FAQs
FAQs on Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
FAQs on EMV chip card technology
FAQs on Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)
FAQ FOR Multifactor AUTHENTICATION (MFA)
1. Why is my online banking experience changing?
In order to make your online banking experience as secure as possible, we are introducing a new security feature – Multifactor Authentication or MFA. Most of the time your online banking experience will be the same as it was before, only now you will have an extra layer of security working behind-the-scenes to protect your account. The security may – very infrequently – prompt you to verify your identity before continuing. This means you can now bank online with a renewed sense of confidence.
2. What is this new security system?
As our member, we know how you typically behave: what types of transactions you conduct, when and from where. If we detect any activity that does not seem like your typical behavior, we will prompt you to further verify your identity so that we can ensure it is you and not a fraudster attempting to comprise your account. This will only happen on rare occasions. Normally you will not be asked for any additional information. For example, if someone tries to sign in with your username and password from a computer we don’t recognize, we may decide to verify that it is really you trying to access your account.
3. How do I sign up for the new security system?
You will be prompted at some point while banking online to enter additional information. This may include choosing several security questions that only you will be able to answer.
4. Will I be required to sign in using a unique user ID?
When MFA is activated, you will be required to sign in using a unique username that you create instead of an account number.
5. What are the steps to set up a username?
The first time you log in after the activation of MFA, you will click on a link to create your username. You can also enter your account number and password to launch the username enrollment screen. You must select a username that is unique. If you select a username that has been assigned to another member, a message will display indicating that the username is already in use.
6. If I have more than one account, will I have more than one username?
Yes. You will be required to register one unique username for each account.
7. When will I be required to create challenge questions?
Thirty (30) days after you create your username the system will prompt you to create three challenge questions.
8. What happens if I answer the challenge questions incorrectly?
You will be allowed three attempts to answer the challenge questions. If you answer the questions incorrectly three times, your account will be blocked. Once the account is blocked, you must call the credit union to reset the account.
9. When will I be asked for more information?
You will only be prompted to enter additional information when a particular activity or transaction appears to be unusual or uncharacteristic of your typical behavior. You will also be prompted to enter your information when you are first prompted to set up your security information.
10. What additional information will I be asked?
If any unusual or uncharacteristic behavior is detected you will be asked to answer several of the security questions you chose.
11. What is unusual or uncharacteristic behavior?
Uncharacteristic or unusual behavior is anything that appears out-of-the-ordinary compared to how you normally would bank online and where you normally bank online. If the action being requested does not appear to be something you would normally do, we will ask you for more information to make sure it is really you and not an unauthorized user.
12. How are you able to detect unusual or uncharacteristic behavior?
The security system takes into account factors such as the type of transactions you ordinarily perform, the computer you typically use to access your account, or the typical security settings for your computer. Hundreds of factors, such as these, create a profile that is unique to you that allows us to make decisions about whether the person conducting a given activity and transaction within your account appears to be really you.
13. How will this help prevent online fraud?
If your user name and password are stolen, the fraudster would have to be able to answer your security questions correctly before being able to access your account or complete a fraudulent transaction.
14. I check my account very often, wouldn't I know if something unusual showed up on my account?
It is always a good idea to regularly monitor your account for any unusual activity (like a payment or withdrawal you didn’t make). This security service helps prevent those incidences from ever occurring, so when you check your account everything is exactly how it should be.
FAQS FOR ESTATEMENTS
1. Do I need any special software to access estatements?
If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer, you're all set. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can click here for your free download.
2. Does it matter what browser I use to access the web site?
Any up-to-date browser should work. We would recommend Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox version, or Safari.
3. How will I know when my registration has been completed?
Once you've completed the registration process you will receive an email confirming your successful registration.
4. How will I know when I can view my statement?
You will receive an email notification whenever a new statement is available for viewing. If the statement is not viewed within a certain time frame, a reminder email will be sent as a follow-up.
5. Can I print my statement?
You can print your statements, and you can also save them to your hard drive, to CD, or other storage device or cloud-based storage.
