Identifying your accounts certainly targets them for garnishment, but it doesn’t authorize routine withdrawals. The problem comes when folks set up autopay so the money is directly sucked out of the account. One misplaced decimal at the utility or other company of which you are a customer and the account is empty.
Around here, I could save at least half on my electric bill if I let them suck the money out. That’s how valuable it is to them to have direct access. I’ve thought of setting up a dummy account just to make payments of that sort. You would still risk the overdraft fees if one of them stole your money, but at least your operating funds would be safe.
I worked at a large corporation years ago that offered DD on paychecks, or you could get the usual paper check on payday.
Long story short, the company shut down. Those with DD got money put into their accounts Fri, and it got sucked back out the following Mon. Caused all kinds of problems and fees for those with DD. I just had to wait for the (eventual) paper check, but the DD folks had to, as well.
After it was explained to me that with DD, your employer has access to your account to deposit or withdraw funds, I got real secure where my money was kept, and who had access to it.