Disaster Relief Scams via M-Pesa
How fraudsters in East Africa exploit disaster news to launch fake M-Pesa relief collections, and how to donate safely via mobile money.
Part of: Disaster Relief Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
M-Pesa is the financial backbone of East Africa, used daily by tens of millions across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and beyond. When disaster strikes, the reflex for millions of people is to send M-Pesa. Fraudsters exploit this by launching fake relief campaigns on Facebook and WhatsApp that provide personal M-Pesa Safaricom numbers disguised as official collection points.
Disaster-related M-Pesa fraud is particularly effective because the social norms around community giving mean people rarely question a request from someone representing themselves as a local organiser.
How this scam works on M-Pesa
Fake campaigns post on Kenyan Facebook groups and WhatsApp circles, often using genuine documentary footage of floods or drought victims. A personal Safaricom number is provided as the 'collection point', sometimes under a community-sounding name. The operator may briefly appear to be active, posting thank-you messages and fabricated distribution updates.
Some fraudsters piggyback on genuine grassroots campaigns, duplicating legitimate organisers' messaging but substituting their own M-Pesa number for the authentic one. Donors following chains of forwarded messages cannot distinguish the original campaign from the clone.
Kenyan Red Cross and official government M-Pesa Paybill numbers are sometimes mimicked with slight numerical variations designed to slip past casual verification.
Common red flags
- Disaster donation requests directing to a personal Safaricom number rather than an official Paybill
- Numerical Paybill or Till numbers that differ slightly from verified official numbers
- Appeals sharing footage from events unconnected to the claimed disaster
- No official partnership with Kenya Red Cross, KCDF, or other verified relief organisations
- The operator cannot provide a registration certificate or NGCR registration number when asked
- Duplicate campaigns appearing with slight variations suggesting multiple fraud operators cloning a real appeal
How to protect yourself
- Donate only to verified M-Pesa Paybill numbers published on official websites of known organisations
- Verify Kenya Red Cross Paybill numbers directly at redcross.or.ke before sending
- Confirm Paybill or Till number accuracy by calling the organisation's published phone number
- Report suspicious M-Pesa collection numbers to Safaricom fraud at 100 or via the M-Pesa app
- Alert your WhatsApp group if you identify a fraudulent campaign spreading through it
How to report it
- Report the fraudulent M-Pesa number to Safaricom fraud via the call centre at 100
- Report to the Communications Authority of Kenya at ca.go.ke
- File a report with the Kenya Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) cybercrime unit
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an M-Pesa Paybill and a personal number for donations?
A Paybill is a business account registered with Safaricom that shows the business name when the payer enters the number — providing a verification step. A personal Safaricom number shows only the registered individual's name. Legitimate large charities use Paybill accounts; individual personal numbers should not be trusted as charity collection points without independent verification.