# Fees for transferring money **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2022, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318 "2022-12-11T04:05:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/21 "2022-12-11T13:11:57Z")
> **[Routing Number on a Check: Can My Account Get Hacked?](https://www.banks.com/articles/banking/checking-accounts/account-hacked-routing-number/)** > > Can your bank account be hacked with a routing number or the account number on a check? Read our guide to find the answers to this question. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/22 "2022-12-11T13:17:51Z")
Yeah, you can. Maybe I can’t walk into a bank with that info and get cash but I can pay all sorts of bills ( including one-time bills) with an “electronic check” without using my bank’s website/password/anything and that means that someone with access to a semi-legit business can make a payment to that business from my account with no other info. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/23 "2022-12-11T13:35:15Z")
Welcome to the 21st century banking system, where the information you need to give someone to let them pay you is also enough information for them to help themselves to whatever is in your account. There are safeguards on the system, but they’re all of the form “If something goes wrong, how can we try to figure out what it was?”, rather than actually, you know, preventing the fraud in the first place. Which is small comfort if the person who defrauded you has fled to the Cayman Islands or something. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/24 "2022-12-11T14:03:42Z")
I e mailed her last night and told her I contacted my bank and told them what was going on. Hopefully she won’t try. Theres a number for lost or stolen card but thats not relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/25 "2022-12-11T14:03:47Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > that someone with access to a semi-legit business can make a payment to that business from my account with no other info Only to an account with your name on it. If the bill is not in your name and you try to pay for it with an electronic check using only an account and routing number, you’re going to get a call from your bank. That’s been my experience, anyway. Every bank has their routing number available on their website–it’s not a secret. Account numbers aren’t hard to guess once you know their format. If someone only needed a routing number and an account number to retrieve money, this type of fraud would be much more commonplace. Hell, it would be constant. In Germany, most institutions only accept bank-to-bank transfers as opposed to checks or credit cards. It’s very common to pay bills, recurring fees, speeding tickets, and even person-to-person online sales by giving out your bank account information. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/26 "2022-12-11T14:26:03Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > If the bill is not in your name … and/or have the billing address/shipping address match the one on the checking account. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/27 "2022-12-11T14:36:16Z")
No address was given. Hopefully I scared her off. I can tell my bank not to allow any money taken out of my account, excepting Planet Fitness. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/28 "2022-12-11T16:06:16Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > A woman on twitter said she has a security bank account, and will donate a small amount to my bank. > She thinks the transfer will engender a fee, possibly from my bank. This doesn’t sound legit. Is it? I’m still wondering what a “security bank account” is supposed to be. And in case it’s not clear, the grifter was setting up an [advance-fee scam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_scam), where you’d have to pay the supposed fee to get the promised money. (So my guess is they were not trying to pull money out of your account but instead trying to get you to send them money.) ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/29 "2022-12-11T16:10:36Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m still wondering what a “security bank account” is supposed to be. What it _could_ be … is an account at this place: > **[Welcome to Security Bank of Kansas City - Your home grown local bank!](https://www.securitybankkc.com/)** > > Local Banking Centers in KS and MO including Leawood, Shawnee, Lee's Summit, Overland Park, Olathe, Prairie Village, Mission, NKC, Smithville and Paola. [but it isn’t] ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/30 "2022-12-11T16:19:30Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m still wondering what a “security bank account” is supposed to be. - It’s scammer speak to make the mark feel safer. And/or to make the scammer sound more legitimate. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/31 "2022-12-11T16:20:30Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I’ve used legitimate bank transfers for years and never paid any fee. Yeah, but a wire transfer has a fee, usually as much as $25. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/32 "2022-12-11T17:23:48Z")
I’ve paid plenty of bills that weren’t in my name by electronic check , including tuition bills in my kids’ names ( and they have a different surname) and some which aren’t accounts at all, like parking tickets. I doubt very much that the bank gets the information about the name on the account . So I’m not sure why it would be impossible for an employee to use my info to pay your bill with my info and keep the cash that you actually used to make your payment. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/33 "2022-12-11T18:11:28Z")
What’s the meaning of all this my dear sister if you’re not more comfortable with this missionary charity foundation work fine you back off am not forcing you to do this just that it was the lord Jesus Christ that leaded me to you to accomplish is great mission but it’s fine since you have made it clear to me that you’re no more interested the lord will direct someone that has the heart of doing God work I didn’t need your money and I have never asked you for money Okay take care and stay cool Your sister in the lord Her last e mail few mins ago ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/34 "2022-12-11T18:15:22Z")
