Mobile wallet
Telebirr Receipt Check
Free, no signup. Checked against Telebirr's own receipt record, which only answers Ethiopian networks.
Telebirr is Ethio Telecom's mobile money service and the most widely used digital wallet in Ethiopia. Telebirr receipts are published as public HTML pages accessible via a URL containing only the transaction reference number. The endpoint is geo-blocked to Ethiopian IP addresses.
Required information
- Transaction number (required), e.g.
DET8FJGUJ4
Reference number format
2-3 letter prefix followed by 6-8 alphanumeric characters (e.g. DET8FJGUJ4, CHQ0FJ403O)
Example: DET8FJGUJ4
How to verify Telebirr with cheki
- Get the transaction number from the customer's Telebirr SMS or receipt, or scan or upload the Payment QR Code on the Telebirr receipt
- The transaction number is 10 letters and digits starting with a 2-3 letter prefix (DET, CHQ, DAB, DJA, DEL, ADQ, etc.)
- cheki fetches the receipt from Telebirr's public endpoint and extracts payment data
- The receipt QR only holds the transaction number: cheki reads it and checks it exactly like a typed one. A QR on its own is never proof of payment.
How Telebirr receipt verification works
The Telebirr receipt endpoint is: https://transactioninfo.ethiotelecom.et/receipt/{REFERENCE}
Placeholders, error shapes and gotchas are in the Telebirr endpoint reference.
This is a public URL that returns a HTML page containing the official transaction data. No authentication is required.
Note: This endpoint is geo-blocked to Ethiopian IP addresses. If cheki's server cannot reach it, use the fallback URL or self-host on an Ethiopian network.
Who uses Telebirr verification
- Shops confirming Telebirr payments at the counter
- Online stores verifying Telebirr payments before fulfillment
- Delivery services validating payment before handover
- Marketplaces integrating Telebirr verification via API
Verifying Telebirr via API
cheki provides a free REST API for Telebirr verification:
POST https://cheki.et/api/verify
Request body: { "bank": "telebirr", "reference": "DET8FJGUJ4" }
See the API documentation for full details.
Telebirr geo-blocking
Telebirr's receipt endpoint blocks requests from IP addresses outside Ethiopia. If you're using cheki from outside Ethiopia, the verification may fail. In that case, cheki provides a direct link to open the receipt in your browser. For reliable verification, self-host cheki on a server with an Ethiopian IP address.
How to spot a fake Telebirr receipt
Fake Telebirr receipts often use fabricated transaction IDs that don't exist in Telebirr's system. Always verify the receipt through cheki before accepting a payment. If cheki returns 'Receipt not found', the transaction ID is invalid.
- Verify the transaction ID exists in Telebirr's system
- Check that the payer name matches the expected sender
- Confirm the amount is correct
- Be suspicious of screenshots, they can be edited
Checking Telebirr payment status
Telebirr publishes transaction data at https://transactioninfo.ethiotelecom.et/receipt/{REFERENCE}. When someone sends you a payment via Telebirr, a receipt is generated at this URL. cheki fetches the receipt, parses it, and tells you whether the payment is real, who sent it, and for how much. This takes 2 to 10 seconds.
What information you need
To check a Telebirr payment, ask the sender for the transaction number from their receipt. That's all you need, no account number required.
- Transaction number (e.g. DET8FJGUJ4)
- If accessing from outside Ethiopia, cheki provides a fallback link
Common Telebirr payment verification scenarios
Telebirr payment verification is used by merchants, delivery services, and businesses across Ethiopia. Common scenarios include confirming a customer has actually paid before releasing goods, verifying a delivery payment before handing over a package, and reconciling end-of-day bank transfers.
- Shops confirming Telebirr payments at the counter
- Online stores verifying Telebirr payments before fulfillment
- Delivery services validating payment before handover
- Marketplaces integrating Telebirr verification via API