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Mobile Banking FAQs

Mobile Deposit Questions
What is Mobile Banking?

Mobile Banking allows anyone with an online banking account to access their account information from a mobile phone. Mobile Banking offers three ways to access your accounts:

  • Use a mobile browser on your phone.
  • Download an application to your phone.
  • Send a text message.

You can choose any or all of these options, depending on the capabilities of your mobile phone. You can also receive text alerts on your phone.

Mobile Browser Service
You can use the mobile browser service to:

  • Check your account balances.
  • Review recent account activity.
  • Transfer money between eligible accounts.
  • Pay bills.
  • Change and cancel pending payments.
  • Find ATM and branch locations.

Requirements
To use the mobile browser service, your phone must have an Internet browser and may require a data service plan. You access the Mobile Banking website from a link that we send you during registration.

Downloadable Application
You can download the Mobile Banking application to your phone. The application offers all the features of the mobile browser service.

Requirements
To download the Mobile Banking application, your phone must have an operating system that supports application downloads and may require a data service plan. You download the Mobile Banking application from a link that we send you during registration.

Text Messaging Service
You can use the text messaging service to:

  • Check your account balances.
  • Review recent account activity.
  • Find ATM and branch locations.

Requirements
To use the text messaging service, your phone must send and receive text messages to and from a short code. Most mobile phones are capable of sending and receiving text messages, so your phone is most likely compatible with Mobile Banking. Please note that some mobile service carriers charge for outgoing text messages or for each message sent and received.

A few service carriers are blocking the Mobile Banking service. If your carrier is not one of the major U.S. carriers (AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint), you may want to check with your carrier to make sure you can use the service. All major U.S. carriers, and most secondary ones, support the Mobile Banking service.

Are there fees to use Mobile Banking?
We don’t charge fees to access or use Mobile Banking. You should contact your mobile service carrier for information about fees associated with sending or receiving text messages or accessing the Internet from your mobile phone.

Which accounts can I access in Mobile Banking?
You can access any account you’ve set up in online banking. When you register for Mobile Banking, you can choose which accounts you want to access.

How current is the account and transaction information?
When you view your account balance, you see the current available balance. When you view transaction history, you see the most recently posted transactions. We don’t show any pending transactions.

Can I add more than one mobile phone?
Yes. You can register several mobile phones for Mobile Banking.
To add a new phone, go to online banking and access the Mobile Banking pages. On the My Phones page, select Add New Phone.

What if my phone number changes?
If your mobile phone number changes, go to online banking and access the Mobile Banking pages. On the My Phones page, find the old phone number and select the option Change my phone number.

What if my phone is lost or stolen?
If your mobile phone is lost or stolen, no one can access your account without knowing your password, and, in some cases, your unique user name. To prevent unauthorized access to your account, you can deactivate your phone in Mobile Banking. Go to online banking and access the Mobile Banking pages. On the My Phones page, find the phone number and select the option Stop using this phone for Mobile Banking.

Which phones can I use for Mobile Banking?
We support hundreds of models for these major brands: iPhone, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Pantech, Samsung, Sanyo, and Sony Ericsson. We support phones on a number of different operating systems, including (but not limited to) Android, Blackberry, iOS, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Linux, Palm webOS, and Maemo.

Which mobile service carriers support Mobile Banking?
Mobile Banking works on all major mobile service carriers in the U.S.: AT&T, Sprint, T‑Mobile®, U.S. Cellular®, and Verizon Wireless. Mobile Banking also works on a number of the smaller service carriers, including (but not limited to) Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless, Metro PCS, Pioneer Cellular, Union Wireless, and Virgin Mobile USA.

I have a prepaid plan. Can I use Mobile Banking?
Mobile Banking works with most prepaid plans, but we cannot guarantee that your carrier supports standard U.S. short codes. T-Mobile prepaid does not support short codes so you won’t be able to use the SMS text message service of Mobile Banking with T-Mobile prepaid.

How do I stop using Mobile Banking on my phone?
To stop using Mobile Banking on your phone, go to online banking and access the Mobile Banking pages. On the My Phones page, find the phone number and select the option Stop using this phone for Mobile Banking.

