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I see would-be scammers all over the place trying to get my personal info. You know, they want to be generous and pay off my debt or be my sugar momma. They're all so terribly obvious. But a would-be scammer gave me their routing and checking account number. What can go wrong if I were to use that to make a payment on one of my credit cards? None of my information is out, in this scenario.

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    There are lots of directions it could go from there. To remove the temptation, realize that the information they gave you isn't theirs. It's stolen/scammed from someone else, and they need someone's help to get the money out anonymously (from their standpoint).
    – glibdud
    Commented Feb 26, 2020 at 0:57
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    Like glibdud said, the information will have been stolen from some poor victim. The scammers are trying to get you to commit fraud on their behalf.
    – Only_me
    Commented Feb 26, 2020 at 2:20
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    They’re gaining your trust. You pay off a credit card bill with this account (that isn’t theirs) and then they say hey, buy yourself an iPhone! Buy two! In fact, buy three and send a couple to my “grandma” who can’t get to the shops to buy one herself... (hint: there’s no grandma)
    – Vicky
    Commented Feb 26, 2020 at 7:27
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    ... and then the next thing you know the police are on your doorstep and you’re up on charges of fraud or theft or whatever.
    – Vicky
    Commented Feb 26, 2020 at 7:28
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    Meanwhile the scammer is skipping off into the sunset with their lovely new iPhone which has no traceability to the crime.
    – Vicky
    Commented Feb 26, 2020 at 7:29

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But a would-be scammer gave me their routing and checking account number. What can go wrong if I were to use that to make a payment on one of my credit cards?

The routing and checking account number are possibly stolen and belong to a victim of the scammer

By using the innocent victim's account details you are committing fraud and stealing further money from the victim. The crime will be traced to you not the scammer.

You might have to prove to a court that the scammer is real and not just a fiction you or a pal dreamed up to get you off the hook.

You might have to prove that you were not negligent in ignoring signs that you were laundering money for a criminal.

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