Well, obviously, the Lord God wants you to take this money, or you are just an unworthy godless heathen who cannot be trusted to carry the burden of this mission. What say thou sister? ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/35 "2022-12-11T18:16:18Z")
Hell no.🙃 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/36 "2022-12-11T18:39:44Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > If someone only needed a routing number and an account number to retrieve money, That’s literally all you need. Someone swiped about 12 grand out of my business account with nothing more than a check they stole out of the mail. They printed out fake checks using that info and then used a bank’s mobile deposit app to cash them (my WAG is that the money was transferred into accounts they had the credentials for and from there transferred into a crypto wallet and eventually into cash). And, yes, you’d still need the name and address info but, for all intents and purposes, that’s public information. > [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > It’s very common to pay bills, recurring fees, speeding tickets, and even person-to-person online sales by giving out your bank account information. That may well be true, but you’re generally giving that info to people or business you trust. The same way you’ll happily give them your credit card info. But would you really be willing to give your routing and account number to someone that contacted you on twitter? Would you post them to the internet? Or do you treat it more like you’d treat a credit card number. In any case, back to the OP, yes, it’s a scam. If all they asked for was a routing number and that’s it, yeah, it’d be of little consequence. As someone else said, they may ask you to send them money “first” (read: instead), but remember, you should never have to pay money to get money. You can tell it’s a scam by how they react to being asked to simply deduct the fee from what they’re sending to you. They won’t do it. If they’re not trying to get you to initiate the transfer, I’ll bet you get a bunch of “I also need your address/acct number/last name etc” type follow up emails until they have everything they need. They’ll just ask one at a time so it seems like they’re filling something out, not harvesting credentials. If you need money this badly, you’re going to be much better off looking into legitimate places that will help people in whatever your situation is. Unsolicited contacts on twitter asking for your banking info are largely preying on your desperation. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2022, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/37 "2022-12-11T19:03:30Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > What’s the meaning of all this my dear sister if you’re not more comfortable with this missionary charity foundation work fine you back off am not forcing you to do this just that it was the lord Jesus Christ that leaded me to you to accomplish is great mission but it’s fine since you have made it clear to me that you’re no more interested the lord will direct someone that has the heart of doing God work I didn’t need your money and I have never asked you for money Okay take care and stay cool > > Your sister in the lord > > Her last e mail few mins ago - If that isn’t scammer talk word for word, I’ll eat my hat. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/38 "2022-12-12T04:28:44Z")
I’ll second that. There are many legit ways of transferring money. Banks have been doing this since forever and have figured out the secure ways of doing it. There may be a fee for doing it…pay it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/39 "2022-12-12T04:38:28Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I’ll second that. > > There are many legit ways of transferring money. Banks have been doing this since forever and have figured out the secure ways of doing it. **There may be a fee for doing it…pay it.** - And that fee will be paid from your account to the bank. Not with gift cards. Not with cryptocurrency. Not by sending the fee to an individual’s account in a different bank. _Especially_ overseas. The bank won’t tell you to keep the whole transaction secret or threaten to have you arrested (or empty/lock your account) if you change your mind and want to cancel the transaction. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2022, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318/40 "2022-12-12T05:31:31Z")
Here in Canada, the _routing_ is a 5-digit number indicating bank. The _account_ is a number usually about 9 digits indicating branch and account in that branch. This is the set of numbers across the bottom of any cheque. It is sufficient to identify any account for the purposes of deposit or withdrawal. Obviously, you and I cannot simply input such number and transfer (pull) money from a random account. But presumably there’s a process by which certain business accounts can do one-time or regular transfers. I would hope that service is sufficiently regulated, but with American banking, take nothing for granted. Best case is your bank tells the other bank :that was unauthorized, reverse the transaction" and it’s up to the other bank to recover money from the fraudster if they’ve managed to get it out of their bank. After all, despite telling the number, you authorized no withdrawal. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Someone swiped about 12 grand out of my business account with nothing more than a check But did the bank put the money back? It was certainly a pain in the butt, but if all one needed for fraud was an image of the cheque so as to print more _and_ it was easy to get away with, then there would be a helluva lot more fraud happening. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fees-for-transferring-money/976318.md?page=3)