Security Questions
Is Mobile Banking secure?
To ensure the safety and privacy of your account information, we provide some key security features in Mobile Banking:

  • Unique Activation Code — We send you a unique activation code to verify your phone number. This code associates your mobile phone with your account. This verification also lets you know your mobile phone number has been successfully registered in our system.
  • Authentication — You are authenticated for every interaction with Mobile Banking.
  • Encryption — We use 128-bit encryption for all transactions.
  • Fraud Detection — We incorporate mechanisms such as transaction validation and transaction reconciliation processes to detect fraud.
  • Auditability — We provide full audit capabilities through event logs and event-based reporting.
  • No Identifiable Information — We don’t return any personally identifiable information in a text message, such as your full account number, e-mail address, or personal address. We never ask for or include your user ID or password in any message we send.

Is my personal or financial information stored on my phone?
No. We don’t save any files with your personal or financial information on your phone. That information stays strictly within online banking.  For some phones, such as a BlackBerry, we have logo and branding files that we copy to your phone. Those files do not contain any personally identifiable information.

What else can be done to keep my mobile banking account secure?

  • Use the keypad or phone lock function on your mobile device when it is not in use.  Your device is then password-protected and it becomes harder for someone else to see your information.
  • We will never ask you to supply to us sensitive or personal information via a text message.  When using text messaging, know the bank’s short codes.
  • Do not disclose your personal or financial information (account numbers, passwords, Social Security number or birth date, etc.) via text message.
  • Turn off Bluetooth when conducting any mobile banking transactions or inquiries.  Theft of data via Bluetooth is commonly referred to as BlueSnarfing.
  • Consider installing anti-virus software on your mobile device.  This software protects your phone from fraudulent apps or other malware.
  • For your security, sign off prior to closing the Mobile Money app.
  • Mobile apps should only be downloaded from reputable sources.
  • Report any suspected incidents to 800-444-4300.
  • For further information please see our Mobile Banking Terms and Conditions.
Registration Questions
How do I get started with Mobile Banking?
You can register for Mobile Banking through your online banking service. Be sure to turn on your mobile phone and make sure it’s ready to receive text messages. When you register for Mobile Banking, you can choose which:

  • Services you want to use.
  • Accounts you want to access.

During registration, we send you a text message with a unique activation code to verify your phone number. This code associates your mobile phone with your account. To complete registration, enter the activation code that we send you. This verification lets you know your mobile phone number has been successfully registered in our system.
You can also call 800-444-4300 and we will assist you with the registration process.

Do I have to agree to the Terms and Conditions to use Mobile Banking?
Yes, you must read and accept our terms and conditions. If you have any questions about our terms and conditions, call 800-444-4300.

Can I register multiple users to the same phone?
For security reasons, only one user can register per phone. However, once you complete the registration process, you can add more phones to your account.

I received my activation code but never used it—what do I do now?
Your activation code expires 24 hours after we send it to you. However, you can always request a new activation code. Go to online banking and access the Mobile Banking pages. On the My Phones page, find the phone number and select the option Get new activation code. We’ll send you a text message with a new activation code.

I haven’t received the activation code on my mobile phone. What should I do?
Check the mobile phone number you entered during registration. If it is correct, here are some other options for resolving the issue:

  • Verify that your mobile phone is on and able to receive text messages. Check with your mobile service carrier if you’re not sure you can receive text messages.
  • Contact your mobile service carrier and make sure your phone can send and receive messages to and from a standard U.S. short code.
  • Request a new activation code. Go to online banking and access the Mobile Banking pages. On the My Phones page, find the phone number and select the option Get new activation code. We’ll send you a text message with a new activation code.

If you’re still having problems with the activation code, call 800-444-4300 for assistance.

Text Messaging Service Questions
What do I need to use the text messaging service?
To use Mobile Banking’s text messaging service, you must:

  • Have an online banking account.
  • Have a mobile phone that supports SMS text messaging and short codes.
  • Register for Mobile Banking and select the text messaging service.