6. How long will my statement be available for viewing?
Estatements will generally remain available for viewing for 24 months after they have been posted.
7. What do I do if my email address changes?
You can provide your new email address for estatements notifying us at 901.380.7400 or by stopping by any one of our banking centers. You can also update your email address inside online banking.
8. I got an error message while trying to view an estatement. It says "There was an error processing a page. A font contains a bad CMAP/ENCODING". What does that mean?
You are using an old version of Adobe Acrobat Reader, and need to upgrade. Adobe recommends that you first uninstall any older version of Acrobat Reader prior to installing the updated version. Once this has been done you should be able to view your estatements with no problems. Click here to get the latest version.
9. What do I do if I'm having trouble viewing my statement?
Recent changes to your operating system software such as upgrades, downloads, and/or system enhancements can affect your PC's ability to connect with secure sites and view PDF documents including our estatements site.
We recommend trying the following steps:
- Verify that you are current on all system updates.
- Un-install and re-install Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Ensure that you are using the most up-to-date version of your browser.
- Some pop-up blocker and firewall programs may prevent access to estatements. If you utilize these types of applications, you may need to disable certain features of the programs in order to access your estatements.
FAQS FOR MOBILE BANKING
1. What is mobile banking?
Mobile banking is a service developed to allow members quick and easy access to their account information through their smartphones or tablets. It provides all the same functionality as online banking (including access to bill pay) in a platform specifically designed to work with the screen size and operating system of mobile devices.
2. Which devices will work with mobile banking?
Just about any smartphone or tablet device will be able to use First South Financial’s mobile banking. You will download the app from your device's app store. For those devices that do not support apps, they will be able to access mobile banking through a specially designed mobile site. You will point your browser to firstsouth.com and you'll be redirected to the mobile site.
3. What will members be able to do with mobile banking?
Any functions that are available through online banking will also be available through mobile banking and more. You will be able to:
Check balances
Transfer funds among accounts
Make payments to any kind of First South Financial loan (auto, mortgage, credit card, etc.)
Access Bill Pay
View transaction history
View pending holds
Mobile locator function
Mobile deposit
Users will be able to customize their settings for the amount of history that is initially downloaded and how much additional history to download.
4. How many devices can I set up to access online banking?
You can install the app on at least 10 mobile devices. If you need to install it on more devices than that, please contact us at 901-380-7400 for assistance.
5. How much will mobile banking cost?
There is no charge for mobile banking but it does require enrolling in estatements.
6. What user ID and password do I use?
You will use the same User ID and password that you use for online banking.
7. What if I have additional questions?
Please contact us at 901-380-7400 and we'll be happy to assist you.
FAQS ON FIRST SOUTH FINANCIAL
Are my accounts safe at First South Financial?
Your accounts are just as safe at First South Financial as with any federally insured financial institution. In fact, if you are a member of First South Financial, you are banking with one of the top 1% of financial institutions in the entire country in terms of financial strength and stability.
The NCUA, an agency of the U.S. Government provides insurance on members' accounts through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF). To find out more about federal insurance for your credit union accounts, click here.
How do I join First South Financial?
Joining First South Financial is easy! Simply click on the "Open an Account" button located on the home page of our web site. Or stop by any of our banking centers.
What career opportunities are available at First South Financial?
Please call our Human Resources Department at 901.380.7400 for more information about exciting opportunities available with a rapidly growing financial institution! Or visit our job listings page.
What is your privacy policy?
First South Financial maintains the strictest standards in protecting the privacy of you, our members. The information we collect is used only to administer your accounts and allows us to meet your financial needs. Procedures to protect your privacy have been carefully developed and employees are trained to consistently apply them. The policy is available in the Disclosures section of our web site.
How is my information kept secure?
Security measures are in place to control unauthorized access to information about your account. These include but are not limited to the following:
- Proper shredding and disposal of paper documents
- Optional code words available for member accounts
- SSL encryption for online information transmission such as when accessing accounts online and using bill pay
- Procedures to establish your identity are followed by staff before information is released to you or actions are taken in relation to your account
In the course of doing business, information available from public records may be added to the information you provide to us. This is used only to help you learn more about products and services that may interest you.
