Advice needed please

starrybee

I was just thinking about this and had a thought - for an online direct debit don't they just need the account/number + sort code, plus your address details? Am I correct or just being paranoid?
Not that I have anyone ringing me and offering me money but would like to check for the future, haha

jonnybrussell

as far as i know not just any company can use direct debits, its regulated for one thing.

you are also covered by the direct debit guarantee, so if someone did manage to set up a fake direct debit the bank would refund the money.

Just imagine how many fraudsters would be out there if all they needed was your account number, sort code, name and address to take money out......nobody would pay by cheque ever as you are giving most of that info over to anyone.

candystripes

I won a weekend away with visitscotland and part of the prize was £200 spending money which i had to chase them up for, in the end they did a bank transfer as i would not have received it in time if they had sent a cheque, but it was done over the phone

starrybee

jonnybrussell wrote: »

as far as i know not just any company can use direct debits, its regulated for one thing.

you are also covered by the direct debit guarantee, so if someone did manage to set up a fake direct debit the bank would refund the money.

Just imagine how many fraudsters would be out there if all they needed was your account number, sort code, name and address to take money out......nobody would pay by cheque ever as you are giving most of that info over to anyone.

Thanks Feel a bit better now!

But the reason I got thinking about this was cus my boyfriend had a call the other day, vaguely saying he'd "won something" and to give them his bank details. He is not a comper so most certainly had not won something, and hung up on them. Googled the number and it was some sort of lottery scam where they direct debit you each month. How would this work?

It's made me paranoid since then, as I'm constantly hoping for a phonecall, but don't know what to do if it comes and they start asking for details straight away!

weeowens

jonnybrussell wrote: »

as far as i know not just any company can use direct debits, its regulated for one thing.

you are also covered by the direct debit guarantee, so if someone did manage to set up a fake direct debit the bank would refund the money.

Just imagine how many fraudsters would be out there if all they needed was your account number, sort code, name and address to take money out......nobody would pay by cheque ever as you are giving most of that info over to anyone.

On this the direct debit rules will not apply as the cash traffic is travelling the other way ie into the account & not out.
They are after doing a bank transfer either via Bacs or Chaps.