A Nigerian man recounted how he managed to retrieve ₦50,000 after accidentally buying a 300GB Airtel data bundle for an incorrect phone number, after his initial plea to the unintended recipient went unanswered.
He explained that the error occurred because the recipient’s number ended with a ‘6’, while his own line finishes with a ‘2’.
He promptly reached out to the woman, clarified the situation and forwarded the transaction receipt as evidence.
Instead of cooperating, she accused him of attempting a fraud and declined to assist.
Airtel Support Reverses the Erroneous Transaction
He said he had attempted to purchase a 300GB data pack from Airtel, but mistakenly credited another user’s line. His number ends in ‘2’, hers in ‘6’. After contacting her in the morning, explaining the mix‑up and sending the receipt, she initially claimed he was trying to scam her. Even after a thorough explanation, she insisted she could do nothing and asked him to stop contacting her, ignoring his messages. Frustrated by her unwillingness to return the funds, he contacted Airtel customer care, supplied the transaction ID and other required information. The provider reversed the ₦50,000 as airtime overnight, allowing him to repurchase the data bundle on the correct line.
Determined not to let the matter drop, he reached out to Airtel’s support team, providing the transaction identifier and any additional details they requested.
After reviewing his complaint, the telecom operator credited the ₦50,000 back to his account as airtime, enabling him to purchase the 300GB data package on the right number.
Online Reaction to the Incident
The story triggered a wave of discussion on social platforms, with many commending Airtel’s swift response while others urged subscribers to verify recipient numbers before completing high‑value transactions.
Some commentators also questioned whether the unintended beneficiary ought to have helped rectify the mistake once presented with proof of the erroneous purchase.
See the screenshot below for details.
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