Information about your account is released to third parties that partner with First South Financial only when necessary to conduct financial business authorized by your account agreement with us. These include credit card payment processors, bill payment vendors, credit bureaus and other similar entities.
First South Financial does not sell or provide member information to mailing lists. From time to time special offers may be made to members directly by First South Financial. Occasionally, credit union affiliates and subsidiaries will be provided basic information only in order to make special offers to members. This information is provided only to offer a broader array of products and services and is only provided to organizations that follow strict confidentiality requirements. No confidential account or personal information is released to these or any other third parties, except where we believe it to be required by law.
Members wishing to have their names removed from national lists should:
Write to the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service, P.O.. Box 9008, Farmingdale NY 11753-9008. Include your name, address and phone number with your request to be taken off mass mailing lists. You may also call 1.888.567.8688 to have your name taken off prescreened lists from the major credit bureaus.
Is my information accurate?
We take all steps possible to ensure the accuracy of your account information. If you think any of your account information may contain inaccuracies, please report these by calling the phone number on your account statement. If there is inaccurate information, we will correct it as quickly as possible.
Are online banking and mobile banking safe?
We have taken all possible steps to ensure information that is exchanged between you and us online is protected. Our website and mobile banking app provide Secure Socket Layer (SSL) connections directly between you and us. Only provide your User ID and password when your browser indicates this type of connection to us. No information obtained from you during online banking sessions or mobile banking session is ever provided to anyone outside the credit union. Your visits to our web site remain anonymous. We only collect non-identifying information that is aggregated to identify dates and times of visits, IP addresses, and web browsers most often used, pages of our site most often visited, etc.
When accessing online banking or mobile banking, completing forms or answering surveys, you may be asked for your email address. This is optional and will be used only by us to handle your request. We will preserve the content of your email, your email address and our responses in order to follow-up with you. We may occasionally contact you by email to inform you of beneficial services. You may ask to be removed from this notification list if you choose. Your email address will not be provided to outside entities.
If you are contacting us via e-mail, please realize that this is not a secure means of communication.
Some areas of our web site may use cookies to allow the webserver to log the pages you use within our site. This does not provide us with identifiable information and is not used to determine who you are or your email address.
Other Items
When legally required or permitted, we may exchange information with credit bureaus or in connection with a fraud investigation.
We do not knowingly collect information from children or market to children.
CARFAX Information
First South Financial Credit Union offers CARFAX Vehicle History Reports as an added convenience to its members. Ask us how to get one!
Every CARFAX Report contains information that can impact a consumer’s decision about a used vehicle. Some types of information that a CARFAX Report may include are:
- Title information, including salvaged or junked titles
- Flood damage history
- Total loss accident history
- Odometer readings
- Lemon history
- Number of owners
- Accident indicators, such as airbag deployments
- State emissions inspection results
- Service records
- Vehicle use (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)
FAQS FOR EMV
1. Why are EMV cards more secure than traditional cards?
It's that small, metallic square you'll see on new cards. That's a computer chip, and it's what sets apart the new generation of cards. The magnetic stripes on traditional credit and debit cards contain unchanging data. Whoever accesses that data gains the sensitive card and cardholder information necessary to make purchases. That makes traditional cards targets for counterfeiters. If someone copies the information from a magnetic stripe, they can easily replicate that data over and over again because it doesn't change. Unlike magnetic-stripe cards, every time an EMV card is used for payment, the card chip creates a unique transaction code that cannot be used again. If a hacker stole the chip information from one specific point of sale, typical card duplication would never work because the stolen transaction number created in that instance cannot be used to complete other transactions. EMV technology will not prevent data breaches from occurring, but it will make it much harder. Experts hope it will help significantly reduce fraud in the U.S., which has doubled in the past seven years as criminals have shied away from countries that already have transitioned to EMV cards.
