Q: What is Mobile Money Transfer?
A: MMT is Mobile Money Transfer and is the generic name applied to mobile-enabled money transfer services – both domestic and cross-border. Essentially, it's sending and/or receiving money with your mobile phone.
Q: What is this Western Union/Safaricom service?
A: This service, which launched in July 2009, allows consumers in the U.K. to send money from participating Western Union Agents across the U.K. to Safaricom M-PESA customers in Kenya.
Sending money with the Western Union/Safaricom service
Q: Who can send funds?
A: This service allows someone in the UK to visit a participating Western Union location and send money to one of the 7.5 million Safaricom M-PESA subscribers in Kenya. Recipients in Kenya will need to subscribe to the M-PESA service through Safaricom to access the service. Currently only registered M-PESA customers within Kenya can send money to other mobile phones in Kenya.
Q: How do you send money to mobile?
A: Western Union Agents will ask the sender to fill out a Mobile Money Transfer ("Money to Mobile") send form. The sender will be asked to provide the following on the form: · Sender first and family name · Sender address · Date and Country of Birth · Receiver Mobile number with country code · Receiver first name and family name
Q: How does the transaction work?
A: Once the sender sends a transaction with the appropriate funds, the funds enter into Western Union's global processing "hub", where they are checked to ensure they comply with both the regulations of the send country and those for cross-border remittances. The funds are then paid out into the M-PESA account of the receiver.
Q: Does the sender have to have a mobile phone?
A: The sender does not have to have a mobile phone, but he or she will need to provide a contact number in case of an issue with the transaction. The sender will also be given a paper receipt from the Western Union Agent once the money is sent. If a valid mobile phone number is provided, Western Union will also send a text message to the sender when the funds have been sent.
Q: If there's a problem with a transaction, who should the sender contact?
A: The sender should contact the Western Union Agent in the U.K. where the funds were sent from or call Western Union in the U.K. at 0800-833-833.
Receiving money with the Western Union/Safaricom service.
Q: In what currency are receivers paid?
A: Mobile Money Transfers are paid in local currency. In Kenya, a mobile money transfer would be paid in Kenyan Shillings.
Q: Does the receiver have to be a Safaricom subscriber?
A: Yes. Currently, Western Union can only send MMT transactions to M-PESA in Kenya for mobile phone numbers on the Safaricom network.
Q: Does the receiver have to be an M-PESA subscriber?
A: Yes. If the Safaricom customer is not a registered M-PESA customer they must show ID and register at an M-PESA agent in order to access the money received. In this case the recipient will receive an SMS explaining this service; and they have 21 days to register before the Western Union transaction expires on the M-PESA system. The funds remain in Western Union's system for 21 days until the receiver enrolls in an M-wallet. If the receiver does not enroll within that timeframe, the transaction will remain in Western Union's system until the funds are picked up at a Western Union Agent location or the sender requests that Western Union returns the funds.
If the receiver cannot receive the money into their M-PESA account for another reason, e.g. their account balance would be over the local limit, then the receiver will be directed to a Western Union Agent location in Kenya to pick up the funds.
Q: How will the receiver know if they have received funds in their mobile wallet?
A: The Receiver will receive an SMS message from M-PESA.
Q: What can the receiver do with the funds they have received?
· Cash withdrawal at an M-PESA agent or Pesapoint ATM · Send funds to another M-PESA subscriber · Airtime purchase · Pay bills.
Q: Can money only be sent to Kenya?
A: At this time, users can only send funds from participating U.K. Western Union Agents to Kenya via Mobile Money Transfer.
Q: When does the money get converted to local currency?
A: The funds are converted to local currency at the time they are sent. The sender's receipt will show the exchange used and amount in Kenyan Shillings the recipient will receive. When funds are sent from the UK to an M-PESA subscriber in Kenya, those funds are deposited in the mobile wallet of the receiver in the local currency amount disclosed to the sender – Kenyan Shillings.
Q: How does a receiver enroll in M-PESA?
A: Anyone who is a Safaricom subscriber in Kenya can visit any M-PESA agent to enroll by:
1. Upgrading his SIM for free (required)
2. Completing a Registration Form and show ID
3. Activating the M-PESA menu on his phone and selecting a PIN
Q: Are the funds in the mobile wallet secure if the mobile phone is misplaced or stolen? What's the procedure for securing/protecting the funds from theft?
A: Every Registered M-PESA account is protected by a secret PIN. If the receiver's phone is lost or stolen, they can do a SIM replacement, and upon reactivating the account using the same secret PIN, they will once again have access to their M-PESA funds.