419 Scam: any connection to banking policy?

[Boojatta]

Suppose someone buys an expensive item from a store that has a money-back guarantee. The person returns the item. If the item is expensive, then there might not happen to be enough cash easily available.

However, if a check is given then the shopper has the following information about the store:

1. The name
2. The address
3. The bank account number

Isn't that enough for scammers on the internet to clean out a lot of money from a bank account?

Do banks provide more security for commercial accounts than for personal bank accounts?

[drm604]

1. I don't think that's enough info to clean out an account.

If it is them I'm opening myself up everytime I write a check.

[supernova]

2. You need the routing number

for the institution on which the check is drawn. (Not that I'm trying to tell anyone how to do this...)

If you pay for something that expensive, most places give you a waiting period, and if you change your mind, you are more likely to simply get your check returned to you, not a wad of cash on the spot.

[lurky]

3. It's enough info to create counterfeit checks.

And a lot of criminals do just that. Most larger companies pay for extra security measures that protect them against this kind of attack, but individuals and small businesses can be hurt very badly. In the end, the bank is liable for any fraudulent payments it makes, but it can take months to sort it all out.