Giving out sort code and account number.

[blueST]

I have sold a second hand item for about £10, on Ebay. I did specify Paypal or Cash on collection in the Ad, but the buyer wants to pay direct into my bank account. This will obviously need me to give them my account number. Is there much risk in doing this? I'm not too concerned about the danger of losing the tenner, but obviously, I don't want my account emptying by some fraudster.

[Eric Mc]

You do this every time you give someone a cheque as a form of payment.

[tinoproductions]

With stuff like this, I always ask myself, am I selling/buying a 'hot' item.

No fraudster is going to be looking for victims by buy/sell section for an air-con relay switch for a 1987 Mercedes E190.

If it was an iPhone/iPad etc, I would be more careful.

[blueST]

Eric Mc said:

You do this every time you give someone a cheque as a form of payment.

Good point. It's a long time since I wrote cheque, can't actually remember what's on them.

[blueST]

tinoproductions said:

With stuff like this, I always ask myself, am I selling/buying a 'hot' item.

No fraudster is going to be looking for victims by buy/sell section for an air-con relay switch for a 1987 Mercedes E190.

If it was an iPhone/iPad etc, I would be more careful.

It's a broken VW gearbox, being sold to a 'box reconditioner so I am resonably sure it's legit.

[Eric Mc]

blueST said:

Good point. It's a long time since I wrote cheque, can't actually remember what's on them.

People do a get a bit paranoid about such matters even though they've been giving out such data since the invention of the modern style cheque (probably at least 50 years).

The big difference with an Internet transaction is that the bank data is being transmitted electronically and it all depends on how secure the mode of electronic transmission chosen actually is.

How safe was ending a cheque in the normal post?

[blueST]

I think it feels odd these days because almost everything on line is done under the perceived security of Paypal and/or that little padlock in the corner of the browser. To step outside that way of doing things feels a bit weird, like your opening your wallet to a stranger.

[Grandad Gaz]

Didn't Clarkson give out his sort code and account number on a programme once, just to prove it was safe?

You can put money in with this info, but you can't take it out.

[-crookedtail-]

Grandad Gaz said:

Didn't Clarkson give out his sort code and account number on a programme once, just to prove it was safe?

You can put money in with this info, but you can't take it out.

Yes he did but someone made donations for him

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