Reply to: Is this dodgy or am I just being paranoid??

[Contreras]

A new IR35 test. Real businesses have their banking details on their invoice, disguised employees like to tell the payroll (ahem AP) department personally.

Nice idea.

Also I wonder how many real businesses need to supply employees' passport, driving license, and DoB when tendering for a contract.

[escapeUK]

A new IR35 test. Real businesses have their banking details on their invoice, disguised employees like to tell the payroll (ahem AP) department personally.

[Gentile]

I presume you never written a cheque before, handed anyone your debit or credit cards or put a card in a card reader?

If you have then you have allowed people who could be malicious employees an opportunity to get details to defraud you of money.

Cheques: no, not for about 10-15 years. With Credit and Debit cards, I at least feel safe with the Chargeback guarantee, where you generally get any money back that you've lost through dishonesty from your card provider without any argument.

You're right, though, the recognised problem of dishonest intermediaries is only mitigated by the fact that banks protect consumers from any losses to preserve the credibility of the system, then try their best to recoup their losses by pursuing any fraud vigorously.

[TestMangler]

Yup, you've surprised me. I had a look at Big Pockets, who at least require you to register a Debit or Credit card with them before you get to see their BACS details, but these guys just straight out publishing their bank account numbers online amaze me.

You can ask your bank to put a watch on Direct Debits and Standing Orders to ensure that none are set up without your express consent. I wonder if that's what these guys do?

I used to have a Computer shop in Uddingston and I had my BACS details on my website. never caused a problem at the time, although it was about 10 years ago.

When i had a quick look on Google, I searched "We accept payment by BACS" and of the first five I looked at, three were showing them without any form of login.

[kingcook]

What do you feel the benefit of that would be, kc?

I used to keep separate accounts for VAT, PAYE and a current account. But, tbh, I ended up just using the current account for everything and the other two just lay idle. That was in the days of free business banking. I wouldn't choose to operate more than one account now unless I was sure I needed them and would use them.

The benefit would be being able to hand out my sortcode/accnum without worry of another Jeremy Clarkson incidence

Actually, now you mention free business banking, it could cost money to open a 2nd account (not entirely sure if HSBC will give me 2x free business banking accounts).

Will put this one on hold!

[SueEllen]

You can ask your bank to put a watch on Direct Debits and Standing Orders to ensure that none are set up without your express consent. I wonder if that's what these guys do?

Most banks do that anyway.

They watch how you use your account for fraud and money laundering reasons.

If they have doubts they will stop payments going through. If they have big doubts they will close your account down.

[Gentile]

Payment Methods - Tag Leisure

http://support.easily.co.uk/display/....aspx?aid=1177

Welcome - Padgham Productions for Professional Video & DVD

You surprised yet ? :-)

Yup, you've surprised me. I had a look at Big Pockets, who at least require you to register a Debit or Credit card with them before you get to see their BACS details, but these guys just straight out publishing their bank account numbers online amaze me.

You can ask your bank to put a watch on Direct Debits and Standing Orders to ensure that none are set up without your express consent. I wonder if that's what these guys do?

[SueEllen]

That's a bit different, though, isn't it? That's not placing their details on their website for anyone to see, that's divulging them to specific customers that have their details logged before they get to view those sensitive details.

I presume you never written a cheque before, handed anyone your debit or credit cards or put a card in a card reader?

If you have then you have allowed people who could be malicious employees an opportunity to get details to defraud you of money.

[northernladuk]

Even if there wasn't a risk associated with making that information more widely available than need be (which there definitely is - just ask Clarkson), I wouldn't let an agent/client tell me how to format my own company's invoices beyond what is required by HMRC rules. That sounds like the very definition of D&C to me: if they're actually telling you to put sensitive information on your invoices just because they can't be arsed keeping those details securely themselves? If they want to self-bill, that's fine, but if you're changing the invoice format that you use for everyone else just to suit a particular client it's difficult to see how that's not acting under their direction and control.

I hardly think putting my bank details on my invoice which goes straight to the client is making information widely available.

D&C?? Absolute rubbish. It is nothing to do with direction and control. Replying to a request to change an invoice to help expidate payment is no way D&C. If that is the case asking you to mail it to whereever you send it to is also D&C. Silly.

I agree it isn't clever and to be avoided but it certainly isn't an issue if asked for.

[TestMangler]

That's a bit different, though, isn't it? That's not placing their details on their website for anyone to see, that's divulging them to specific customers that have their details logged before they get to view those sensitive details.

Payment Methods - Tag Leisure

http://support.easily.co.uk/display/....aspx?aid=1177

Welcome - Padgham Productions for Professional Video & DVD

You surprised yet ? :-)

[Liamxtype]

They are on my invoices as well.

Same for me!

[captainham]

They are on my invoices as well.

Mine too...I'm not risking a missing/delayed payment because the bank details weren't known! Council tax demands have the bank details on (or at least mine does), it's easy to find the account details that each bank uses to receive payments for credit cards, etc...it's only paranoia in this day and age to worry so much about an account number and a sort code.

If a Clarkson-esque screw-up should occur, then the bank can go and fix it as far as I'm concerned, as I would expect they would be obliged to do bearing in mind my signature won't be on any fraudulent direct debits that might be set up in my company's name.

[Gentile]

If you log in or create an account, they're on the BigPockets website once you log in (as per post above the one you quoted) and the VIP Computers website (you won't be able to log in to that, so you'll have to take my word for it).

That's a bit different, though, isn't it? That's not placing their details on their website for anyone to see, that's divulging them to specific customers that have their details logged before they get to view those sensitive details.

[TestMangler]

Crazy. But the Public Sector does lots of crazy things; I think it comes from playing around with other people's money.

I'd be surprised if a Private Sector retailer published their bank details online, though. Do you have an example of a retailer doing that? It's just that you said most still do have their bank details on their websites, and I'd honestly be surprised if that were the case.

If you log in or create an account, they're on the BigPockets website once you log in (as per post above the one you quoted) and the VIP Computers website (you won't be able to log in to that, so you'll have to take my word for it).

[Scrag Meister]

When I started out I would have thought this would be the case as well but both last gigs insisted it was on the invoice. Made some enquiries and told this wasn't a problem or risk so complied.

They are on my invoices as well.