Safaricom explains what to do after an unauthorised M-Pesa GlobalPay deduction
By Mustafa Juma, July 18, 2026Safaricom has outlined the steps customers should take if they notice an unexpected deduction from their M-Pesa account through the GlobalPay platform after a subscriber complained that money had been deducted despite deactivating her M-Pesa Virtual Visa Card.
The clarification came after an X user, identifying herself as Faith Kemboi, publicly raised concerns on Saturday, July 18, 2026, over a transaction she said she did not authorise.
She explained that she had unsuccessfully tried to reach the Saraficom customer care agents for assistance through the telco’s toll-free contacts.
“Money was deducted from my M-Pesa account without my wish via the GlobalPay platform. I had deactivated my M-Pesa Virtual Visa Card. However, I was unable to reach your customer care agents through the above numbers,” she wrote on X while tagging Safaricom.
Safaricom advises customers to seek merchant refund first
Responding publicly, Safaricom apologised for the customer’s experience but directed her to first seek a refund from the online merchant where the transaction originated.
If no assistance is offered, Safaricom suggests that the customer should proceed to raise a reversal dispute for follow-up.
“Hi Faith, apologies for the experience. Please follow up with the online merchant to refund. If not assisted, on One App under GlobalPay, you can raise a reversal dispute for follow up,” Safaricom replied.
The response indicates that disputes involving GlobalPay transactions are initially expected to be handled through the merchant before customers escalate them through Safaricom’s dispute resolution process available on the M-Pesa One App.
Safaricom did not indicate whether the transaction reported by the customer was fraudulent, nor did it state whether the deduction occurred before or after the Virtual Visa Card had been successfully deactivated.
How GlobalPay works
GlobalPay is Safaricom’s international online payment solution that enables M-Pesa customers to pay merchants worldwide without exposing their primary M-Pesa account details.
The service generates a virtual payment card linked to the customer’s M-Pesa wallet, allowing payments on websites and online platforms that accept Visa.
Customers can create, activate or deactivate the virtual card through the M-Pesa ecosystem depending on the services available to their accounts.
Because the service is linked to online merchants, transactions may sometimes involve merchant-specific payment processing timelines, recurring subscriptions or delayed settlement mechanisms.
What customers should do
Based on Safaricom’s latest guidance, customers who notice an unexpected GlobalPay deduction should:
- Contact the online merchant and request a refund.
- If the merchant fails to resolve the issue, open the One App.
- Navigate to the GlobalPay section.
- Submit a reversal dispute for Safaricom to investigate and follow up.
Customers are also advised to review their active online subscriptions and ensure recurring payments have been cancelled directly with merchants where applicable, as deactivating a payment card may not automatically terminate subscription agreements already authorised with third-party service providers.
Growing use of digital payments
The clarification comes amid continued growth in digital commerce and international online payments among Kenyan consumers.
GlobalPay has become increasingly popular with customers making purchases from international e-commerce platforms, paying for streaming subscriptions, booking travel services and accessing digital applications that require Visa-enabled payments.
As more Kenyans embrace online shopping and digital subscriptions, payment disputes involving merchants, recurring charges and card-linked services have become more common, prompting providers to strengthen customer dispute resolution mechanisms.
While Safaricom has advised customers to first pursue refunds directly with merchants, the company says unresolved cases can be escalated through the GlobalPay reversal dispute feature within the M-Pesa One App for further review.