<prompt> Human: Ive had a few customers for my small business recently ask if they can pay using direct deposit into my business bank account. But doing this requires disclosing my banks routing number and my account number, which is the same information that for instance utilities require when setting up automatic payment of bills.How easy would it be for someone to fraudulently use this information to withdraw money from my account electronically? What protections do banks put in place to prevent this? Are there more secure, inexpensive alternatives for electronic fund transfers?  <response>: I wont bore you to death but the system you speak if is called ACH Automate Clearing House transactions. ACH is used for direct deposit and automated withdrawals like setting up automatic check payments with the utility company.The system mimics the same check writing system we have had for over 100 years. The account number and routing number are used to create debit or credit transactions that are settled by the bank holding the account. If someone gets your routing number and account number they could technically withdraw money from your account. As can anyone you write a check to... Check forgery isnt new...The biggest deterrent for this though is that the ACH transactions, much like checks, have to have a bank account they are being settled to. Actually, they are worse than checks as you cant throw a middle man into the equation with a physical check you could use a check cashing place or other intermediary to make it harder to trace back. Having an account at the other end of the wire that has to be stable makes it easier for the banks to build in fraud detection systems and to recovery money when fraud is reported.Essentially, it isnt a major problem because it is a lot more effort than something like credit card fraud . 