Gefa Bank GMBH SWIFT/BIC code

What GGAMDE31 means for a payment to Gefa Bank GMBH

The short code GGAMDE31 and the 11-character code GGAMDE31XXX identify the same bank: Gefa Bank GMBH in Erkrath, Germany. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a payment exactly which bank should receive the money. You will need it mostly for transfers between countries and payments in foreign currencies.

This page is meant to help anyone who pays into an account at Gefa Bank GMBH without mistakes. The SWIFT code on its own cannot identify a personal account; that is what the IBAN or account number is for.

Sending money abroad from Gefa Bank GMBH

An international bank payment costs more than the listed fee. Besides a fixed fee, banks in between may take a cut, and when currencies are converted, the bank often applies a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate tends to be the largest cost because it is hidden in the rate. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For many routes, a transfer service is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the exchange rate. Next time you send money, take a minute to compare what arrives via GoldexPay. Choosing a specialist does not mean closing your account at Gefa Bank GMBH – you pay the provider from your own account.

Which of the 2 codes of Gefa Bank GMBH do you need?

Gefa Bank GMBH has 2 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. One of them is the head office code; the rest identify branches.

For the vast majority of payments to a private or business account, the head office code GGAMDE31XXX is the right choice. When you receive a branch code, use it as it is instead of swapping it for the head office code.

If you are not sure, check with the recipient which code their bank gave them. Codes for branches are more likely to be retired than GGAMDE31XXX when a bank merges or closes offices.

Before you send: check the Gefa Bank GMBH code

The most reliable source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. Compare it against GGAMDE31 on this page.

If the code is wrong, the transfer may be delayed, bounce back or end up costing more, and tracing it can take weeks. An error in the IBAN or account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else.

An automatic check by your bank only tells you that the IBAN is valid. Some banks now check the payee name against the account. When you pay someone new, many people send a small amount first and wait for confirmation.

Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

Most accounts at Gefa Bank GMBH are usually held in EUR, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency is converted into EUR before it reaches the account. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion.

Which bank converts the payment matters. Check what EUR the recipient gets with several services; the difference between options can be larger than you expect.

Rates for EUR change during the day. On larger amounts, even small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Scammers regularly use fake invoices containing changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. The fact that GGAMDE31 exists is no guarantee that the account is legitimate – fraudsters use real bank codes as well.

Do not rely on contact details from the same email that announces the change. Be suspicious of time pressure, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. Acted too fast? Contact the bank you paid from without delay and ask them to try to recall the payment; also report it to the police.

Fraud also work the other way. Someone claims to have sent more than agreed and wants you to return the extra to a new account. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof – check your own account.

A note on our data

This directory is based on publicly available sources. It can happen that information here is out of date after a merger or reorganisation. Counts and locations come from our own dataset.

For a payment that matters, confirm the BIC with Gefa Bank GMBH or the recipient. GoldexPay is a comparison service for money transfers and not affiliated with Gefa Bank GMBH. If you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a message.

What the XXX in GGAMDE31XXX means

A BIC is built from a few fixed parts: characters one to four stand for the bank, the next two show the country and the two after that mark the location. In this case, that core is GGAMDE31.

XXX at the end of GGAMDE31XXX is not a missing value or a mistake: it stands for the head office of Gefa Bank GMBH. Some forms ask for 11 characters, and then you simply add XXX after GGAMDE31.

Enter the code as one block, in upper case and without spaces. Pasting the code beats typing it by hand.

Paying Gefa Bank GMBH in euros within SEPA

Germany is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. For a regular euro transfer from another SEPA country, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

A SWIFT code like GGAMDE31 does come into play for payments in other currencies, and for transfers from outside SEPA. If a payment form has a field for the BIC regardless, entering GGAMDE31 is fine.

Instant payments in euros have become widely supported within SEPA; check with Gefa Bank GMBH whether it applies to your account. Fees for SEPA payments tend to be low, as long as no currency conversion is involved.

Getting paid from abroad into a Gefa Bank GMBH account

When you expect a payment from another country, give the sender all details at once. The basics are: your name, IBAN or account number, GGAMDE31XXX or GGAMDE31 and, for some countries, your home address.

Certain banks also ask for the bank’s address in Erkrath, so keep it at hand. Double-check the details before you share them.

An incoming payment will not always arrive for the full amount. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Gefa Bank GMBH

An international transfer typically needs anywhere from one to several business days. Bank holidays in the sending or receiving country add a day or more, since banks do not process on those days. Sometimes a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms.

If the money does not arrive after a few business days, the person who paid should start with their own bank. Request from the sender the payment receipt including the reference.