Common fraud scenarios reported this H1 were as follows:

• 1

  Till Grabbing:

  A customer shoulder-surfs the agent and learns their M-PESA PIN. They then perform a transaction, either deposit or withdrawal, and leave. Later, they or their partner return to do a similar transaction and grab the till, proceeding with a fraudulent transaction.

  Caution: Agents must hide their PIN during transactions.

• 2

  Social Engineering (Fake Employer Call):

  A customer tells the M-PESA agent that their phone is off and asks to use the agent’s phone to make a call. The customer saves a different number and names it as the agent’s employer’s number. The fraudster then calls from that number, which displays as the employer’s number, issuing instructions that the agent follows, losing funds.

• 3

  Social Engineering (Fake Safaricom Call):

  An untrained agent receives a call from a different number, where the caller claims to be Safaricom, but it’s not "0722 000 000." The agent follows the instructions and loses funds.

• 4

  Admin Swaps:

  An admin fraudulently swaps a sub-agent’s till and transfers funds.

How Can Our Partners Safeguard Themselves?

1. 1

   Know Your Sub-Agents and Assistants

   • Know and update the contact information of all your sub-agents and assistants.
   • Ensure all sub-agents and assistants are fully trained by the area TDR before they begin work—new agents are soft targets for fraudsters.
   • Request your ASM to add you to M-PESA WhatsApp groups to stay aware of fraud trends in the market.
   • Only operate in authorized and assigned locations. Unauthorized till relocation is not allowed and will lead to discontinued service.
2. 2

   Use the Following Tips as You Serve Customers

   • Follow KYC rules, such as always asking for original IDs for all transactions and SIM registration.
   • Serve one customer at a time—fraudsters will try to distract you by visiting your shop in groups and making several requests simultaneously.
   • Always protect your till/M-PESA handset from theft—keep it within your sight and never give it to a customer under any circumstances.
   • Protect all your PINs and passwords from others, including Safaricom staff—do not enter them in plain sight.
   • Check your M-PESA balance when unsure whether a transaction was successful.
   • M-PESA SMS confirmation messages come from "MPESA" and never from a mobile number.
   • Do not follow instructions to dial codes on your handset.
   • Always protect any confidential information.

   REPORTING SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

   • •  Report fraud by dialing *234# or via SMS to 333 – include the telephone number which initiated the fraudulent request.
   • • For suspicious activity such send report to m-pesaaml@safaricom.co.ke