Question about a cheque being cashed into the wrong account

GSS35

Hi All,

Probably being paranoid:

I cashed in a cheque for a relative today. Gave the account no and sort code to the cashier (it was on my phone, sent from recipient of cheque). I didn't ask the cashier to confirm if the account brought up was the right one - presumbly the cashier cheques that the account on the system matches the cheque's reciever name?

What would the chances be of the cheque being cashed into to an account other than the name of the reicpient of the cheque? The details I gave were correct so not an error on my part

The cashing bank is Nationwide, source bank of payer is RBS.
Thanks

Vittel

You cashed in a cheque over the phone? Is that actually possible?

Ed-1

Vittel wrote: »

You cashed in a cheque over the phone? Is that actually possible?

The account number was on the phone, not the conversation.

Geoff1963

Go in tomorrow, with a cheque for £1, made out to you ; but give a friend's / relative's account number, and see what happens.

If that works, the name on a cheque is irrelevant, and the banking industry would fall apart.

mgdavid

Vittel wrote: »

You cashed in a cheque over the phone? Is that actually possible?

I think the OP means PAID IN a cheque.

alanq

I wasn't aware that Nationwide BS had any branches that open on Sundays.

Doesn't one get a receipt showing the account into which the deposit was made?

Ben8282

I am curious as to the location of this Nationwide branch which provides a counter service with cashier for paying in cheques on Sundays.
Do you actually have any reason to believe that the cheque was credited to an account other than the correct one? In the absence of any such reason, you are being paranoid. Although obviously mistakes can happen, nobody here could give you a % chance of such a mistake having been made. Did you not get a receipt for the transaction? I know I certainly would have done if I had been paying a cheque into somebody elses account on their behalf.
The wording of your OP is slightly ambiguous. I am wondering if in fact what you are actually asking is could you get away with paying a cheque into the account of somebody other than the person it is made payable to. Well, if the cashier didn't notice, the cheque is not for a large amount and nothing is ever questioned by the drawer or intended recipient of the cheque in the future, then yes, you probably will get away with it. But if the cheque is, for example, stolen and the person named on it contacts the drawer and asks where their cheque is, what has happened will come to light quite quickly and both you and the account holder will find themselves in big trouble.