I couldn't deposit into wife's account without card

colsten

!!!!!! wrote: »

Natwest debit cards only show sort code and NOT account number

Yes, they/RBS/Ulster are just about the only ones who don't print sort code and account number on their debit cards now. I'll check later when I am home whether I have any other cards without it.

EDIT:
Debit cards with sort code and account number, in no particular order

• Nationwide
• Lloyds
• Barclays
• Bank of Scotland
• Santander
• First Direct
• HSBC
• Metro
• Yorkshire Bank
• Clydesdale Bank
• State Bank of India
• Halifax
• Tesco
• TSB

colsten

codeX wrote: »

I always wondered about this. Can't anyone just set up a DD using my account number and sort code? Is there anything preventing someone from doing that?

It is possible, but for starters, the beneficiary needs to be an organisation that is authorised for Direct Debits. So that knocks off Joe Public and the casual fraudster. As eskbanker said, you also have the Direct Debit Guarantee on your side, so any financial risk is really the bank's, not yours.

codeX wrote: »

I'd probably notice an incorrect DD in my online banking or in the statements. But what if the account owner is not checking the statements every few days.

I don't know how old you are but I am old enough to remember the times where the only way to get a bank statement was by post once every month or so. Or go to the bank to ask for a mini statement at the counter. We still did some DDs, and none of us got robbed.

Billions of DD transactions happen every year. Apart from Jeremy Clarkson, nobody is known to have lost any money due to a wrong DD. The only reason Clarkson lost money is that he chose not to invoke the DD guarantee and left the money with the Charity for whom a prankster had set up the DD.

PeacefulWaters

WLM21 wrote: »

Surely they could look up the details and put the money in ... ?

Systems wise, of course they could.

But your wife may have an account that she doesn't want you to know about. If they disclose the existence of such an account without her consent they have breached the Data Protection Act.

eskbanker

colsten wrote: »

It is possible, but for starters, the beneficiary needs to be an organisation that is authorised for Direct Debits. So that knocks off Joe Public and the casual fraudster.

What about those of us with Tesco saver accounts (etc), who use these to pull funds in from other accounts, I'd have thought they'd be one way Joe Public could abuse the system (temporarily, until the abused realised and invoked the DD guarantee of course)? Tell you what, tell us your sort code and account number and let's do a little experiment....

colsten

eskbanker wrote: »

What about those of us with Tesco saver accounts (etc), who use these to pull funds in from other accounts, I'd have thought they'd be one way Joe Public could abuse the system (temporarily, until the abused realised and invoked the DD guarantee of course)? Tell you what, tell us your sort code and account number and let's do a little experiment....

Yeah you are right, it would be an incredibly smart thing to do because it would completely kill the DD option for all of us as Tesco would withdraw it. Also, any smart !!!! could be left with a criminal record and/or CIFAS markers, as their identity is known by Tesco, who would no doubt report the fraudster to the authorities.

If you get a call from the Police in the next few days, it could have to do with me reporting your post to ActionFraud, for suggesting fraudulent activity.

eskbanker

All true, but the question wasn't about how smart an idea it is or how easily perpetrators could be traced/punished, etc, but whether it's possible for anyone to set up a DD on someone else's account, which it clearly is!

codeX

eskbanker wrote: »

What about those of us with Tesco saver accounts (etc), who use these to pull funds in from other accounts, ....

Just thought about this!

Anyway, the whole DD guarantee protection is useful only if account holder notices the 'fake' DD in the statements. I doubt most of the 'normal' people would notice a small transaction from hundreds of entries in the statement.
Ideally, the banks should send a letter when a new DD is added.

colsten

codeX wrote: »

doubt most of the 'normal' people would notice a small transaction from hundreds of entries in the statement

That would mean most 'normal' people are not in control of their finances. If your lifestyle means you have hundreds of entries on your statement, you have to spend a little more time verifying they are all as expected...

But aside from that, it is very straight forward to check which DDs you have against your account - you don't need to wait for a statement. It is even easier to cancel a DD.Takes about 2 seconds. So you have to be careful you don't unintentionally cancel a valid DD.

codeX wrote: »

Ideally, the banks should send a letter when a new DD is added.

Some of them, Tesco Savings included, do.

pmduk

It'd be interesting to know how many people do check their statements, Unfortunately I suspect it's the minority judging from people who join this site to say transactions have been debiting for years without notice.

colsten

Of course we only hear from (the few) people who never check their statements / transactions in months or years. Why would the masses that do check them post about it on here?