Sending bank details by email?

aliasojo

Not sure if this is strictly the right board for this question so apologies in advance if it may not be.

I need to provide details of bank account number, sort code, bank name and address to someone.

It cannot be done over the phone, it needs to be in writing. Clearly I can write a letter but I'm wondering if it is safe to email these details? It would be much quicker and easier and I can get an almost instant reply confirming receipt of info compared to the days that would be involved if post was used.

Abbafan1972

I would have thought it'd be ok. Everytime you send someone a cheque, this has your bank details on.

At work, we email our customers' our bank details, so they can pay us by BACS. The bank details though are saved as a word document, so it is sent as an attachment, rather than in the main body of the email (I don't know if this would make a difference).

pmduk

I do it without a qualm, but I know that my bank asks customers not to include these details in emails to them.

ChiefGrasscutter

If you are supplying your bank sort code, acc number, address etc for someone to pay you by BACS I would be one preferring that you wrote them down and sent them by email rather than relying on the phone and verbal communication.

Then in the future when the payment goes "astray" it will be quite clear to all where the fault lies rather than everyone blaming each other about who said what/heard what - assuming you make sure that you check and send the correct info!

I agree with the other replies so far. Quite normal to supply such details to someone for making direct payments into your account and anyway they appear pre printed on every cheque anyone writes

jalexa

pmduk wrote: »

I do it without a qualm, but I know that my bank asks customers not to include these details in emails to them.

Indeed. But when a bank phones a customer (number witheld) it expects the customer to confirm personal details such as date of birth. Pah.

I got a call the other day:

"Hello it's the bank".
"Oh which bank would that be".
"That's how we are told to ask" (but still didn't say).
"In that case please write to my registered address. Goodbye"

Joe_Bloggs

Make sure that those who send you money use the beneficiary /payment reference field. This is often left blank or misused as the use is entirely at the discretion of the payer. Without guidance, the payer cannot provide helpful information to the payee/beneficiary .
J_B.

googler

If you're worried about putting them all in one e-mail which may be intercepted, split the sort code over 3 e-mails, and divvy the account number up in the same way, and ask the recipient at the other end to piece it together.

crazyguy

Agree with Googler,

However the sort code is not important as far as fraud is concerned so I would send 2 emails with the full details of Name, bank, sort code and half the account number and then a seperate email with the last 4 digits of the account number on.

pmduk

jalexa wrote: »

Indeed. But when a bank phones a customer (number witheld) it expects the customer to confirm personal details such as date of birth. Pah.

RBS were very surprised when I did this one day

aliasojo

Joe_Bloggs wrote: »

Make sure that those who send you money use the beneficiary /payment reference field. This is often left blank or misused as the use is entirely at the discretion of the payer. Without guidance, the payer cannot provide helpful information to the payee/beneficiary .
J_B.

In this case the amount is unique (as in I will not have any other payments into the account anywhere near the region of this figure) and would be apparent where it originated from.

googler wrote: »

If you're worried about putting them all in one e-mail which may be intercepted, split the sort code over 3 e-mails, and divvy the account number up in the same way, and ask the recipient at the other end to piece it together.

Good idea, will do that.

pmduk

aliasojo, I'd also note that a response confirming receipt of your new details is not the same as confirmation that the details have been changed. I always ask them to provide written confirmation that they've made the necessary amendments.