To help maintain security, you should LOG OUT and CLOSE your browser when you have completed your Internet banking session. This will help prevent unauthorized persons from viewing your private account information.

F&M requires strong passwords to protect your account information.  You will need to choose a password that is 8 to 17 characters in length.  Passwords must include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number.

Never share your password with another person. For your protection, we encourage you to change your online banking password every 90 days. Do not use numbers that are easily associated with you, such as your telephone number, address, or birth date as your password.

If you store banking data on your computer or mobile devices, make sure these devices are password protected. If your computer or phone is ever lost or stolen, it will make it that much more difficult for would-be thieves to access your data.

Just as you expect F&M to keep our security up to date, you need to make sure the software on your devices is updated as well. Computer manufacturers and mobile device makers update their software regularly, not only with new features, but with important security updates. You also need to update the antivirus, firewall and security software on your computer. Make sure the F&M app is updated on your mobile devices.

Hackers and identity thieves can use sophisticated tricks to get you to reveal personal information. They can create fake websites that look like your bank, emails that appear legitimate and phone calls that will try to scare you. F&M will never send you a request asking for your personal or banking information. Contact F&M directly if you receive any type of request for this information. Do not reply to an email or phone call, even if they seem legitimate.

Even if your computer and devices are secure, if you access your personal or banking information from an unsecured network or public computer, your data can be compromised.  When connecting to a network from one of your devices, ensure the network is secured with a strong, unique password.  In addition, ensure it is encrypted with WPA2 or WPA3 security protocols.  You should never access your personal or banking information from a computer accessible by the public.

Once enrolled in Online or Mobile Banking, you can set up Alerts to assist you in monitoring your account activity. Relevant financial events, such as a low balance, posted transactions, or pending debit card transactions, automatically trigger the delivery of real-time alerts. You can control your communication preferences and can choose to receive alerts through email, text, or push notifications.

For certain account activities, Security Tokens will be made available.  Tokens can be either physical or virtual.  Multifactor authentication (MFA), which provides a second level of customer authentication, in addition to the standard user ID and password, is one of the most effective defenses against online banking fraud.