Okay to send these account details via e-mail?

MaxterMind

Do you think it is safe to send the following bank account info via regular e-mail?
a) Account Holder Name
b) Account Code 
c) Sort Code
There are no issues with the recipient, just the fact that it would be sent via regular e-mail.
Thanks.

TheMightySwordfish

All anyone can do with those details are pay into it. They would have to have more details to even do anything else. Email is as secure as any other other way of sending details. 

TadleyBaggie

TheMightySwordfish said:

Email is as secure as any other other way of sending details. 

No it's not. Unless end-to-end encryption is being used (unlikely), email data packets are sent as clear text. In theory packet sniffing software could capture these. 

Prism

TadleyBaggie said:

TheMightySwordfish said:

Email is as secure as any other other way of sending details. 

No it's not. Unless end-to-end encryption is being used (unlikely), email data packets are sent as clear text. In theory packet sniffing software could capture these. 

Emails are almost never sent as clear text. Although not a guarantee there is a very high chance that emails are encrypted.

cymruchris

It wouldn't worry me - those limited details could be found on your cheques (if you had a chequebook) and would often be seen by all and sundry. 

MDMD

TheMightySwordfish said:

All anyone can do with those details are pay into it. They would have to have more details to even do anything else. 

Not necessarily, just ask Jeremy Clarkson

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7174760.stm

colsten

MDMD said:

TheMightySwordfish said:

All anyone can do with those details are pay into it. They would have to have more details to even do anything else. 

Not necessarily, just ask Jeremy Clarkson

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7174760.stm

zzzzzzzzz not that old chestnut again! Billions of cheques have been written and there’s been no epidemic of fraudulent DDs. In any case, Clarkson could have invoked the DD guarantee but he was a good sport because the money went to charity, and let’s face it, he doesn’t miss a few hundred pounds.

TheMightySwordfish

What made it possible was him giving out his address. This type of fraud is only possible if you give out more than one piece of information. Bank details are one. Address is the second. Card details would be the third. 3 digits on the back is the forth. If you put all these details in an email, then you should expect to have problems. 

colsten

TheMightySwordfish said:

What made it possible was him giving out his address. This type of fraud is only possible if you give out more than one piece of information. Bank details are one. Address is the second. Card details would be the third. 3 digits on the back is the forth. If you put all these details in an email, then you should expect to have problems. 

In many cases, DDs can be set up without giving the address the sort code and account number are registered to. Even if an address is given, I doubt it is actually checked. Obviously, the person setting up the DD declares that the account to be debited is theirs, but someone who is determined to set up a DD against someone else's account is most likely not shy and would lie. But as I said above, the DD guarantee is the ultimate protector and can be invoked by the account holder as soon as they notice the fraudulent DD.

soulsaver

Peace of mind: Send the details split over 2 emails? 

Boa21

Have you got them on WhatsApp? That's end to end encrypted.