Paybill safety
How to check if a Paybill number is legitimate in Kenya
A practical checklist for checking a Paybill before sending money, using ScamBusterKE, official business details, and small-risk verification steps.
Quick check
Got a suspicious number, Paybill, Till, email, website, or company name? Search it before sending money.
Start with a scam-history check
Before sending money, search the Paybill, Till, phone number, or business name on ScamBusterKE. One report is not a court finding, but repeated approved reports are a strong warning sign.
Search both the number and the advertised business name. Scammers often rotate one while keeping the other in their messages.
Compare the name shown in M-PESA
When you enter a Paybill or Till, review the recipient name before entering your PIN. Stop if the name does not match the merchant, school, hospital, SACCO, landlord, or government service you expected.
Be suspicious of pressure tactics like 'send now before the offer expires' or requests to ignore a mismatched account name.
Use a low-risk confirmation step
For large payments, independently call the organisation using a number from its official website, branch signage, invoice, or past verified communication—not the number in a random WhatsApp message.
If something looks wrong, do not send a test amount to 'confirm'. Report the suspicious identifier so other users can see the warning.