Giving bank sort code and account number dangerous?

radioactiveman

Hi
I am selling something online, the buyer wants to pay me by lodging money to my bank account.

Is it safe to give the account number and sort code out?
I am guessing everything could be robbed out of the account

Graciefacey

radioactiveman wrote: »

Hi
I am selling something online, the buyer wants to pay me by lodging money to my bank account.

Is it safe to give the account number and sort code out?
I am guessing everything could be robbed out of the account

Is this for real??

radioactiveman

Yes it is because I have seen conflicting posts on this that say it is either ok , or very dangerous.
Apparently writing a cheque also displays your account number.

P. Breathnach

radioactiveman wrote: »

Yes it is because I have seen conflicting posts on this that say it is either ok , or very dangerous.
Apparently writing a cheque also displays your account number.

Yes it does. And your sort code.

Writing cheques has never caused me any problems (other than the need to have the funds to meet them).

Stheno

radioactiveman wrote: »

Yes it is because I have seen conflicting posts on this that say it is either ok , or very dangerous.
Apparently writing a cheque also displays your account number.

Have you tried going into a bank to get money out in the last century?
They'll want id, proof of address etc.

GerardKeating

radioactiveman wrote: »

Hi
I am selling something online, the buyer wants to pay me by lodging money to my bank account.

Is it safe to give the account number and sort code out?
I am guessing everything could be robbed out of the account

As Jeremy Clarkson found out, it can be a problem, but only three things really can be done, they are sign you up for a direct debit, and also print a fake cheque with your bank detail, these first two aint a real problem, since you can easily prove it a fraud.

The real problem is that the seller might transfer the money to you from a hacked bank account, and this would be reverse once the owner of the account complained.

Jim2007

GerardKeating wrote: »

The real problem is that the seller might transfer the money to you from a hacked bank account, and this would be reverse once the owner of the account complained.

As far as I'm aware, once the money hits your bank account they can not take it out unless they can show that you were actively involved in the fraud....

GerardKeating

Jim2007 wrote: »

As far as I'm aware, once the money hits your bank account they can not take it out unless they can show that you were actively involved in the fraud....

Nope, if the transfer is fraudulent, it will be reversed

prettygurrly

paypal?

radioactiveman

prettygurrly wrote: »

paypal?

Yeah that's what I'm thinking, who doesn't have a credit card these days...

prettygurrly

you don't need a credit card to use paypal. you can withdraw money from a bank account afaik. also if you have visa debit you can use that.

chris85

radioactiveman wrote: »

Yeah that's what I'm thinking, who doesn't have a credit card these days...

Seriously? Loads dont have a credit card with visa debit being used more, cant get one due to stricter lending or bad credit history or are over limit due to lack of employment and bad economy.

piperh

radioactiveman wrote: »

Yeah that's what I'm thinking, who doesn't have a credit card these days...

Me because it was cut up after being cloned and me having to jump through hoops to prove to the cc company i hadn't spent the €8,000 that they wanted me to pay back. :eek:

Maybe one day i'll be brave enough to try cc's again but at the moment i'm still singed.