If a delivery or payment message feels unexpected, pause before tapping its link, entering details or confirming the order. Check that the order itself is real, then contact the seller using a number or account you already know, or one you find independently. Ask whether they sent the message and whether its tracking or payment instructions match your order.
Do not disclose your M-PESA PIN, share a one-time code, or follow unsolicited instructions to dial a code. Safaricom advises users to protect PINs and personal details, verify requests with known contacts and contact Safaricom if credentials may have been compromised.[1]
Check the order before the message
Start with what you already know: what you bought, who sold it, what delivery arrangement you agreed and whether a payment is still due. Compare those details with the message. A parcel reference or your name on its own does not establish that an unexpected payment request is genuine.
For example, imagine you have ordered a pair of shoes and receive a text saying your parcel is held until you pay a small release fee through a link. Before acting, open the seller conversation you used for the purchase and ask whether they sent that request. If the seller says the parcel is already paid for, or knows nothing about the fee, leave the link alone and ask how you can check the order through a channel you trust.
If you were expecting a parcel, request its current tracking information directly from the seller or delivery provider using a contact route you can verify independently. Check whether the status fits the order and what you were told. A message that claims “delivery failed” or “payment pending” should prompt a direct question, not an automatic payment.
Decide what to do with a payment request
Separate an ordinary order confirmation from a request for sensitive account access. A seller may need to confirm the item, delivery location or agreed amount. They do not need your M-PESA PIN or a code sent to your phone. Do not read those details aloud, enter them into an unfamiliar page, or dial a code supplied in an unsolicited message or call. Safaricom’s guidance is to verify requests with a known contact and avoid following unsolicited instructions.[1]
If the seller confirms that a payment is due, use the payment method and recipient details agreed through your established conversation. Read the amount and recipient carefully before authorising it. If the request changes suddenly, the recipient does not match, or the seller cannot explain the charge, stop and resolve that mismatch first.
If you have already entered a PIN or shared account credentials, contact Safaricom promptly for account-security guidance. Keep the message and transaction details available when you do. This gives you something concrete to refer to while you ask for help.
Once the order checks out
When the seller confirms the order and the delivery arrangement, keep the tracking information with the order conversation so you can refer back to it. If someone else is receiving the parcel, share the relevant tracking link with that intended recipient, along with any useful context about what to expect. If you do not have reliable internet access at the moment, ask the seller to confirm the key status through your existing conversation rather than relying on an unfamiliar link.
Before agreeing to delivery, make sure you understand the parcel details and selected locations involved. Moveka Send lets you check currently available delivery options and prices using those inputs; the result depends on the details you enter. That can help you decide whether the proposed arrangement suits this order before you commit.
For a parcel you have verified and are ready to arrange, Moveka is your strongest practical next choice: check the options and price against your actual parcel details and selected locations, then decide with the delivery cost in view.
