How do banks help you validate the account number of your payment recipient?

Belgian Banks Step Up Controls When Executing Transfers

When a client enters a payment, the system now checks whether the beneficiary’s name matches the account number.

The goal is clear: to fight invoice fraud, a problem that has unfortunately become very common.

Every year, hundreds of individuals and businesses fall victim to fake invoices.

The scheme is well known: a scammer intercepts a genuine invoice, changes the bank account number, and sends it back to the client.

The client then pays unsuspectingly… into the fraudster’s account.

To prevent such incidents, banks have introduced an automatic consistency check between the beneficiary’s name and account number.

✅ A Green Check Mark When Everything Matches

When you make a transfer (via your banking app or on your computer), the bank compares the name you entered with the name registered in its database.

• If everything matches, you’ll see a green check mark or a confirmation message.
• If the name differs slightly, an orange warning appears, showing the official name.
• If the difference is too large, a red warning will be displayed — you should then verify before confirming the payment.

For a joint account, it is enough to enter the first and last name of one of the account holders to get a positive verification.

Not a Block, but a Warning

Even if you receive a warning, the payment is not blocked.

You can still proceed with the transfer, but at your own risk.

In some cases, the verification may not work, for example if the beneficiary’s bank does not respond in time.

In such cases, the transaction remains possible.

How to Avoid Errors

To save time and avoid unnecessary warnings:

• Store the official name of your regular beneficiaries in your contacts list.
• In case of doubt, ask for the exact account name before making the payment.
• For suppliers, always check their details directly on their official invoices or secure website.

Always make it a habit to verify the beneficiary’s name, especially when it involves a new account or a change of bank details.