The name check before you send money
When you make a bank transfer, your bank now checks that the name you entered matches the account behind the IBAN. That check is Verification of Payee — and it's there to protect you.
What is the name check?
If you've recently sent a SEPA bank transfer, you may have seen a message confirming whether the recipient's name matches their account — or warning you that it doesn't. That's Verification of Payee, a check EU banks now run before you confirm a payment.
It exists because a valid IBAN tells you nothing about who owns the account. Scammers rely on that gap: they give you a real account number that belongs to them, not the person or company you think you're paying. The name check closes it.
What happens when you pay
- 1
You enter the name and IBAN
As usual, you type the payee's name and account number into your banking app.
- 2
Your bank checks the name
Behind the scenes, your bank asks the recipient's bank whether the name matches the account — in about a second.
- 3
You see the result
You'll see a match, a close match (small spelling difference), no match, or that the check wasn't possible.
- 4
You decide
If it matches, send with confidence. If it doesn't, pause and double-check before any money leaves your account.
Why it matters to you
Protects you from scams
It's the single most effective defence against authorised push payment fraud — paying the wrong person by mistake or deception.
It's free
You don't pay anything for the name check. EU banks must provide it as part of the service.
Nothing to set up
It happens automatically. You don't need to enable anything or download an app.
Your data stays protected
The check only confirms whether the name matches. It doesn't expose the recipient's full account details to you.
A 'no match' is a warning — take it seriously
If your bank says the name doesn't match, stop. Contact the person or company through a number you trust and confirm their details before sending. Most scam payments are never recovered.
FAQ
It's Verification of Payee — your bank confirms that the name you entered matches the account holder behind the IBAN before you send a SEPA transfer. It protects you from paying the wrong account by mistake or fraud.
No. The name check is free for you. Under EU rules, your bank must offer it as part of providing euro transfers — there's no charge to the person sending the payment.
Pause before sending. A no match or close match means the account holder isn't who you expect. Verify the details directly with the payee using a trusted contact, especially for large or unexpected payments.
Yes. The check only returns whether the name matches — it doesn't reveal the recipient's private account information to you, and your bank handles it securely as part of the payment.
Want to understand the check better?
Learn exactly how Verification of Payee works and what each result means.