Is is safe to gave a stranger my account details?

smjxm09

An Eastern European drove into the back of my car close to Luton Airport last week. He has showed me his insurance details but wants to pay £125 into my bank account to avoid loosing his no claims bonus. If I just give him my account number and sort code what devious things could he do to my without the pin number?

dreemgirl

Do not give out ur bank details!

If u have to have him pay u money...use paypal, that way all u give him is your email address.

I'd go through insurers though...let him loose his no claims!

zppp

dreemgirl wrote: »

Do not give out ur bank details!

If u have to have him pay u money...use paypal, that way all u give him is your email address.

I'd go through insurers though...let him loose his no claims!

Agreed about insurer. I would strongly suggest you inform your insurer, even though you have been paid for the damage, as if they find out at a later date, your insurance could be invalidated.

Soubrette

Same as someone did to Jeremy Clarkson - set up direct debits on your account, you'll be covered by the direct debit agreement though and will get your money back....eventually.

Sou

LittleVoice

dreemgirl wrote: »

Do not give out ur bank details!

If u have to have him pay u money...use paypal, that way all u give him is your email address.

So never write a cheque out in a shop where you don't know everyone who will see it. (Nor use your debit card if it includes sort code and account number.)

How much does PayPal charge for the service they offer?

Mark_In_Hampshire

They can set up direct debits on your account, as above. There is no way of stopping those, they can just magically appear and funds vanish - that system is fundamentally insecure, unless you've asked your bank to disable the DD facility altogether which I did when this began happening to me.

Horace

Go through your insurers - don't give you bank details to strangers as they can help themselves to your cash.

preable

Do not give them your details just go through your insurers

smjxm09

The problem with going through the insurance it that I take a hit. My insurance is due soon so I put in my details into a comparison site with and without the accident. Even with a protected no claims discount my premium still goes up with me at no fault. I then have to declare the accident for the next 5 years. For the repair cost of £125 I would rather him pay me.

LittleVoice

Horace wrote: »

. . . - don't give you bank details to strangers as they can help themselves to your cash.

And how do they do that?

(If they set up a DD it doesn't deprive you of the funds permanently though I agree it could be a hassle.)

LittleVoice

smjxm09 wrote: »

The problem with going through the insurance it that I take a hit. My insurance is due soon so I put in my details into a comparison site with and without the accident. Even with a protected no claims discount my premium still goes up with me at no fault. I then have to declare the accident for the next 5 years. For the repair cost of £125 I would rather him pay me.

You've still been involved in an accident, whether or not you decide to declare it now.
So this "Eastern European" near Luton Airport had UK insurance. Was he staying in the UK. How would you contact him to give the bank details? And, if he doesn't pay up, would you feel it was still worthwhile to pay the cost of the repairs yourself in order to try to avoid a higher premium?