Often, there is a lot of confusion between your personal bank account number and a bank account routing number of your bank or financial institution. While you should always safeguard all of your banking information, some information is much more sensitive than others. For example, your personal bank account number identifies your account in particular and with such information some people may be able to access information about your bank account and its balance. On the other hand, the bank account routing number that is listed on the bottom of your check is, for the most part, public information.
Bank Account Routing Numbers
Routing numbers are nine digit numbers that are assigned to a particular bank. Every bank has a unique nine digit bank routing number. The knowledge of such a number in itself does not really help someone obtain information about a particular person or businesses individual bank account. Also, there are many websites that will give you the nine digit routing number for a bank if you simply input the name of the bank on a web form.
Potential Problems for Banks
While your own personal information may not be at risk, if someone knows your nine digit bank account routing number, the bank itself might be exposed to fraud of problems. Fraudulent cashier’s checks are on the rise. Thieves and criminals use high-tech computer printing equipment to print checks.
However, the criminals must also associate a bank account number with the routing number to create fraudulent cashier’s checks. So, while there is an opportunity for bank routing numbers to be misused, you as the consumer should not really worry about your own account -- unless someone knows your personal bank account number as well.