Customer Education

Help Protect Your Privacy Online

Keeping accounts and information secure online has become a common practice for pc users these days. From financial accounts to social media profile accounts, it is imperative we try safe-guarding our accounts from being hacked.
Any extra measures we take can make it difficult for those who try to access personal accounts. Here are some tips you can utilize to help maintain a secure online presence.

Change your passwords every 3-6 months

Modifying your passwords consistently decreases the chances of your password from being stolen.

Do not use the same password for your financial accounts as you do for your social media profiles

Once an account is violated, other accounts with the same password can soon follow. Prevent this from happening by creating unique passwords for each account. Keep a list of the passwords in a secure area to help you remember them.

Use a capital letter, special characters and numbers in your passwords

Numbers and letters can create hurdles, so the more hurdles, the better… Check with the website or service you are using for rules about using special characters.

Use more than seven characters for a password

Creating a longer password can also help make your passwords stronger.

Installing anti-virus software to your computer is also a great way to prevent any kind of breach to your system. Anti-virus protection software can not only detect any attacks, but will remove viruses or provide solutions to sustain a fast and efficient running pc. Please see a computer software specialist for more information.

Combating Cybersecurity

Cyber threats are attempts to infiltrate or disrupt a computer network or system. These threats may originate from a variety of sources and any website or computer can be a potential target. Cyber threats may also target individuals or businesses in an attempt to obtain sensitive information through online or mobile channels

Tools to prevent Identity Theft

• Do not give out financial information like checking and credit card numbers;
• Report lost or stolen checks immediately, we can block payment on them;
• Notify your banker of suspicious phone inquiries such as individuals asking for account information to verify a statement;
• Closely guard your ATM Card and Receipts
• Shred any financial information and bank statements before disposing of them.

The bottom line: If you have questions or concerns about protecting your financial identity, come in and visit your local banker.

Potential Scams

There are many individuals and companies out there ready to prey on your financial duress and fear of losing your home. Don’t pay large upfront fees for counseling or modification assistance. Know what you are signing. Don’t be pressured into signing anything that you have not completely read or understand. Get more than one opinion. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Red Flags

Avoid any business or individuals that:

• Instruct you to NOT contact your lender, lawyer, and credit or housing counselor
• Accept payment to help you only by cash, cashier’s check or wire transfer
• Collects a fee before even providing you with any service
• No matter what your circumstances they guarantee to solve your problems and stop the foreclosure
• Tells you to make your mortgage payments to them instead of directly to the lender
• Tells you in order to help you, you must sign a grant deed transferring title or your property to them
• Offers to fill out all of the paperwork for you

Education is the first line of defense against fraud and deception; it can help you make well-informed decisions before you spend your money.

If you think you’ve been a victim

If you suspect misuse of your personal information to commit fraud, take action immediately. Keep a record of all conversations and correspondence when you take the following suggested steps:

Contact your bank(s) & credit card issuers

Contact your bank(s) & credit card issuers immediately so that the following can be done: Access to your accounts can be protected; stop payments on missing checks; personal identification numbers (PINs) and online banking passwords changed; and a new account opened, if appropriate. Be sure to indicate to the bank or card issuer all of the accounts and/or cards potentially impacted including ATM cards, check (debit) cards and credit cards. Customer service or fraud prevention telephone numbers can generally be found on your monthly statements. Contact the major check verification companies to request they notify retailers using their databases not to accept these stolen checks, or ask your bank to notify the check verification service with which it does business.
Four of the check verification companies that accept reports of check fraud directly from consumers are:

• Telecheck 800-710-9898
• International Check Services 800-631-9656
• ChexSystems 888-478-6536
• Equifax 800-437-5120

File a police report with your local police department.

Obtain a police report number with the date, time, police department, location and police officer taking the report. The police report may initiate an investigation into the loss with the goal of identifying, arresting and prosecuting the offender and possibly recovering your lost items. The police report will be helpful when clarifying to creditors that you are a victim of identity theft.

Contact the three major credit bureaus.

Contact the three major credit bureaus & request a copy of your credit report. Review your reports to make sure additional fraudulent accounts have not been opened in your name or unauthorized changes made to your existing accounts. Check the section of your report that lists “inquiries.” Request the “inquiries” be removed from your report from the companies that opened the fraudulent accounts. In a few months, order new copies of your reports to verify your corrections and changes to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred. Request a “fraud alert” for your file and a victim’s statement asking creditors to call you before opening new accounts or changing your existing ones. This can help prevent an identity thief from opening additional accounts in your name.

