The safety of sort codes and account numbers – can someone take money from your account with these details?

Research indicates that globally, around 69% of adults have a banking account which means that a large majority of the adult population does some form of banking.

But in which cases is it safe to give someone your bank account number? In the world of fast-paced technology, we might have to reveal our account details to strangers via email, phone, or face-to-face. But how safe is it to do so?

We cover this topic here in this blog post, so keep reading to find out the answers.

Can somebody steal money from your bank account with a sort code and account number?

In many cases, giving out your account number and sort code is a necessary part of life. For example, it is one of the ways in which your employer can transfer your salary to you.

Therefore, revealing this information is not necessarily something you should be worried about.

However, in the age of fraud, whether someone can take or steal money from your bank account with information about your sort code and account number is something to keep in mind and you should consider the following tips:

• Generally, a hacker would need a combination of your date of birth, Identity Number, PIN, full name, address, the full card number on the front of the card, its expiry date, and CVC number at the back
• Do not use public networks when doing online banking
• Avoid giving out your banking details to people you do not know or expect money from
• Double-check the source of funds you’re expecting – is it an expected payment? Is it from a legitimate source? Remember to do your research.

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Is it safe to provide details about a payment?

We make numerous payments every month – big and small – whether you’re paying for a mochaccino, the rent for your accommodation or if you’re a business, paying your employees their salaries.

It isn’t possible for your account to be hacked with just an account number. In fact, cheques have this information and other information on them, and they are safe to use.

Making payments is a part of life. But how much information should you share? And is it safe to give bank details to strangers?

Let’s find out a bit more about this subject below:

• Generally, there isn’t a problem with this scenario as strangers can only deposit money into your account and not take money out of it with just your account number, but you should always exercise caution and remain vigilant
• Only provide your details to trustworthy sources like your employer, family members, suppliers, etc. where payments are actually expected
• Do not provide your details to people you don’t know and don’t accept money from strangers in order to avoid becoming involved in fraudulent or illicit activities

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Conclusion: Staying safe with banking details

Overall, there’s very little someone can do with just your account number and sort code apart from making a deposit into your account in order to pay you.

However, always be vigilant with whom you share your personal details. Remember never to share your PIN with anyone. We hope that these tips have helped you to identify when and when not to share your account information.

In case you still have concerns that you’ve been a victim of this type of misuse of personal banking information, you can always check your merchant account via the mobile App or contact us at
help@mypos.com for further assistance.

Learn more about card payments and card machines

• Contactless payments not working? Learn why
• How long does a refund take?
• Chip and PIN machines
• Credit card processing: How it works