How exactly is one supposed to achieve this? Every bank that I have contacted flat-out refuses to block EFT debits on consumer accounts. They will transfer my money to anyone with my account and routing numbers who has access to the ACH network, even though there is no evidence that I authorized the transaction. (In fact, the banks have strong evidence that I did not approve any such transactions since I told them that I have not authorized any third party to electronically debit my accounts.) Even brokerage houses are doing this, and even on accounts with no check writing feature.
No bank that I have found discloses the destination account and routing number of EFT debits, so you don't generally know where your money went. Two of my banks do not even provide a unique transaction id for EFT debits on my monthly statement.
When pressed on the issue, reps repeat the lie that Check21 forces them to accept electronic debits. [Check21 deals with electronically imaged checks which have nothing to do with EFT debits. Even there it doesn't force banks to accept anything electronically. All it does is make certain printed images legally equivalent to the original check. Accepting the transaction electronically is optional for the banks.]
Once I had a mysterious debit show up on a passbook account -- the one type of account that is supposedly immune to EFT access. Nevertheless, the bank argued that I must have in some way been responsible for the withdrawal. Only when I pointed out that the account in question was being used by the city as a multi-signature escrow, that the city held the passbook, and that they would likely want an explanation of where and how the money went did the bank relent. They decided that there had been a "coding error" and restored the money.
If you use a normal check this still provides the recipient with your account and routing numbers which they can then use to electronically debit your account.
Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com