Sending money to the wrong Pochi la Biashara account can feel like losing cash for good — but recovery is still possible if you act fast. Pochi la Biashara is a special business wallet inside an existing M-Pesa account that allows merchants to receive customer payments separately from personal funds. It was launched by Safaricom in 2020 to allow small businesses that do not have a Lipa na M-Pesa line to receive money from customers in a separate wallet.
Unlike a till number or Paybill, you do not receive a new business number — instead, Safaricom creates a separate business wallet linked to the existing M-Pesa line. Reversals are harder with Pochi la Biashara because the "no reversals without consent" nature of the Pochi service was introduced specifically to protect merchants from fraudulent customers who took advantage of the reversal feature of normal M-Pesa wallet transactions.
To reverse money sent to Pochi la Biashara by mistake, there are several steps you need to take. First, gather the necessary information, including your M-Pesa transaction code, the phone number you accidentally sent money to, the exact amount and date/time of the transaction, your M-Pesa PIN, and the original M-Pesa confirmation SMS.
The first step in reversing the money is to contact the merchant directly. This is the most important first step, as the merchant must approve the reversal before it completes. Call or text the phone number linked to the Pochi la Biashara account, explain the error calmly, and share your M-Pesa transaction code.
If you cannot reach the merchant, escalate to Safaricom immediately by forwarding the M-Pesa confirmation message for the wrong transaction to 456. This flags the transaction to Safaricom for reversal. You can also use the M-Pesa app to reverse the transaction by opening it on the line that made the send, tapping Recent to open the transaction history, tapping the wrong transaction, selecting Report, then choosing Reverse.
Additionally, you can request a reversal from Zuri on WhatsApp by saving Zuri's number — 0722000100 — and going to WhatsApp to initiate a conversation by typing "Hello". You can also call Safaricom customer care on 100 (prepaid) or 200 (postpaid), explain the error, and provide the transaction details so they can process the reversal.
If the merchant has already withdrawn the money, you will need to call 100 or 234, file a police OB, and email [email protected]. A merchant who refuses to reverse an M-Pesa payment made in error risks a two-year jail term, a Ksh200,000 fine, or both.
Key points
- Pochi la Biashara payments cannot be reversed without the approval of the business owner.
- Act within 24 hours — the sooner you report, the higher your chance of recovery.
- If the merchant agrees, you will receive the money back within 72 hours.
