What can someone do wtih my bank account #?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

We were just notified this morning that there was a cybersecurity breach at work, and personal identifying info may have been compromised. Among that PII are things like my social security number, and my checking account number (including bank routing #), which are used for electronic deposit of my paycheck.

 

I've placed 90-day fraud alerts with the three credit-reporting agencies, which will make it more difficult for someone to establish a line of credit in my name.

 

But what should I be doing with my bank account? To make that decision, I need to know: what could someone else do with my bank account #? Could they withdraw funds, or do they only have the ability to make deposits using that info?

[Lynn]

With sufficient identifying information, the baddies have the ability to access your account completely. They could (in theory) change your address, have a new ATM/Debit card issued and clean you out. They could also clean you out by wire or EFT.

 

If I still worked at a bank and you called me to ask what to do, I would recommend closing out your account and opening a new one and I would put a fraud alert on your new account (I don't know how many banks can actually do this, but we could) so that changes would require a signature and ID rather than just a phone call with identifying information. If they got your SSN, your account number and routing number, they got enough information to do some real damage.

 

And this information is at over 10 years out of date-the crooks have probably evolved better ways to cause problems since I left the industry.

[Mike]

If it was just one piece of info, it wouldn't be a huge concern, but if there has been a compromise of SSNs, account numbers, names, etc., then I'd echo the thought that you should close the account and reopen a new one, as much of a pain in the neck as that might be. With that info, it's rather easy to print up new checks and possibly arrange for transfers out of the account.

 

This sucks.

[Quinn]

If you're going to close out your account and open a new one, you might want to do it before the hacker does it for you.

 

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[DiggerJim]

Close the account. With just the acct # & RTN they can be printing checks on blank stock right now and cleaning you out. With your SSN they can do whatever they want including cleaning you out and running up expenses & charges before they get flagged on your credit report (which btw, they can change because they know your SSN and bank info so can likely find out your address & birth date and that'll get them able to access the 3 credit bureaus and remove the watch flag).

 

 

[Polo]

Close the account at that bank and open a new one at another. I recently got sub-prime-Hail-Mary financing for a customer who had sterling credit. His mail got stolen, so he closed his bank account, and opened a new one; closed credit cards, etc.

 

Yet they got several credit cards in his name, and went to his bank to cash a few checks. The diligent teller noticing that the account had been closed, and in the interest of avoiding him any embarrassment, proceeded to pay the drafts from the new account!

 

 

[noel]

On top of all that has been said, which I fully agree, you may want to signup for one of those fraud/identity protection agencies. That should give you close to a 360 degree protection.

[Harry_Wilshusen]

I find this funny. Anyone you have written a check to has your acct & routing #, address and copy of your signature. Some people even have their phone number printed on their checks.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

I find this funny. Anyone you have written a check to has your acct & routing #, address and copy of your signature. Some people even have their phone number printed on their checks.

True, but Mitch (OP) said that his SS# might have also been compromised. When you have that PLUS the bank info the situation gets a lot dicier.

In this case your banker probably is your friend. I'd get in touch with them ASAP and close any vulnerable accounts and, as soon as you open your new ones, put a freeze on your credit history so no one else can open any in your name.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Update:

 

Apparently there was some confusion about whose info was or was not compromised. I got the email as a forward from someone else; it turns out that only the people who received the original email directly from our security group were affected. So it looks like my info isn't compromised at all.

 

The other surprise was that this incident happened waaaay back in March. Glad they're so prompt about letting us know these things...

[Mike]

 

The other surprise was that this incident happened waaaay back in March. Glad they're so prompt about letting us know these things...

 

Very reassuring . . . .

 

I'm glad to hear that you weren't affected. You may recall that a few years ago I had a debit card cloned. It didn't require closing my account, but it did cause me quite a bit of heartache.

[Richard_D]

I was in a store recently when my credit card was declined. Turns out someone was using the same card about 500 miles away. They somehow made another card and only got away with one small purchase in WalMart .

[Glenn Reed]

Slightly off track, but I think there is some relevance -

 

In another thread Mitch started, I learned from the collective to look out for small transactions on my credit card statements, as they can be "probes" to make sure an account is active and are sometimes precursors to the miscreants making much larger purchases or transactions. Well this past weekend I was looking at one statement and found a charge for $1.50. I called the bank and the person I talked to said it was from a company that processed charges from fast food restaurants, and my son had used the card at a Burger King the same day, so we let it go.

 

The next day, I received the next statement and there was another identical charge with no corresponding fast food purchase, and another charge for $1.25 from a similar outfit in Washington DC and nobody had been there recently.

 

I called again, and the person I talked to said that I should talk to the fraud department. Once there, it was determined that these were suspicious and that I should cancel this card and get a replacement. They overnighted it to me and I will be keeping a very wary eye out on my cards going forward. Thanks to those here who made this issue known to me.

 

Mitch, glad your info wasn't compromised, and I look forward to the Ride Tale from Dances With Cows Redux!

[Whip]

With a routing number, account number, and name on the account you can write all the e-checks you want.

 

You can pay all your bills online including local utlilities and cable TV bill.

 

 

I know cause someone did this for months on my bidness payroll account. The utility company would not give me the addy or name. They just credited my account. Same with cable TV. When I got some internet "magazine" charges I called the contact number next to the charge and the porn site was happy to give me the info. I hand delivered a note to the occupant of the house and everything stopped.

 

 

It was a major deal to change all the government withdrawls associated with the account and I watched it everyday.

 

 

It was also a challenge to find the perps.

 

 

 

 

[Jake]

A couple of years ago while I was on my way up to an El Paseo, our fraud dept called my wife: "Mrs. McDonell, we believe your card has been compromised."

 

Peanut inquired as to what the charges were.

 

"Well, we have a Chevron gas charge early this morning in Plantation, FL, and another gas charge about three hours later at a BP station near Ocala".

 

Peanut: "Don't block the card, that would be my husband."

 

Visa Fraud Guy: "Uhmm (long pause)..Wow...really? (They're shy of 300 miles apart)

 

Wife with whom I now am in trouble: "I'll tell him to slow down or you're going to cut him off, how's that?"

 

Fraud guy: "That sounds like a good idea. I'll make some kind of note..."

[Mike]

A couple of years ago while I was on my way up to an El Paseo, our fraud dept called my wife: "Mrs. McDonell, we believe your card has been compromised."

 

Peanut inquired as to what the charges were.

 

"Well, we have a Chevron gas charge early this morning in Plantation, FL, and another gas charge about three hours later at a BP station near Ocala".

 

Peanut: "Don't block the card, that would be my husband."

 

Visa Fraud Guy: "Uhmm (long pause)..Wow...really? (They're shy of 300 miles apart)

 

Wife with whom I now am in trouble: "I'll tell him to slow down or you're going to cut him off, how's that?"

 

Fraud guy: "That sounds like a good idea. I'll make some kind of note..."

 

My hero.

[Rocer]

Glad to hear that your info wasn't compromised after all. For a while there I thought that you'd have to apply for a new I.D. using your pseudonym.