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Scam Alert Week of 14 July 2026 · 3 min read

Scam of the Week:
Fake school supplier paybills are back.

Fraudsters know school fees are being paid and bursars are busy. They send a "new paybill" for uniforms, books, or transport. The real supplier never changed it.

The pattern

A school bursar receives an email or WhatsApp message that looks like it comes from a known supplier. The message says the supplier has switched banks and payments should now go to a new M-Pesa paybill. The invoice looks identical — same logo, same amount, same payment terms. Only the paybill number has changed.

The bursar pays. The real supplier never gets the money. By the time anyone notices, the fake paybill has been drained and the number is gone.

Why it works

  • Timing. Term start is when bursars process hundreds of payments under pressure.
  • Trust. The message appears to come from a long-standing supplier relationship.
  • Small change. Changing just one detail — the paybill — bypasses most review processes.

Red flags to watch for

  • A supplier "changes" their paybill or bank details during a busy payment period.
  • The request comes from a personal WhatsApp number, not the supplier's official business line.
  • The message creates urgency: "Pay today to avoid late delivery."
  • The invoice amount matches exactly but the payment instructions are new.

The 60-second check

  1. Call the supplier on a number you already have — not the one in the message.
  2. Ask them to confirm their current paybill or bank account.
  3. Use a paybill lookup or verification service to see the registered business name behind the number.
  4. If the names do not match, do not pay.

What we're seeing on Codec8 Watchlist

In the last 14 days we've tracked a spike in paybill numbers registered to names that do not match the businesses they claim to represent. Most are impersonating suppliers in education, healthcare, and agriculture.

If this already happened

If a payment has already left your account, call your bank or mobile money provider immediately. Ask them to flag or reverse the transaction. Then start a Rescue case — we can help contain the damage and document what happened for your insurer or the authorities.

Share this with your bursar

Forward this alert to anyone who handles supplier payments. The cost of one wrong paybill is far higher than the 60 seconds it takes to verify it.

Don't pay the wrong number

Verify a paybill in under 60 seconds.

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