2. How do I use an EMV card to make a purchase?
Just like magnetic-stripe cards, EMV cards are processed for payment in two steps: card reading and transaction verification. Instead of going to a register and swiping your card, you are going to insert your card into a terminal slot and wait for it to process. When an EMV card is inserted, data flows between the card chip and the card issuer to verify the card's legitimacy and create the unique transaction data.
You can also load your card to your Digital Wallet. Just follow these easy steps:
Google Play
Apple Wallet
3. Will I still have to sign or enter a PIN for my card transactions?
You will still sign or enter a PIN for transactions. If you are using your card at an ATM, you will still enter your PIN as you do now.
4. If fraud occurs after EMV cards are issued, who will be liable for the costs?
On Oct. 1, 2015, card present fraud liability shifted to whoever is the least EMV-compliant party in a fraudulent transaction. Consider the example of a financial institution that issues a chip card 2 used at a merchant that has not changed its system to accept chip technology. This allows a counterfeit card to be successfully used. The cost of the fraud will fall back on the merchant. Any parties that are not EMV-ready face much higher costs in the event of a large data breach.
5. So by October 1, 2015, the transition to EMV technology was completed?
Not exactly. Although the deadline was designed to be strong encouragement for all payment processing parties to become EMV-compliant, not all merchants have made their terminals EMV enabled.
6. If I want to my EMV card at a retailer that doesn't support EMV technology, will it work?
Yes. Currently, all EMV cards are equipped with both chip and magnetic-stripe functions so your spending is not disrupted.
7. Will I be able to use my EMV card when I travel outside the country?
For the most part, yes. The U.S. is the last major market still using the magnetic-stripe only card system. Many European countries moved to EMV technology years ago to combat high fraud rates.
8. Does First South Financial also offer chipped debit cards?
Yes! All of our debit cards are EMV chip equipped as well.
9. If I have more questions, what should I do?
Please feel free to contact us at 901.380.7400, at any banking center, or at mail@firstsouth.com.
FAQS FOR BUY NOW PAY LATER (BNPL)
First South Financial offers Buy Now, Pay Later to eligible members with our Savings and Checking accounts. Learn more about Buy Now, Pay Later.
1. Where can I find my BNPL offers?
BNPL offers are found in First South Financial Federal Credit Union’s Digital Banking from the "Buy Now, Pay Later" tab.
2. How do I apply for a BNPL loan?
There is no application for a First South Financial BNPL loan. All Split Your Payment and Plan Your Purchase BNPL offers found within your Online Banking are pre-qualified for you to view and accept. You will receive a copy of the loan agreement in your email.
3. How soon will I see my purchase amount deposited back into my account?
After you have accepted a First South Financial BNPL offer, your purchase amount will be deposited into your account in moments. In some cases, it can take up to 24 hours.
4. Does BNPL require a credit check?
No, First South Financial’s BNPL offering does not require a credit check.
5. Can I pay off my BNPL plans early?
Yes. You can pay off your BNPL plans early within your First South Financial Online Banking or at a branch.
6. Why can't I see any BNPL offers?
If you do not see any BNPL offers, this may be because your current account status is not eligible for BNPL. If you already have active BNPL plans, you may not be eligible for additional offers until the active plans are paid back.
If you are eligible for Plan Your Purchase but do not see Split Your Payment offers, this may be because your recent debit card purchases are not eligible for BNPL.
7. What makes a purchase eligible for Split Your Payments offers?
A purchase eligible for Split Your Payments is a debit card purchase made in the past 60 days that is at least $100 and was not a cash equivalent purchase (e.g., ATM withdrawal, money order, cash advance, etc.). Other restrictions surrounding the merchant type and transaction limits may affect BNPL eligibility.
8. Does my use of Plan Your Purchase impact the Split Your Payments loans available to me?
Yes. Your eligibility for BNPL offers is partly determined by the number of outstanding loans you have active. Therefore, taking out Plan Your Purchase loans may impact how many Split Your Payments offers they are eligible for, and vice versa.
Go to main navigation