Enquiries about Sort Codes

[Sasha13]

Hi AB Ed - just a quick query - there's been a plethora of questions on AB recently requesting addresses from bank sort codes (nearly all from recently registered users) - I'm not alone in thinking that there might be less than honest intentions coming in to play when asking for this advice (look here and here ) I'm not trying to be a do gooding busy body and I know you can't 'censor' every question that gets asked in case of potential illegal activity (and it may all be perfectly innocent) but it still worries me. Any thoughts?

[january_bug]

Cor!  Hadn't spotted that Sasha13 - but I hope it is nothing dodgy.  Does seem a bit suss I think!  Hopefully Ed and the monks will take care of it! :-)

[january_bug]

Ed - you have got to be having a laugh!  And they tell ME to lighten up!!!

[THECORBYLOON]

j-b, what was ABE's reply?

[january_bug]

Hey TCL - Ed banned an answer, and my lighthearted response to that answer, which suggested that the people enquiring about sort codes were not criminals, but probably not members of Mensa either.  I'm hoping that the bots banned it rather than Ed.  Either that, or the original 2nd post got banned, so mine had to be banned as it was a response to the banned one.  Either way, sucks that I got an answer banned (so much for calling it "removed" eh?) just for laughing with another user in a lighthearted way. 

That puts me at 10 removed now, at least 6 of which were from a thread that got removed in its entireity.  No fair I say!

[AB Editor]

oh jan_bug, lets not get all Ally McBeal...

I removed it for the 2nd reason mentioned.

lovey dovey!

AB ED

[january_bug]

ABE - you need to teach Dom Tuk some lessons.  See, he tries to wind me up with a post about Bush, Blair and the Nobel Peace prize, and fails.  You sent my blood pressure soaring with the use of just two words: "Ally McBeal"!!! LOL

For the record, I've never watched it! :-p :-)

[AB Editor]

Hi jan_bug,

It's coz I'm always here watching....and pondering....

You know the AnswerBank wouldn't be quite the same without you.

;)

AB ED

 

[january_bug]

Ah but in a good way!?! :-p

I feel that the growing peace within the news section could do with a bit of disruption.  Go on ed - poke the hornets' nest! :-p lol

[Sasha13]

Hi ABEd - any thoughts on the above question? :-)

[Sasha13]

Yet another example here !

[snapdharlich]

Please ban them. It will come back to haunt you otherwise. Anyway, it's so boring reading 10 odd threads -  "mmm please can you give me the address for whiney, whiney noise - etc etc" Ban it - It's so easy to find out these details anyway....

I love you AB ed - don't hate me.

(in the style of Friend's Joey) How you doin'?

If you're a bloke. Forget this entire post existed....

[january_bug]

Well, one thing that Ed does do, when (s)he has a chance is to group posts together that should be together - hopefully this can be done here. 

I personally silently groaned when I saw the question "what's the meaning of life?" in CB the other day.  THAT has been asked 1000 times I'm sure!

If bank sort codes are perfectly free and legal information, then banning questions about them would seem a little unfair to me. 

I suggest that every question of this nature is answered with "telephone a bank and ask them".  Short but sweet. 

Sasha - if you think about it, anyone could know your sortcode, it's only if they know your account details that anything dodgy can happen to your own money.  I doubt very much that this is some sort of "catch me if you can" type criminal activity!  I agree it sounded dodgy to start with, but it probably isn't (on reflection). 

[AB Editor]

Hi all,

Completely agree with our unofficial inhouse counsel (i.e. jan_bug) on this one. Contrary to popular myth, I'm not too keen on removing or prohibiting certain questions; as long as they do not break the Site Rules or offend several of our users (for good reason) they are OK in our book.

However, like always, please Report any "questionable" post and it will be brought to my attention and actioned as appropriate.

I don't hate you snappy, monks don't hate.

They meditate.

AB ED

[Didwot]

Good Morning AB Ed. It was my answer that was "banned" The onethat pointed out that sort codes are not secret, you can buy a Sort Code Directory, and get most of the answers from the internet. Was it banned because I ponted out that criminal geniuses would be abel to get the answers elsewhere, and that people who asked for the information on AB were less than geniuses??
It is also my answer to the question noted by Sasha13, which to date has not provoked a response. My thoery is that there is a quiz or are quizes out there which have the questions "Which bank has the sort code ..............."

[january_bug]

ABE - do I get paid for this then?  Or does the "unofficial" bit keep me off the chocolate cake and Monk Wine pay roll?! :-p

Buggy

x

[thikasabrik]

I have my own theory about the folks who want details of bank sort codes - they collect them in a nerdish type of way like train spotters. I can visualise them wearing anoraks, jam jar specs and track suit bottoms tucked into their socks as they sit hunched over their keyboards. In the summer months they can be found loitering around airports and railway stations but on dark nights they sit at their PC's with a flask of tea and go into raptures over sort codes. There must be a name for their hobby but I can't think what it is. Perhaps something that rhymes with 'bankers'? (That will probably get this post removed...sorry AB ED).

[january_bug]

Well, if it does thikasabrik, ABE will have to take me down with you, for laughing at your brilliant post! :-)

It's happened before in this thread, it'll maybehappen again, but I think it's worth it for the laughs! :-)

Do you think they'll start producing some sort of Sort-Code Enthusiasts' Magazine.  Is there a club?  Maybe they hang around by cash machines just hoping to find a discarded receipt with a sortcode printed on it! "oooh, another one for my scrapbook!" :-)