The major credit bureaus and their phone numbers are:

• Equifax
  (800)685-1111
• Experian
  (888)397-3742
• TransUnion
  (800)916-8800

Check your mailbox for stolen mail.

Make sure no one has requested an unauthorized address change, title change, PIN change or ordered new cards or checks to be sent to another address. If a thief has stolen your mail to get credit cards, bank and credit card statements, pre-screened credit offers or tax information, or if an identity thief has falsified change-of-address forms, that’s a crime. Contact your local post office and police.

Maintain a written chronology of what happened.

What was lost and the steps you took to report the incident to the various agencies, banks and firms impacted. Be sure to record the date, time, contact telephone numbers, person you talked to and any relevant report or reference number and instructions.

How can I change the PIN on my debit card?

Please call 1-800-992-3808 to change your PIN.

What is the bank’s routing number?

The bank’s routing number is 122240751.

Where can I find the bank’s wire instructions?

C3bank Wire Instructions.

Why should I bank with C3bank?

C3bank is a local, community based commercial bank. All decisions are made locally and the bank is committed to servicing the needs of our local community. Our employees, managers and directors, live and work here just like you so we understand what is important to you. We also offer a level of personalized service that frankly can’t be beat.

How do I switch my accounts and information to C3bank?

C3bank wants to make switching your accounts a simple and painless transition. Stop by one of our branch locations to open a new account and speak with a customer service representative. Should you require additional assistance, please contact us at 800-785-5991.

What are the instructions for wiring money to my C3bank account?

You will need the bank’s routing number and your account number. Please call us at 800-785-5991 and we will provide you with all the necessary information.

Is my money insured by the FDIC? Is my money safe at C3bank?

FDIC insurance covers all deposit accounts, including checking and savings accounts, money market deposit accounts and certificates of deposit. The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, for each account ownership category. For more information visit the FDIC website.

What if I need more than $250,000 coverage for my deposits?

C3bank has a product that will insure customers’ deposits in excess of standard FDIC insurance amounts. This product is entitled CDARs. Please contact a customer service representative for more information.

What are the system requirements for online banking

You may use any computer that has access to the internet as long as the computer supports 128 bit encryption and your browser is able to connect using TLS 1.2. Our online banking product works with both PCs and Macs. The application runs best through Internet Explorer on PCs and Safari on Macs.
Our website is designed to be viewed on the latest version of  Internet Explorer.
Our system is not compatible with Windows XP/Vista and below.

Users with devices on iOS 8 and above will be able to connect to Mobile Banking. Users with devices on Android KitKat (Level 20) and above will be able to connect to Mobile Banking. If you do not have a compatible OS version or browser you will get a connection error when attempting to access our banking solutions.

How much does online banking and/or online bill payment cost?

Both online banking and online bill payment are provided to every customer at no charge.

When I deposit a check into my C3bank account how long before the money is accessible to me?

In most cases, your funds will be available within 1-3 days. Please contact us at 800-785-5991 to request a copy of our Funds Availability Policy.

What do I do if I lose my Debit/Credit Card? Also, how do I report my Debit/Credit Card lost or stolen after hours?

You can report your stolen or lost card during business hours at 800-785-5991 or after business hours by calling within the United States, 800-417-8715. Outside the United States, please visit Visa for assistance.

How do I sign up for online banking and bill pay for my personal accounts?

It’s simple to sign up for online banking and online bill pay. When you open your personal accounts you will be assigned a username and a temporary password. On the C3bank homepage, find and click on “Personal First Time User” located directly beneath the Online Banking login. You will be redirected to the First Time User login page. Enter your assigned username in the “Access ID” field, select your account type, enter the temporary password in the “Password” field and click the “Submit” button. Proceed through the online enrollment process and when complete, you can enroll in online Bill Payment by selecting the link located on the top of the page. We are happy to help you through this process so please call us with any questions at 800-785-5991.

How do I place a stop payment?
You can call us at 800-785-5991 to request a stop payment or if you use online banking, you can place a stop payment online.

How do I reorder checks?