MPESA Safety Tips

Your Mpesa secret 4 digit number is the only key to your phone based bank, what most people don't realize is that there is more to watch out than just your pin number.

Mpesa is a mobile based mobile transfer service from Safaricom that allows users to transfer, keep and withdraw money with minimal charges. despite the many advantes it offers, there are still some hitches that occur once in a while.

Safaricom has put up strict measures to ensure that the service runs smoothly, for example, you are not allowed to withdraw cash without your original identification card or a passport.

Unlike in other common banking services where you are assured that your money is well secured, here you have to be responsible and ensure that your money is secure. Here are some tips on how to do that;

1. Never disclose your PIN or any other details of your account to anyone including the Mpesa

agents: it is a common practice by many to do this especially those who are not familiar with

with this service. they give their pin to a friend or an agent to help them with it.

2. Dont use a Pin that is easy to guess- most people use their date of birth, school admission

number, son or daughter's date of birth and so forth, please use a difficult one. you might want

to write it somewhere or put it in your head.

3. Always keep your identity card well; thieves are smart because most of such crimes

are premeditated it is not easy for them to send money to their phone since it can be traced, if

they have a color copy of your ID card, they can easily withdraw money by using your phone.

4. SIM card- it is very common for many to use different SIM cards, nowadays it is easy for some one to change your sim with anew one and block yours using a blank sim which costs about 100, that way they can easily withdraw your money and you wont be able to realize in good time.

5. Your Phone- put a phone lock or some form of software restriction to your

phone access.

6. Erase the transfer confirmation messages if you can to make sure no one knows

how much you have in your account.

7. Purchasing:- there are some places where you can buy goods online or in shops,

please don't give out or type in your pin number when asked to, as Safaricom

does not allow any one else to get access to your PIN information.