# Would you give your bank acc no. to someone you bearly know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2004, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-your-bank-acc-no-to-someone-you-bearly-know/249571 "2004-06-10T01:10:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-your-bank-acc-no-to-someone-you-bearly-know/249571/21 "2004-06-10T17:50:52Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > You’re right…but if the guy was going to do a wire transfer, he wouldn’t need the account number alone, would he? You also need the routing number to make that happen. > > The whole thing stinks of corruption. If I wanted to get money to someone, that’s the last thing I would do. I would simply have them mail a check to me. Well…I certainly fucked that one up. You know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-your-bank-acc-no-to-someone-you-bearly-know/249571/22 "2004-06-10T18:00:48Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > You’re right…but if the guy was going to do a wire transfer, he wouldn’t need the account number alone, would he? You also need the routing number to make that happen. > > The whole thing stinks of corruption. If I wanted to get money to someone, that’s the last thing I would do. I would simply have them mail a check to me. The routing number is on the check, as well. It is the number between the colons. When your girlfriend gave her ex her PIN (which she should not have done in the first place, but I digress), when he called in to wire money out, the PIN should have been recognized by the wireroom operator (the account is titled “Suzie Jones” and “Steven Reilley” is initiating it, he would have a different PIN than her, if he has debit authority) as being compromised. The operator should have confiscated the PIN (making it worthless to anyone, and Suzie would have to fill out paperwork all over again for a new PIN) and the wire cancelled. The bank had put funds at risk in your case, and could face fines and compensation costs. Boyfriend also commited wire fraud and could have faced jail time. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-your-bank-acc-no-to-someone-you-bearly-know/249571/23 "2004-06-10T18:01:37Z")
(Checks also have the routing number on them, not just the account number) I agree that this is something that you give to people all the time without thinking about it. I also agree with those that said that this sounds suspicious; I wouldn’t do it and would either make the guy mail a money order (not a check) or Western Union you some money. And as far as “it’s info on every check you write”; that’s very true. But it’s also enough info for someone to use your checking account on any website that accepts checking account information for payment. First Name, Last Name, Routing Number, Account Number and any bogus check number they want to make up out of their head, and they’re… gellin like Magellan; in like Flynn, that kind of thing. So I’d be wary. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-your-bank-acc-no-to-someone-you-bearly-know/249571/24 "2004-06-10T22:27:29Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > My girlfriend was dating a guy for a few months and had been helping him financially ($50 here, $100 there). He was in a jam and needed $200 right away to take care of something. She gave him her account AND pin. > > He stole $6,000 from her. > > The police said there was nothing they could do because she gave him the number. Not quite understanding this. If she authorized him to withdraw $200 and he took $6000 then he took $5800 without authorization. How is this any different than if she’d written him a $200 check and he’d altered it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-your-bank-acc-no-to-someone-you-bearly-know/249571.md?page=1)