Why are my Mobile Banking text messages coming from 48179?
You receive all Mobile Banking text messages from 48179. To make it easier to recognize our text messages, add us to your contact list with the short code 48179.

What is a short code?
A short code is a shortened version of a phone number. A short code is generally five or six numbers in length. Five-digit short codes range from 20000 to 99999; six-digit short codes range from 222222 to 899999. You can send and receive text messages from a standard U.S. short code as well as a traditional phone number.

What do you mean when you say “standard messaging charges may apply?”
Every mobile service carrier has a different rate plan for text messaging and data services access. You may be charged per use, or pay a flat rate for unlimited usage each month. You may also have different fees for text messaging and data services access.
Please contact your mobile carrier directly if you aren’t sure what fees you will be charged to use Mobile Banking.

Where do I send my text messages?
Send all text messages to 48179.

What are the text messaging keywords and how do I use them?
Keywords are the text messages you send to request account information or ATM and branch locations.

Account Balance Requests
Keywords: B, BAL, BALANCE, BALANCES
Check the balances for all accounts you’ve registered in Mobile Banking.

Transaction History Requests
Keywords: STMT, TRAN, HIST (account nickname)
Check the most recently posted transactions of the account you specify with the account nickname.
For example, TRAN S1.
If your transaction history response message ends with “Reply NEXT” text NEXT or MORE to view more transactions.

ATM and Branch Location Requests
Keywords: ATM, BRANCH, BOTH (address)
Find ATMs, branch locations, or both near an address that you specify. You can enter:

  • ZIP Code
  • City and ZIP Code
  • City and State
  • Street, City, and State.

For example: ATM ANYWHERE MA.

If your ATM and branch location response message ends with “Reply NEXT” text NEXT or MORE to view more locations.

Help Requests
Keywords: HELP, HLP
Provides information about the Mobile Banking keywords.

Stop Requests
Keywords: STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, STOP ALL
Stop receiving Mobile Banking alerts. Text:

  • STOP BNKG to cancel banking alerts.
  • STOP MKTG to cancel marketing alerts.
  • STOP ALL to stop all alerts.

Are the keywords case-sensitive?
No. Whether you type “BAL” or “bal,” we send a response with your account balance information.

What does a typical request and response look like?
Balance Request: BAL
Sample Response
ABCU Mobile Banking
BAL @ 1207 14:59
*1254 CHK1 $3,849.27
*5764 CHK2 $2,555.02
*4254 SAV1 $14,116.00
Reply STOP to cancel.

Transaction History Request: TRAN CHK1
Sample Response
ABCU Mobile Banking
TRAN CHK1
1207 14:50
1207 PMT $5.55
1205 WDL $50.00
1201 DEP $100.00
Reply NEXT. Msg&Data rates may apply

What should I do if I don’t get a response to a request?
Make sure you’re sending text messages to 48179. Check the keyword and any additional information required for the request, such as the financial institution’s identifier, account nickname, or address.

Can I send a keyword via email?
No, keywords and text messages are not supported using e-mail. The two way feature of our text messages works only with mobile phones.

Why are my results sent as multiple messages?
Text messages are limited to 160 characters. Sometimes we can’t send all your account information in one message because it exceeds the character limit. In this case, we send your account information in multiple messages — no more than five at a time.

I received my results in multiple messages. Some arrived quickly, but others didn’t. Why did it take so much longer for the others to arrive?
If you receive one message, it means we’ve sent all the response messages to you, and you should receive them shortly. It may take a few minutes to receive them all, depending on your mobile service. If you haven’t received all your messages after a few minutes, please let us know. If the problem persists, you may want to contact your mobile service carrier.

I have text messaging enabled on my mobile phone. Why can’t I receive Mobile Banking text messages?
Your mobile service carrier may be blocking short codes, or you may have blocked short codes in your phone options. You must have short codes enabled to use Mobile Banking. (Short codes are abbreviated phone numbers, usually five digits, we use to send Mobile Banking messages.) Check your phone options and then contact your mobile service carrier to ensure they aren’t blocking short codes.