A bit OT: Help with web merchant selection

[Jack-rp9/bkPP+cDYtjvyW6yDsg@public.gmane.org]

I understand in Europe, everyone knows their 'SWIFT' bank account number,
and can use it like we do PayPal for almost no fees.  But that is what I
just heard.

SWIFT is a Belgium based worldwide organization of banks that have been
contracted by the EU to run their version of the Federal Reserve clearing
system.  It is available in the USA, but few banks want you to use it and
they charge for its use similar to doing a wire transfer.

SWIFT also has a secured, private, IP based network (no it is no available
via the internet, unless a customer has a serious firewall problem).
Expensive but very secure, and is available pretty much world wide.

5 or so years ago I supported a small bank in Houston's wire transfer dept
that also did SWIFT for international wire transfers.

www.swift.com