# Quick! Any harm in giving out bank account info for a wire transfer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369 "2008-04-29T17:32:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369/21 "2008-04-30T15:28:16Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Well, plenty, if you aren’t paying attention. There’s nothing to stop someone with your account and routing numbers from creating their own checks, which will draw on your account given a reasonable facsimile of your signature. Sometimes they won’t even need that. [/QUOTE] But that would mean each and every time you write a check to someone for something they now have your account/routing numbers and you’re at risk. If it was that easy you would think it would happen a lot more than it does. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369/22 "2008-04-30T16:03:53Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Woo] I’d go with the money order too. The wire will cost the remitter a bunch - at least $30, and it will cost you as well. Plus, I can’t imagine why the remitter wants to pay $30 when a postal money order costs, what, $5? [/QUOTE] Personally, I’d be more comfortable with a wire transfer, both in giving and receiving. An ACH (sp?) transfer is completely free to initiate at my bank, so the $30 argument is moot. Second, if somebody were to try to fake a money order, I’m pretty sure it’d be a lot easier than to fake a wire transfer. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369/23 "2008-04-30T16:27:25Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] But that would mean each and every time you write a check to someone for something they now have your account/routing numbers and you’re at risk. If it was that easy you would think it would happen a lot more than it does. [/QUOTE] Every time you use your credit card you give the store’s employees the ability to charge stuff to it, too. All they have to is manually key in the number. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369/24 "2008-04-30T16:56:55Z")
[QUOTE=Athena] He’s in the US. I think his motivation for doing the wire transfer is speed - he really wants the item as quickly as he can get it. Regardless, Mr. Athena decided to go with having him send a check of some sort. Thanks for all the replies. [/QUOTE] Most scammers in a big hurry. Just thought I’d mention that. Western Union is pretty safe for you, too… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369/25 "2008-04-30T16:59:24Z")
[QUOTE=CookingWithGas] Couldn’t hurt to ask your bank. Also note that [counterfeit postal money orders](http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fakemo.htm) are not unheard of. They are particularly nasty because your bank will usually credit the deposit to your account right away but they can take up to a month to bounce, long after you have delivered merchandise. However, the usual scam is to overpay using a money order then ask for the overpayment back in cash. [/QUOTE] There is an 800# you can cell to validate USPS money orders. It’s posted somewhere on the USPS site. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369/26 "2008-04-30T18:46:41Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Slant] Most scammers in a big hurry. Just thought I’d mention that. Western Union is pretty safe for you, too… [/QUOTE] Yeah I know. But Mr. Athena is pretty good at checking up on people. He sells a LOT of big ticket items via various message boards (he’s a gear head) and has yet to be scammed, so I think his Scam-fu works well. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369/27 "2008-04-30T19:40:06Z")
[QUOTE=butler1850] If it’s speed of funds transfer that he’s after, why not use PayPal? The buyer can even use a credit card (with a slight additional fee to someone, if I recall correctly from the last time I used it). [/QUOTE] I’ve sent money via PayPal with a credit card (debit card actually but I don’t think PayPal knows the difference) several times over the last couple of weeks and neither I nor the recipient has been charged a fee. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-any-harm-in-giving-out-bank-account-info-for-a-wire-transfer/447369.md?page=1)