Confirmation of Payee

What is Confirmation of Payee?

This is an account name-checking service. It helps ensure that payments reach the right payees, by checking the name on an account before a new payee or standing order is set up.

Confirmation of Payee is one of the steps the finance industry is taking to tackle fraud. For your part, to help keep your money safe and make sure that you continue to receive payments, please ensure that those trying to pay you have your correct account details (sort code, account number and name).

Other fraud watch-out signs:

  • Pressure to make a payment
  • Changes to account details
  • Payment requests from people you don’t know

 

We’re introducing Confirmation of Payee in 2 phases

Phase 1, where you are receiving a payment from a customer of another bank to your BOI account

We’ll check that your sort code, account number and account name all match. It’s essential that you make sure that friends, family or customers use the correct name as it appears on your account statement.

Phase 2, where we set up Confirmation of Payee checks when you are creating a new payee on your 365 online system

When you set up a new payee we’ll send a request to the other bank to check that the sort code, account number and name all match.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How does Confirmation of Payee work?

    When someone is setting up to make payments into your account for the first time, they’ll be asked to provide some details about who they’re paying. Their bank will then immediately check with us that the details match against the details we hold for your account. The response they get means they can make an informed decision about whether or not to continue.

  • Ways to help make sure that people don’t have problems paying you
    • Make sure you give your full name as it appears on your account to anyone paying you. Remind people not to create their own shortened versions of your name, such as just using initials or a nickname. Remember, we’ll only recognise the name we have on record.
    • Make sure people know that they’re making a payment into either a personal or business account.
    • When a person is paying into your joint account, they should enter the full name (first and last name) of at least one of the account owners. If they are including more than one name, then they must enter the full name of each of the account owners, separated by the word and. Example: John Doe and Mary Doe.
    • Make sure that any parts of your business that deal with payment-related customer queries are aware of Confirmation of Payee and can provide the correct details to payers.
  • How do I find out what name Bank of Ireland has on my account, so that I can accurately tell anybody who is trying to pay me?

    Make sure the name you use on invoices and requests for payment is the same as the one we hold on your account. If you’re not sure, here are some other ways to check your account name.

    • Check the name on your bank statement (it’s the name in the address window that the Confirmation of Payee service will be checking against). See the sample bank statement below with the name area highlighted.
    • Contact us on 0345 7365 555 and we can confirm how the name on the account should appear for anyone who wants to pay you. Our lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm Saturday and closed Sundays.

    example bank statement

  • How do l opt out of the Confirmation of Payee service?

    You cannot opt out of Confirmation of Payee when you’re making a payment to someone else. You can, however, request to opt out of having your details checked when other people try to pay you.

    Business customers may not opt out of the service.

    Risks of opting out

    Confirmation of Payee is being introduced to improve payments between UK banks, and to reduce instances of fraud and payments going to the wrong account. To be effective, it’s essential that everyone can receive a Confirmation of Payee response when they make a payment.

    By opting out of the service, it means your Bank of Ireland account will not be checked when another person or business tries to make a payment to it. Individuals or businesses making payments to your account will get a message that your details can’t be checked. This could result in delays in payments getting to you, as those setting up new payments may be reluctant to proceed without confirmation of details.

    If you still want to opt out of the Confirmation of Payee service

    Then you should print, complete and post this form to us. Once we have your request, we will review and process it within 10 working days.

    What happens to my opt out status if I switch accounts to another bank?

    CoP opt outs are not automatically switched as part of the Current Account Switching Service (CASS) therefore you will need to contact your new account provider once your account has been switched if you wish to continue to be opted out of the Confirmation of Payee service.

  • How do l opt back in to the Confirmation of Payee service?

    If you want to opt back in to the Confirmation of Payee service, please complete, print and post this form back into us and we will process your request within 10 working days.

  • Will every bank provide a Confirmation of Payee service?

    No, it is not currently mandatory for all UK banks to subscribe to the service.

  • Will the Confirmation of Payee service slow down my payment?

    No, the check is made in real time, and then the person paying you can proceed to make the payment as usual.

  • Does Confirmation of Payee apply to debit card payments?

    No, the service does not apply to debit card payments.