sent: Sun, October 4, 2009 3:50:35 PM
>>Subject: [kictanet] Consumer Protection - Safaricom
>>
>>
>>Dear Listers,
>> 
>>Am a Consultant in Public Sector Governance who finds this list a most informative one ...a good example of how to dialogue for policy making.
>> 
>>I have a question. Where do I complain about Safaricom charging a Kshs 5 fee for their Kshs 50 credit advance service. Is this common in pricing? - For a company to charge a fee on a payment  made to them?
>> 
>>regards, Wamuyu
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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