A Facebook page called “Kcb-Mpesa” is asking customers of Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB Group) to post questions about the KCB M-Pesa service.
KCB M-Pesa allows people to transfer money using their mobile phones. It uses the M-Pesa platform developed by Safaricom, a Kenyan communications company.
One post on the “Kcb-Mpesa” Facebook page says: “Hello subscribers. Kindly send us any questions regarding Kcb-mpesa for more guidance and assistance.”
Hundreds of Kenyan Facebook users have sent in their questions.
Another post gives a phone number where subscribers can “reach our team”.
Africa Check phoned, and were asked to deposit cash in our M-Pesa account, not a KCB M-Pesa account, and then call again for “further direction”.
This seemed suspicious. Is the Facebook page – and its posts – genuine?
The official – and verified – KCB Group Facebook page has posted a warning that the “Kcb-Mpesa” page is fake. The post includes a screenshot of the page with “FAKE” stamped on it.
“Don’t get duped and conned by people masquerading to be us guys,” the post reads. “All communication and information regarding our products and services will always be communicated on our official pages, only.”
The real KCB Group Facebook page has more than 1 million followers and its official Twitter account more than 360,000. The fake page has only about 2,500 followers, another clue to it being a hoax. – Dancan Bwire
KCB M-Pesa allows people to transfer money using their mobile phones. It uses the M-Pesa platform developed by Safaricom, a Kenyan communications company.
One post on the “Kcb-Mpesa” Facebook page says: “Hello subscribers. Kindly send us any questions regarding Kcb-mpesa for more guidance and assistance.”
Hundreds of Kenyan Facebook users have sent in their questions.
Another post gives a phone number where subscribers can “reach our team”.
Africa Check phoned, and were asked to deposit cash in our M-Pesa account, not a KCB M-Pesa account, and then call again for “further direction”.
This seemed suspicious. Is the Facebook page – and its posts – genuine?
‘Don’t get duped and conned’
The official – and verified – KCB Group Facebook page has posted a warning that the “Kcb-Mpesa” page is fake. The post includes a screenshot of the page with “FAKE” stamped on it.
“Don’t get duped and conned by people masquerading to be us guys,” the post reads. “All communication and information regarding our products and services will always be communicated on our official pages, only.”
The real KCB Group Facebook page has more than 1 million followers and its official Twitter account more than 360,000. The fake page has only about 2,500 followers, another clue to it being a hoax. – Dancan Bwire
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
Further Reading
[email protected]: The challenges of working across Africa
Misinformation knows no borders and Africa Check often responds to similar false claims from country to country.
Add new comment