Network Sent My Bank Details Info In An E-mail - Is My Bank Account At Risk?

**Jock** · 09-01-07

Been affiliate marketing for many years and have never sent my bank account sort code and account number by e-mail, despite being asked by many affiliate networks to do so. I've always thought that this was insecure and unsafe.

Tonight I get an e-mail from a large network (active on this forum) with my bank details asking me if they are the correct numbers!

What do I do now - is my bank account at risk? What happens if some villain gets this e-mail or it goes astray and my bank details are on it?

**Mogga** · 09-01-07

Someone could put money into your account.

Doesn't sound like something that should be done in such an insecure way but I wouldn't worry too much. You could name and shame the network if you want so we can all watch out for it happening.

**reveroom** · 09-01-07

Have you ever sent a cheque to someone? All your details are on those too.

People can't do anything other than send you money with your sort code and account number.

**pricethat** · 10-01-07

Yeah, i suppose if they were really nasty they would put a quid in there too

**axod** · 10-01-07

As far as I'm aware they could also setup a direct debit, but direct debit has complete guarantees so that if you disagree with any direct debit you can just contact your bank and they'll put the money back straight away.

I think the risk is minimal, but even so, bit of a silly thing for the network to do. Would have been better to send an email asking you to login and check your bank details were correct via a login secured HTTPS etc etc.

**pricethat** · 10-01-07

How far would you say is actually silly, i mean you can go down the complete paranoia route but look it logically.

Post:
Piece of paper with more often than not nothing more than font arial encryption using standard latin characters.

handled by more than a dozen people

Left idle in various containers, halls, vans, cupboards and pigeon holes

cycled half away around your local town/village/city

Quite clearly marked as from your bank most of the time

Contains all of your bank details most of the time and even more shocking, it also contains your bank statement once per month!!!

Lands at your house where anyone could break in and have away with it, including family members or other people in the household!

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I would rather have my bank details sent to me in an email than posted, when you actually look at it, it is probably more secure than errrrr majesties snail mail service. I am personally waiting for the day when i email someone quoting their name and them getting all shirty on me because i violated their privacy by quoting their name. Actually come to think about it do you think people have got grounds for concern if i was to be doubly evil and give away what their favourite drink is by buying them a pint.

**10k** · 10-01-07

Based upon my experience of Royal Mail I've always thought that email was much safer than post!

There's nothing anyone can do with your bank account number, I think you're safe

**axod** · 10-01-07

The difference is that with email, several email servers, routers, etc along the way have full access to the email.
With snail mail, sure lots of people handle the letter, but it's sealed in an envelope. Sure they could open it and try to reseal it, but you'd probably notice the other side.

Email, you could just be a big email server in the middle of lots of exchanges, and skim out any interesting personal information automatically, and no one would know until you used it.

Account number and sort code are probably low risk, but I certainly wouldn't send credit card/visa info via email/IM etc. Only via an encrypted channel.