paying bills online with checking account

[pocketmouse]

I just started paying my bills online, entered my checking account information, and wow my bills are paid. But I started thinking that there is something wrong with this system. Anyone who has ever seen one of my personal checks, could use my routing number and account number to pay their own bills. This information is clearly printed on front of check for anyone to see and use! If I write a check to someone for a payment of some kind, what's to stop that person from using my banking information, and draining my account. I don't have much money, I live pay check to pay check. This could devistate me. I am freaking out.

[factor-fiction]

are you paying via your online banking, or are you just logging on to the payee's site to pay the bills. I have only ever done the former, which is safe. Does anyone allow you to pay by the other method?

[pocketmouse]

What i did is this; If I have a credit card bill, I log on to their site and pay by entering my banking info; also payed car insurance online, logged into their site, same thing

Is it safer to go back to old fashion method and pay by mail?

[factor-fiction]

Can you do this? I can only recall being able to pay in this way using a debit/credit card (and having to quote security code). Can you give me a link to a site that allows payment simply by quoting sort code (routing number?) and account number?
By the way, this is UK site- are you in US /Canada given the use of terms such as c'hecking account and 'routing number'?

[pocketmouse]

I am in U.S. And I checked my profile on this site and it state that as well.

[dzug]

You are the only person who can see your profile - we can't

[factor-fiction]

Hello pocketmouse, welcome to the site. I didn't mean US members weren't welcome- it's just that the vast majoity of the AB community are based in UK and will answer questions from a UK perspective (UK law etc) unless we know that the question relates to US arrangements. And as dzug says we can't see anyone else's profile so we don't know which country members come from unless they mention it in their postings.

To help me understand your query can you give us an example of a site on which you can pay for something simply by quoting someone's sort/routing code and account number?