Sending bank details by email

How about using something called the phone and actually speak to her

One of my WI friends wouldn’t let any of us have her email address as she didn’t want us to email her in case her email address got ‘infected’.

Davisuz

I had a 'friend' who wouldn't buy anything online as she thought it was insecure. Then came the pandemic and she obviously couldn't get reach the shops, so out of good will I did it for her. The Pandemic ended and I told her I was no longer willing to do this, but I'd happily show her the process myself - she hasn't spoken to me since!

🤣🤣🤣

I had a 'friend' who wouldn't buy anything online as she thought it was insecure. Then came the pandemic and she obviously couldn't get reach the shops, so out of good will I did it for her. The Pandemic ended and I told her I was no longer willing to do this, but I'd happily show her the process myself - she hasn't spoken to me since!

After what my solicitor said it definitely put me off sending my bank details by email. Perhaps she was being over cautious but with good reason as she is dealing with large amounts of money.

It's common practice to send bank details. In my opinion she is being ridiculous. I used to run an ironing service and lots of customers had my bank details. I was never scammed. I was, however, scammed via PayPal.

There’s also PayPal for transferring money but of course both people have to have a PayPal account.

When we moved house 5 years ago our solicitor said she would never send her bank details by email as it’s not secure. She said emails can be ‘interfered’ in the time it takes for them to get to you ?
As she was regularly emailing us on other matters - this may have also been to pre-warn us in case we received a fake email purporting to come from her with false bank details.
She put her bank details in a letter sent by recorded delivery.

Tell her to send by text or whatsapp. Otherwise, tell her to come by your house and you'll give her the cash.

I have a friend that only deals in cash but even she gave me her details for a bank transfer when it was a large amount.

I keep one bank card and account for only using on-line, I just top it up before I buy anything, that way any scams etc can't have access to much money in the account.

Lemontart

If she paid by BACS then do you not have her account details from that transaction?

I thought that, but the treasurer says not.

Could you send it by EMT? Email transfer?
That's how I send money to friends and even some businesses, I only need to know their email or phone number to send it to them.

Luckygirl3

Just wanting opinions.

I organise concert trips for local U3A. Someone pulled out at the last minute and, as I was able to sell her place on, I contacted her and asked for her bank details so I could organise a refund. She had paid some weeks ago by BACS.

She is unwilling to send those details as she says email is not secure.

Is she right about this? I cannot see that, even if the email were to be hacked, anyone would be able to use these details to get money from her account without further passwords etc.

When Paypal became publicised in 2006 I opened an account with them and it has turned out to be the ideal way to send money to people and receive money.

Refunds can be made so easily between people who use paypal.

People are still suspicious, yet it has made such a difference to me, being housebound. I do all my shopping online as every need has to be posted or delivered. I am lucky because the GP visits and the chemist delivers.

I have had home helps and carers for 30 years and since I opened the paypal account my helpers have opened them too, because then I can pay them daily as soon as they have finished. It doesn't cost anything more when you pay them after the work, though you do pay 3% for goods and services, nothing for friends and family. Helpers who have done the job are paid as friends.

Helpers who do not have an account can use someone elses, but they end up opening their own. You just need a bank account, and a debit or credit card.

I did transfer money once, but the bank phoned me to check and said they do not advise bank transfers for vulnerable people so would I please not do it again. I have had to tell firms several times that the bank does not allow transfers,

As Trouble says, (she possibly works in conveyancing), emails can be intercepted, and then the sort code and bank account number can be changed so you end up reimbursing the scammer. The most secure way to pass on details is by telephone or by encrypted messaging such as WhatsApp

it is normal practice to send invoices with bank details so i don't see a risk
what would be risky is details of a bank card with a CVV number .

You could ask her either to dictate the account number you need over the phone, if she feels that is more secure, or to send you them by post, or to ask her bank to send them to you in an end-to-end encrypted e-mail.

I am sadly afraid that a clever hacker might be able ot intercept an unencrypted mail and misuse the information, even although this is not supposed to be possible.

And yes, in the days when we used cheques we sent them by post and believed, usually correctly, that as long as the cheque was crossed no misuse could occur, but that has little to do with the practical aspects of internet banking and scammers.

If this lady is worried, why can she not drive over to your place and pick up her refund in cash?

Now a days it's better safe than sorry. How about a phone call for the information?

I wasn’t able to pay cash and collect an item I wished to purchase from a seller due to the awful weather as it was a 60 mile round trip. I offered to post a cheque and once paid in would have cleared by the time I could collect item. It was refused, it’s such a shame that cheques aren’t as acceptable as they once were. At the moment I’m still not able to collect said item and so it’s back for sale.

If she paid by BACS then do you not have her account details from that transaction?

Call her and ask her for the IBAN number, and then deposit the money into her account.

Rosie51

Has she ever in her life written a cheque because that would have the exact same details as she'd be giving in an email? You're correct that even if an email was intercepted those details would not give anyone access to her account without further passwords or memorable data.

All the details you need to make a payment, and more are on a cheque. Not sending these by email is a security step too far!

Why couldn't she give you the details verbally? When you set up to pay someone the banking system checks their name, sort code and account before allowing you to progress to payment.

Luckygirl3

Just wanting opinions.

I organise concert trips for local U3A. Someone pulled out at the last minute and, as I was able to sell her place on, I contacted her and asked for her bank details so I could organise a refund. She had paid some weeks ago by BACS.

She is unwilling to send those details as she says email is not secure.

Is she right about this? I cannot see that, even if the email were to be hacked, anyone would be able to use these details to get money from her account without further passwords etc.

The person refusing to give bank details by email is correct and sensible. Scammers can use bank details for all sorts of fraud and in hacking an email, they don't just get bank details but access to historic emails sent to and from the person which will tell them all kinds of useful information in addition to the bank details. They can also send emails to the hacked person's contacts. I would however give options - do you want to verbally give me the bank details so they're not in an email or is there some other way you'd like the money back. Hope this helps.

If you must send bank details by email can I kindly suggest you do it this way . 3 emails in the first one the first 2 numbers of the sort code followed by the first 3 numbers of the bank account, Then in about 30 minutes a second email with the second 2 number of the sort code and and the next 3 numbers of the account and last email leave it for about an hour then the last 2 numbers of the sort code and the last numbers of the bank account . Give them a funny title, I know it is a bit of a faff but I have done this with people I know when refunding money.

We pay for birthdays as part of our WhatsApp group in work. We just put our bank details on and pay each other. Common practice I think.