Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2026 July 4

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July 4

Sending bank account info

I need to communicate a checking account number to a family member who uses yahoo.com email. The person isn't technical enough to use PGP or anything like that. I also think she'd somehow get confused if I tried to give it to her through a voice phone call. So I can email it, send an SMS text message or whatever that's called now, or maybe upload it to a personal web page (https of course) and ask her to save a screen shot on her phone (but it will be easier if it's something she can copy/paste from). Any advice about just how sensitive this type of info is? Does SMS sound better than Yahoo email? Thanks. ~2026-38271-65 (talk) 21:08, 4 July 2026 (UTC)

Resolved

I called the bank and they said it was ok to email it, so I did. That might not have been great advice from them, but it's done now. ~2026-38271-65 (talk) 00:07, 5 July 2026 (UTC)

This article gives an overview of the risks when fraudsters or scammers get hold of someone's checking account number. Generally speaking, it seems that they need to have more information, such as the account holder's driver's licence number, to abuse the knowledge.  ​‑‑Lambiam 12:24, 5 July 2026 (UTC)

I would've used an encrypted messenger, like iMessage only if you both have iPhones or Signal or (ugh) WhatsApp or Google Messages, and asked the family member to delete the message afterwards. In solidarity, Aaron Liu (talk) 21:01, 5 July 2026 (UTC)

Note what happened to Jeremy Clarkson. On the other hand, sort codes and account numbers are printed at the bottom of cheques, so writing someone a cheque leaks the same info. cmɢʟee τaʟκ (please add {{ping|cmglee}} to your reply) 17:23, 6 July 2026 (UTC)

Donald Knuth stopped sending real checks because people posted images online and, of course, asshats used the images to make fake checks and cash them. ~2026-38520-51 (talk) 20:25, 6 July 2026 (UTC)

Euro answer: When transferring money by bank, normally both sender and recipient get to know the account number of both parties. That are a lot of people. If any of them ever had a security breach, even more people know the account number. So you have to assume the account number is publicly known. Most transfers are done by the account holder pushing the money to the recipient; apart from providing the account numbers, the sender has to authenticate the transaction, typically by some form of 2FA (details vary by bank). The authentication is where the security lies, not in keeping the account number a secret. There are pull transfers too, with a party telling the bank “We want X money from this account; look, we have permission from the account holder.” I don't know all security details here. I suppose the bank has to trust the recipient and the account holder has a (short) opportunity to block the transaction. Did anyone mention cheques? I don't know; I've never used those. The last time I saw anyone use a cheque was in 1994, when I was a child. PiusImpavidus (talk) 23:09, 6 July 2026 (UTC)

I will be using one later today, because I can do so in person, at the payee's offices, with minimal inconvenience and without having to set up and use hackable online arrangements on the payee's website whose use depends on my having ongoing internet access, maintaining changeable details, and being unnecessarily spammed by the payee. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-36805-68 (talk) 08:14, 7 July 2026 (UTC)

Note that SEPA transfers – the "Euro answer" – are made through one’s bank's online banking website, with maximal convenience, no involvement of the payee's website (if they even have one), and no risk of being spammed. The money is also not held up for an indefinite amount of time by the bank, and there is zero risk of check bouncing. It does require some form of Internet access, though, possibly from your mobile phone.  ​‑‑Lambiam 15:44, 7 July 2026 (UTC)