Stupid mistake in bank transfer

[mattclarkie]

I stupidly gave my Debit Card number (16 digits) instead of my 8 digit account number to a company who were due to pay money into my account.

They claim that they used the first 8 digits of the number I gave (surely they should have thought this was odd) which contain the 5 digits that all Nationwide CC/DC accounts start with, and are adamant that the money successfully entered an account.

I'm convinced that the money must have bounced, surely the first 8 digits of a DC wont exist as a real account, they are 'looking into it' but I am not optimistic. I sent a query to my bank to ask what would have happened and they will hopefully inform me it would have bounced back, but as I didn't make the payment there isn't much I can do.

I'm assuming I am not the first person to have done this, so if this has happened to you I would be grateful to know what happened. I know it is my fault for giving the wrong number and I may have to lose the money, but there were signs that the number I gave were wrong by it being twice as long as a valid account number

 

[Mr Noble]

tell them to reclaim the funds and deposit it into the right account.

IF they say it's been deposited into an account tell them yeah but not mine.

If they owe you money they need to pay it to the intended recipient end of.

Give them your long card number eh make sure you don't give them your security code

 

[mattclarkie]

I don't want to be rude to them because I did give them the number they used, although they should have noticed it was wrong. I'm not going to get very far if I start insulting them.

My research has implied that they can't reclaim the money (if it actually did enter an account) because it isn't the banks mistake, so the account holder would have to willingly return the funds. If the bank had made the mistake then the money can be forcibly returned.

 

[Ivor the Engine]

Ask them to show you the details of the transaction. Also, try and make a deposit for a quid using the eight numbers and, I presume, the sort code you gave them.

Not my area of expertise so please read as so.

 

[qwerty321]

What about a sort code? Did you give them one? If not, where did they get that?

 

[DPinBucks]

I don't want to be rude to them because I did give them the number they used, although they should have noticed it was wrong. I'm not going to get very far if I start insulting them.

My research has implied that they can't reclaim the money (if it actually did enter an account) because it isn't the banks mistake, so the account holder would have to willingly return the funds. If the bank had made the mistake then the money can be forcibly returned.

That's correct. I get totally paranoid when giving out my details for that very reason.

However, in your case, I agree with you that I really cannot see that the first 8 digits of your card number plus the bank sort code could have generated a valid account number. You could try asking your bank for help here. They might be prepared to tell you if such an account exists, or without being specific whether it could exist. Also, as you say, the paying-in company were remiss in not realising that a 16-digit number couldn't be a valid account. For a start, they could have taken the last 8 digits, which would have made more sense.

I admit it's a bit difficult for you, though. Good luck; sorry I don't have any real advice. Hope it wasn't a large amount.

 

[nheather]

If the sort code is right I think it ends up in a suspense account at the bank.

So to the payer it will look like it is successful and payee won't see any money.

The payer needs to contact the bank and get the transaction reversed - then they can pay you. They may also be able to get the bank to re-route it instead.

If they don't the bank will reverse it after a while.

Cheers,

Nigel

 

[mattclarkie]

The sort code they used was the correct one so I'll get them to have a look at the 'suspense' account thing.

I have asked Nationwide to see if an account could exist with those numbers, but they said it may take 5 days for them to get back to me on that one. I'd have thought this would be a semi-common occurrence and they'd just know if it was possible, unless most companies aren't dim enough to just take the first 8 digits of the account number if it is too long

 

[mattclarkie]

Nationwide have confirmed to me that the money was returned to the 'originator' 5 working days after it was received due to 'incorrect' account numbers.

I'm very pleased with how well Nationwide dealt with this, I gave them the information online less than 48hours ago and they tracked the money and gave me a response about where it went.

 

[IronGiant]

Excellent result. You must be very happy. No doubt happier when the money turns up in the correct account

 

[LV426]

....I really cannot see that the first 8 digits of your card number plus the bank sort code could have generated a valid account number. .....

Based on the system used at the bank I used to work for, there is
a) a 10:11 chance that the 8 digit account number on its own would be summarily rejected as failing an arithmetic check on seven of the eight digits (modulus check)
and
b) a 9:10 chance that any combination of an account number which passes the above check, plus a given sortcode will be summarily rejected as failing another modulus check on all fourteen digits.
For the remainder it would pass this validation, but may or may not point to an account that is actually open/exists.

If the sort code is right I think it ends up in a suspense account at the bank.l

Again, based on "my" bank's practices, that is exactly what would happen (and I guess in this case, actually did) if the number either failed the modulus check or passed it but the number wasn't active. And we would return it to the sender in such cases.

Anyhow, glad its resolved.