A Kenyan woman has broken down in tears after accusing Safaricom of negligence, claiming that a thief withdrew KSh 9,300 from her mobile money account even after her SIM card had been blocked and a replacement registered.
The distraught woman, speaking in an emotional video that has since circulated widely on social media, narrated how her phone was stolen and she promptly took action to protect her funds.
According to her account, she immediately contacted Safaricom customer care to block the SIM card and later visited an authorised Safaricom outlet where a new SIM was issued in her name.
At that point, she believed her money was safe.
However, her relief was short-lived. Moments after the SIM replacement process, she received notifications showing that KSh 9,300 had been withdrawn from her mobile money account.
What shocked her most was that the transactions were completed without the thief knowing her SIM PIN, raising serious questions about the security of the system.
Fighting back tears, the woman questioned how transactions could still be authorised on a blocked SIM line.
“If a SIM card is blocked, how does someone still access my money?” she asked, accusing the telecommunications giant of failing to safeguard customers’ funds.
She demanded a clear explanation and immediate refund, insisting that the loss was not due to her own negligence.
The incident has reignited public debate around mobile money security in Kenya, a country that relies heavily on digital financial services for daily transactions.
Many Kenyans online have shared similar experiences, calling on Safaricom to strengthen internal controls and improve response times in cases of theft and fraud.
Safaricom is yet to issue a detailed public response on the specific incident, though the company has previously maintained that customers’ funds are protected when proper procedures are followed.
As investigations continue, the woman’s ordeal serves as a painful reminder of the emotional and financial toll cybercrime can take, and the urgent need for stronger consumer protection in Kenya’s digital economy.
