Can I have your bank account number?

[Sylentwulf]

Just got another E-mail today, I've gotten this request appx. 10-15 times a year and it never ceases to blow my mind, it's almost ALWAYS from international bidders.

"Is it possible for you to give me your Bank Account number so I can put the money directly at your Bank Account?"

OK, so you want me to E-mail you my bank and account information? Um.... NO?!?! Is this a common thing to do in europe and south america? I'm sure there probably ISN'T much they can do with that info, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna e-mail it out anyways!

[Bratwurst]

Those crazy Euro folk like to wire money directly, yup. Checks are pretty much unheard of there. They're more or less waiting for the US to catch up with the times, actually. I'm still reluctant to do it myself.

[neschampion]

I've had a couple people from Germany send me their bank info asking me to wire the money in there for items that i've won. I've never done it though, as an internationalwire costs like $50.

[Queen Of The Felines]

Hmm, I've had someone from Germany ask for my bank info too...I thought it was a scam so I said no, and of course he promptly disappeared into the realm of Non-Paying Bidders. :roll:

Kristine

[Charlie]

I'm willing to wire money, but when I auction stuff off I limit bidders to those located in the US and Canada.

[CrazyImpmon]

I used to get one like that almost every week. It comes from somewhere in Argentia and claims they had leftover money and they wanted to get rid of it and needed my account information so they could transfer several million dollars in my account.

Yeah RIIIIGHT! I was tempted to open a new checking account with zero balance and let them take it. But I didn't do it as if it was really a scam (possibly something like money laundry) I don't want any part of it.

I guess they gave up as I haven't gotten any in a few weeks now.

[Charlie]

My naive aunt Lois did that once and she claims that they put like $20 in her account... then mysteriously she lost like $100 a year or two later. Heh... then again, she has a gambling problem and so who knows the real story.

[Arrrhalomynn]

I always do let people pay me directly to my bank account and never had any problems. I don't understand why all you people are so suspicous of that...

[Sylentwulf]

It's one difference between europe and America, that's all.

I can't even think of a way to put it in perspective, It would be like someone asking to borrow your credit card and pin number and saying "but I won't use it"

[Arrrhalomynn]

But if they only know your bank account number they can't take money from it. They can if they have a creditcard with pin number.

[brandver3]

From someone who works in the finacial realm, if you have an account and routing # (bank number) you can do all sorts of things with it. Maybe in Europe there is an unwritten code of honor, but not here in the land of the free. People here will try to make a dollar no matter how they do it. Hell, we had people internet scamming after 9/11 and that was sickening.

Its not that we don't trust europians, its that the years of shady and downright unscrupulous Americans have made us wary of anyone getting our money.

Plus the fact that internet identity theft is the fastest growing crime here doesn't help either.

[mcgrail0007@netzero.net]

If you pay someone on eBay with a personal check you would be giving them the same info that Sylentwulf won't give to the people that want to pay him.

[Arrrhalomynn]

if you have an account and routing # (bank number) you can do all sorts of things with it

Like what?

[Sylentwulf]

Maybe the banks are more secure in Europe Arrrhal, but here, with a routing number and ccount number, you NAME IT and you can do it, transfer funds, close the account, start another account, you can pretty much take over the persons whole damn identity.

Hell, you give me a full name, Birthdate, and a social security number, and I can take over your life within a matter of days. Sensitive information like a bank account number just makes it so easy as to be laughable.

[Arrrhalomynn]

The banks are definately more secure here. You can't transfer money from a bank account without your signature. So unless the wannabe criminal has your autograph, and is quite good at faking it, he can't do anything.
Pretty much everyone here uses their bank account numbers for money transfers. Not only companies, but also regular people.

[SoulBlazer]

Well, I wish our banks operated like in Europe, then. :) Should we blame the de-regulation of the banking industry by the government? We allready blame the government for everything else. :D

[bargora]

If you pay someone on eBay with a personal check you would be giving them the same info that Sylentwulf won't give to the people that want to pay him.
mcgrail0007 raises a good point. The routing number and account number are printed at the bottom of every one of your personal checks. Should I be worried about paying strangers with a personal check?

[chadtower]

If you pay someone on eBay with a personal check you would be giving them the same info that Sylentwulf won't give to the people that want to pay him.
mcgrail0007 raises a good point. The routing number and account number are printed at the bottom of every one of your personal checks. Should I be worried about paying strangers with a personal check?

Yes, your DNA is on that check. They could clone you and use that clone to wipe out your account!

[bargora]

If you pay someone on eBay with a personal check you would be giving them the same info that Sylentwulf won't give to the people that want to pay him.
mcgrail0007 raises a good point. The routing number and account number are printed at the bottom of every one of your personal checks. Should I be worried about paying strangers with a personal check?

Yes, your DNA is on that check. They could clone you and use that clone to wipe out your account!
Not me, dude. I wear protection.

[kattkatt]

>as an internationalwire costs like $50

Sweden must be unique because this worldwide transaction costs only $10 with "unlimited" amount . This is the only thing that is cheap though.

/CC

[ashardin]

I work for a bank.

No bank is going to do anything to that acct. without a signature and secret word (usually mother's maiden name) or some other form of validation.

What was said earlier was true. You can get that info off of a printed check. Hell, you could copy the magnetic MICR line and create your own, fraudulent checks from that printed check if you wanted. You could also wash it, or many other forms of fraud.

Banks have fraud bonds, you would be covered in any of those situations.

[chadtower]

Banks have fraud bonds, you would be covered in any of those situations.

Sorry, with a bond THEY would be covered. If you get ripped off they could give a damn.

[petewhitley]

No bank is going to do anything to that acct. without a signature and secret word (usually mother's maiden name) or some other form of validation.


He's right. There is so much ignorance running rampant through this post. @_@ Personal bank transfers are a daily fact of life throughout Europe, Asia, etc. PEOPLE CAN PUT MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT THE PRIVILEGE OF TAKING IT OUT. I'm all for protecting sensitive personal information, but your bank account and routing number in financial transactions are NOT AT RISK. If you're still worried, simply call your bank. :)

[sonnenhexer]

Here in germany it is "normal" paying by direct wire into the bank account.

I only have PayPal for oversea-trades when I buy something at ebay.com.

When you pay by direct wire into the account, you have to fill out a form and sign it (the bank checks the signature) OR you use homebanking with the computer, where your account is secured on 2 ways, one PIN to get in and one TAN (TransActionNumber) to "sign" a payment.

So asking for the account number is "normal" for european bidders who don´t have PayPal. :)

Don´t worry, that´s ok.

Cheers

Michael