Bank Verification Checks

Verify any bank account instantly and protect every payment

Stop fraud before it happens and eliminate costly payment errors with real-time business and consumer bank account and sort code checks.

*This service is available for business users only.

Bank Verification Visual

Trusted by more than 120,000 companies worldwide

Avoid payment delays, bank fees and reduce fraud

Instantly validate sort codes, account numbers, and address details at registration with our Confirmation of Payee-powered bank account verification platform. Reduce delays from incorrect information and combat identity fraud by confirming customer account details.

  1. Real-time verification

    Instantly verify bank account information to reduce fraud and avoid delays in the sign-up process.

  2. Prevent fraud and misdirected payments

    Ensure that payments go to those you intend, by confirming the validity and ownership of bank account numbers.

  3. Save on costs

    Reduce admin costs and payment errors with faster and more secure payments, improving first-time success rates.

Bank Account & Sort Code Checker

In addition to verifying bank account details, Creditsafe provides confirmation using the Extended Industry Sort Codes Directory (EISCD), which contains detailed bank and branch information, including sort codes and supported payment schemes from BACS. This offers businesses a fast and simple way to validate sort code details and access bank and branch contact information.

Some of the main use cases for our clients include:

  1. Electronic payment routing

    Reduce the risks and costs of failed payments by ensuring proper payment routing.

  2. Optimising payment flow

    Correct BIC code for direct branch payments.

  3. Validating user input

    Matching existing sort code to the EISCD entries ensures error-free customer relations.

The Sort Codes database contains extended details about a given branch and institution. Some of the vital pieces of information are:

  1. Bank Office Identifier (BIC/Sort Code)

    BIC / Sort Code

  2. Branch/bank office title

  3. Contact Details

    Postal addresses / telephone numbers / email addresses

  4. Details of clearing systems

    Bacs, Faster Payments, CHAPS, Cheque & Credit Clearing

International Bank Verification

International Bank Verification

International Bank Verification lets businesses quickly and securely verify company bank details worldwide before processing payments. With broad international coverage and strong data security, it reduces fraud risk and ensures smoother financial operations.

Why use International Bank Verification:

  1. Worldwide coverage

    Verify bank details in 211 countries and territories across 89 banking formats, including IBAN and local formats.

  2. Trusted data

    Powered by high-quality public and private sources for reliable results.

  3. Easy integration

    Use directly on the Creditsafe platform or via the Connect API.

  4. Secure and compliant

    ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certified, protecting sensitive financial data.

How are bank account verification checks used?

From fraud prevention to secure transactions, Confirmation of Payee supports the following use cases:

  1. Know Your Customer

    Checking customer account details as part of an onboarding process and before making a payment to them.

  2. Ongoing Payee Checks

    Validating that invoice payments are to bona fide business accounts and not personal accounts, reducing the risk of financial fraud.

  3. Direct Debit Set-up

    Checking that the customer setting up a Direct Debit is the account holder to reduce the risk of an indemnity claim.

  4. Regulatory Compliance

    Aid compliance with Modern Slavery and Anti Money Laundering legislation by avoiding payments to 'bad actors'.

  5. Onboarding New Suppliers

    Ensuring correct account details are captured as part of a supplier set-up process.

  6. Fraud Detection and Prevention

    Verifying customer account ownership and transaction history to detect and prevent fraudulent activities, ensuring secure and trustworthy financial transactions.

Bank Verification features

Why choose Creditsafe for Bank Account and Sort Code Verification?

With your business' compliance and efficiency at the heart of what we do, Creditsafe Bank Verification checks offer enhanced checks that deliver answers in seconds.

Creditsafe is the No. 1 rated credit checking platform on Trustpilot

Trusted by 100,000 customers with more reviews than any other provider.

4.5/5 Trustpilot

  1. Recognised as the Leader

    Rated #1 on Trustpilot with over 3,000 customer reviews - more than any other competitor.

  1. Dedicated Support

    Every customer gets a personal account manager, with typical support responses under 1 hour.

  1. Customer Help Hub

    Access guides, videos, and troubleshooting support in our 24/7 Customer Help Hub.

Find out more about Bank Account Verification

Bank Verification: Everything you need to know

Reduce fraud, boost payment success, and streamline onboarding.

Find out more

The Hidden Risks in Modern Payments Webinar

Understand fraud, errors, and how to safeguard transactions.

Find out more

How to reduce risk when working with a new business

Why you should use credit checking tools to proactively manage risk.

Find out more

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does bank verification data come from?

The data is provided by many banks and finance providers across the UK. When a customer provides us with a company number and their bank details, we are able to perform instant checks to verify that those bank details are associated with that company.

What information is needed for bank verification?

To verify an account you will need the account name exactly as it appears on the account, the sort code, the account number and the account type (business or personal). 

What is Confirmation of Payee?

CoP (Confirmation of Payee) is a solution designed to help consumers prevent fraudulent payments from being made in the first place by introducing another layer of security for fraudsters and providing simple warnings for consumers regarding fraudulent activity.

How is a bank account verified?

By cross-referencing key account details, including the recipient's name, sort code, account number, and account type (business or personal), bank account verification can determine if there's a match, partial match, or no match, alerting users to any discrepancies.

What payment types are covered?

Domestic UK-based payments via CHAPS, Faster Payments and Bacs payments (Debit or credit) are all covered under the scheme. 

Who is required to use bank verification?

All banks and financial institutions are required to implement a bank account verification solution as part of their offerings, as it helps prevent fraud.