This response to the OP is not exactly ON topic, but I hope it helps some people anyway.
Because I live permanently outside the UK, but at one time did live and work in UK, I receive an official UK state pension. Just FYI, that sum is paid regularly into my (Swiss) bank account - paid in £ sterling, then converted into Swiss Francs by the bank.
That's gone on for some years quite happily, but it seems the UK Ministry of Works & Pensions are now changing their system and in future my pension will be paid by the (I think quite new to UK but "been around a long time here") IBAN system. (Basically it's something like "International Bank Annunciation Number). As a matter of interest, how the IBAN system works (here anyway) is that the 21-digit IBAN number is unique to every individual customer and separate account and this INCLUDES both a code section that identifies the specific bank and branch AND the individual account number- well it does here anyway, I'm not sure about other countries.
Anyway, the UK Min of Works n Pens recently sent me (by post, not by E-mail)a 3 page Iong form to fill in so that that they could, with the info I provided, continue you to pay my pension into my bank but using the IBAN system.
First off it was clear from the form and the Qs inside there that the Ministry does not understand how the IBAN system works. Secondly, and to me most disturbingly, the info I provided was IMO more than enough for anyone "illegal" to be able to break into my bank account - see below.AND the form just said "send the completed form back by normal post in the envelope provided"!
Now I have no objection to providing my bank details "openly" to someone who clearly has a need - in fact before I retired from my own business I did just that quite regularly, and like every other company here, all my Invoices had that info on the bottom of each sheet.
But to me, to provide by ORDINARY post not only:
- my "normal" bank details, but also several other "special" code numbers which I had to get from the bank;
- the full postal address of the bank branch;
- my own full postal address, WITH E-mail and phone number (& WITH international dialling code);
- plus my UK National Insurance Number;
- AND my last UK postal address;
and just to send that off by normal, unregistered post, MUST be just asking for trouble surely - or do I see this wrongly? Anyway, I sent my completed form back by Registered Post.
I realise from the above that there are several members much more knowledgeable in this area than I am, so I'd appreciate any comments.
But in the meantime, for what it's worth, my initial response to the OP is that sometimes at least, the "UK Govt" does ask "daft" (or very sensitive) questions, if not by E-mail, then certainly by post.
HTH, but as always "be careful and think twice"!
