What is a Bank Account Number in India & How to Know It Online from Mobile Number

Bank Account Number

Bank Account is nothing but a financial account maintained by the bank or any other financial institution to assist the financial transactions made between the bank and the customer. It links the bank account holder to the bank so that all transactions can be recorded. There are different kinds of bank account offered by the bank that comes with different set of terms and conditions. Some common types of bank accounts are savings accounts, deposit accounts, current accounts, loan accounts and so on. Bank customers can open more than one account depending on their needs. Funds are deposited with the bank by the account holder under the bank account. These deposit funds are a liability for the bank but an asset of the depositor, which can be claimed anytime. In the case of Loan accounts, Bank lends some of its deposited money to its loan account holders or third party on interest. It is exactly the opposite of what deposit accounts do. A loan account serves as an asset for the bank but a liability for the depositor. 

What is Bank Account Number?

The Bank Account number is the primary identifier for the bank account, it is how the bank account gets saved in the bank’s database. Therefore, it needs to be unique, no two account holders or banks will have the same account number. Banks use different starting codes to identify the bank accounts by their branches. Usually, a Bank account in India consists of 11-16 digits. Public sector banks such as SBI, follow 11 digits pattern for their account number, starting from 2. It has 17 digits,  in the case of the online SBI portal which starts with six zeros, making it the longest in banking history. ICICI Bank follows 12 digit pattern for their account numbers and HDFC Bank follows 14 digit account number starting from 0.

Ways to Know your Bank Account Number:

There are many ways through which you can know your bank account number. Let’s go through them one by one:

• Cheque Book: The easiest way to find your bank account number is to look into your chequebook. Each cheque has a bank account number written in the box along with other details like bank branch address, cheque number and  IFSC code. 
• Mobile Banking: You can easily know your bank account number online through your mobile banking application. Just log in to your mobile application, and you will find the bank account number right on the homepage of your mobile banking app. 
• Welcome Kit: When you open a new bank account in the bank, the bank provides you with a welcome kit that has all the necessary documents such as a welcome letter, bank account details like customer Id for net banking, IFSC code, bank account number and so on,  terms and conditions pamphlet, and ATM plus debit card with pin. 
• Internet Banking: For bank account number search, log in to the net banking portal of your bank. The Bank account number will be there on the homepage of your net banking portal. 
• Passbook: The passbook that you get from a bank, is another place where you can find your bank account number. The first page of the passbook contains all the important information like your name, address, phone number, bank name and branch with address, IFSC Code, Customer id details and of course your bank account number. 
• Bank Account Statement: In case, neither of the above options is available, you can just visit the nearest ATM branch, withdraw some money, and check your bank balance with the mini statement. There, you will find the bank account number on your transaction receipt along with your bank balance. 
• Visit your nearest bank branch: You can directly visit your nearest bank branch and contact a bank representative there to know your bank account number. All you will need is to show them your identity proof documents to verify your identity as the bank account holder. 

How to Know Bank Account Number From Mobile Number?

You can contact your bank customer care number from your registered mobile and provide them details such as name, address and all to verify your identity. Then, they will provide you with the bank account number. 

Why Keep your Bank Account Number Secure?

It is very important to keep your bank account number safe and secure. Here, we have mentioned a few reasons why it is important to keep your bank details, especially your bank account number private:

• Identity Theft: It’s a common trend these days for hackers and scammers to use the bank account number to steal identity and commit other related crimes. However, they cannot withdraw money from your account using the account number alone, without your authentication. But any mistake in future from your side may prove to be fatal and can lead to huge financial loss. 
• Do not respond to an email asking for your bank account number: It is advised not to respond to an email asking for your debit card or credit card number, as it can access by anyone using that system. Also, if you are sending the Bank account number to the recipient for the transfer of money, then beware as hackers or scammers can change or modify the account details before it even reaches the recipient. This can lead to the transfer of funds to the wrong account. 
• Frauds: Bank account details shouldn’t be shared with anyone unless you are expecting a transfer of funds. Even, in that case, ensure that the person is trustworthy. 

How to Keep your Bank Account Number Secure?

• • Use a secure internet connection: Do not use public wi-fi at coffee shops, cafes, or airports, for making any transaction or to access your net banking or mobile banking application. It can be easily hacked and all your information can be stolen. 
  • Use Secure Websites:  Use safe and secure websites. Do not enter your bank account number on unsafe sites. Make sure the sites you are using to make transactions or pay bills are safe and secure. The lock icon before the URL in the address bar and ‘s’ in HTTPS signifies that the site is safe to use. 
  • Be Careful while doing Online Shopping: Do not disclose your bank account details to any online shopping websites.
• Track all your Bank Statements and transactions:  Keep all important bank documents in a secure location, so that you won’t lose them and critically review all your transactions on daily basis.