[kictanet] M-PESA transactions: System failure or negligence?

[Kamotho Njenga]

On various occasions, I have heard people narrate experiences citing
numerous issues pertaining to dubious transactional outcomes while using the
M-Pesa service. Sample questionable matters that have been raised include
incomplete transactions, disputable account balances, money disappearances
etc. Hitherto, I have been tempted to dismiss them as naive users of systems
or even rumor peddlers. However, I got an experience this weak that has
fairly shaken my confidence in the M-Pesa process chain.

Here is a chronology of events:

-Tuesday 03/10/2011: I send money to one Evan Chege for an agreed mission.
The following transaction details are sent to me- BR68XQ537 Confirmed, Ksh
15,030 sent to EVAN CHEGE 0712437150 on 3/10/2011 AT 5:37PM
-Wednesday 04/10/2011 3.30 PM- Evan Chege seeks explanation on whether I
sent the money having received no notification nor e-money on his end
-Wednesday 04/10/2011 3.30 PM- I presume that Evan Chege is lying to me,
since I have a transactional delivery notification
-Wednesday 04/10/2011 7.37 PM- BR77CO072 Confirmed. Ksh4,100.00 sent to
Charles Karithi 0724017539 on 4/10/11 at 7:37PM New M-PESA balance is *
Ksh2,478.00*
-Wednesday 04/10/2011 8.09 PM- BR77IJ875 You bought airtimeKsh200.00 of
airtime on 4/10/11 at 8:09 PM New M-PESA balance is *Ksh17,338.00*
-Wednesday 04/10/2011 8.11 PM Up to now- Tried to access customer help line
to no success- Only prerecorded messages playing for an infinite duration

*Outstanding Concerns*

   - Does this mean that the M-PESA system at times sends false confirmation
   notifications to customers. How many times might this have happened?
   - Why did the balance in the above instance rise from Ksh 2478.00 to Ksh
   17,338.00 without any narration. Could this difference be the Ksh 15,030
   that I had earlier sent to Evan Chege. If so why was it returned secretly?
   - Why was the transaction charged yet it was not consummated?
   - Now that the mobile money service is rolling billions worth of client
   money are there any system assurance checks to guarantee safety of
   transactions?
   - Is there a dedicated agency that monitors mobile money transactions?
   Who takes responsibility for failure and how are potential disputes set to
   be resolved? Or is there a presumption that the mobile money innovations are
   bound to be flawless even as they scale up?

Kamotho Njenga
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20111006/e297a5f7/attachment.htm>