Safaricom moves to make M-PESA payments more private

Nairobi, Kenya - Safaricom, Kenya's leading mobile money provider, has launched M-PESA Jumbe, a new payment notification feature aimed at enhancing customer privacy during transactions. The innovative service addresses a common issue in retail establishments, where customers are required to display payment messages, potentially exposing sensitive information to shop attendants and passersby.

M-PESA Jumbe allows merchants to designate up to 50 trusted users to receive transaction alerts, enabling authorized personnel to verify payments without exposing the customer's full name, phone number, or M-PESA balance. The feature functions by generating a unique JumbeID, which replaces the customer's personal details with a shortened, encrypted alias. This ID is composed of the first letters of the customer's first and last names, along with the last two digits of their mobile number.

For instance, Nancy Kamau, whose phone number ends in 74, would have her payment notifications displayed as NK_74. This system ensures that only essential transaction details, including the reference number, amount, business name, till number, date, and time, are shared with the designated users. Customers also receive a separate SMS containing proof of payment, which can be presented when confirmation is required, without disclosing personal information like their full phone number, name, or balance.

Safaricom's implementation of M-PESA Jumbe is designed to streamline the payment process for both merchants and customers. By enabling direct alerts to employees such as restaurant waitstaff, salon attendants, and shop assistants, the feature eliminates the need for customers to wait for someone else to verify transactions. Furthermore, this new service can benefit Pochi la Biashara merchants who currently use their personal mobile lines for business purposes.

With M-PESA Jumbe, they can avoid the inconvenience of leaving their phones at the establishment while employees handle payment confirmations.

To utilize the M-PESA Jumbe feature, merchants must first invite the nominated users through a simple dialing code, *234#. This process is accessible to users with basic mobile phones as well as those with smartphones, making it a versatile solution for various customer segments. Safaricom emphasizes that the nominated users are granted limited access to transaction information strictly necessary for confirmation, and they cannot view the account owner's balance, PIN, statement, or transaction history.