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Online Banking & Bill Pay Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

BASIC QUESTIONS

CONNECT24 BILL PAY QUESTIONS


SECURITY QUESTIONS


TECHNICAL QUESTIONS


INTERNET ISSUES


GETTING HELP

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BASIC QUESTIONS

What are Connect24 Online Banking & Connect24 Bill Pay?
Connect24
Online Banking and Bill Pay are free online services that provide secure access to your deposit accounts via the Internet, any time day or night. With Online Banking, you can check your balances, verify cleared deposits or checks, and transfer funds from one account to another.  With Bill Pay, you can pay bills at your convenience and receive bills from certain payees online.

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What kind of bank account do I need to use Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay?
For Online Banking, all you need is a deposit account with Fairfield County Bank. However, in order to use the Bill Pay service, you will need a checking account with the Bank.

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How do I get started?
You will need to enroll online separately for Online Banking and Bill Pay. For Online Banking, click here and you will be connected to the login page.  Click on the enrollment link and follow the enrollment instructions. Once you are enrolled in Online Banking, click on the "Bill Pay - Enroll Now" link at the bottom of the login screen and you will be connected to the Bill Pay enrollment form. Please note that online enrollment is only available to individuals.  Businesses should contact our Customer Connections for assistance with the online enrollment process.

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How soon can I start using Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay?
With Online Banking, you will select your Access ID and password during our instant enrollment.  Once enrolled, you can start using the service immediately. When you have completed the enrollment process for Bill Pay through the Online Banking service, you will receive confirmation within a few minutes notifying you that you can begin using Bill Pay.

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What are the fees associated with Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay?
Online Banking and Bill Pay are absolutely free!

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Can I access my accounts from both home and work?
Yes, you can access your accounts from any computer that supports Secure Socket Layer (SSL) traffic over a 128-bit encrypted browser. SSL allows you to send and receive encrypted (encoded) transactions over the Internet. Microsoft Explorer and Netscape Navigator support 128-bit encryption.

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What if I open a new account after I'm set up for Connect24 Online Banking?
Your new deposit and loan accounts will automatically be linked to Connect24 Online Banking.

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Can I use Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay with my business account?
Yes, you can access your business deposit accounts with both services.  Please note, however, that you will not be able to transfer funds between personal and business accounts.

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How will my overdraft line of credit appear?
A line of Credit will appear as part of the balance of the applicable checking account.

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How do I deposit money into my account?
You can mail deposits to us at Fairfield County Bank, P.O. Box 2050, Ridgefield, CT 06877-0950. You can also have a deposit wired or transferred electronically as an ACH to your account, once your account has been opened. For your convenience, we recommend that you have your paycheck, pension or social security check directly deposited into your account. Of course, you can always make a deposit at any of our branch locations.

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How do I make a loan payment using Connect24 Online Banking?
You can transfer funds between your Checking or Statement Savings account to pay your loan. The payment must be for the exact amount due and additional payments to principal or escrow must be made by check.  If you wish to make an overpayment, you have the option of using our Connect24 Bill Pay service.

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How much transaction history can I view?
You can view up to 5 weeks of history for checking accounts, up to 24 months of history for Savings and CD accounts, and up 13 months of history for loans and mortgages.

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Will I be able to print my online statement?
Yes. Use the Print button on the toolbar. You may also use the File drop-down menu. Once you have opened that menu, select Print.

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Can I transfer money between different banks?
No, you can only transfer funds among your accounts at Fairfield County Bank.

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Do I have access to my account via telephone if I'm not at my computer?
Yes, you can call our automated Connect24 Telephone Banking service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to inquire about your accounts. Simply call (203) 431-1986 or toll-free at 1-800-416-5866.

Can I view my paid checks?
Yes, you can see the front and back of your presented and paid checks. Select an option in the Transactions menu in the Online Banking site (Previous Statement, Current Statement, Previous Business Day or Current Business Day) and click on the check number you wish to view. You can print these images by selecting File then Print.

Is there a fee for viewing checks online?
No, this service feature is provided to all Connect24 Online Banking customers at no charge.

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CONNECT24 BILL PAY QUESTIONS

How does Connect24 Bill Pay work?
The Bill Payment service allows you to pay bills from your checking account. Bill Payment eliminates the time-consuming process of writing checks, addressing envelopes and applying stamps. Detailed instructions are available in the Help and FAQ functions of the Bill Pay site. You will need to schedule your payments at least one business day in advance of the payment due date which is the date you want your payment to reach your payee.  If you schedule a payment for a date that falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment date will be moved to the previous business day. For example, if you schedule a payment date on a Saturday or Sunday, the payment date is moved to the previous Friday. Payment instructions received after 7:00 p.m. (ET), on weekends or holidays will be considered received on the next business day. Bill pays will typically clear your account on the scheduled payment date. Keep in mind, however, that you should always have funds available to cover the payment on the scheduled payment date.  The Bill Pay service also gives you the ability to request e-bills (electronic bills) from a payee. 

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Who can I pay with the Bill Payment service?
The bill pay service lets you pay anyone in the United States that you would normally pay by check or automated debit.  It is recommended that you do not use the service for state and federal tax payments and court-ordered payments.

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What if the person I'm sending a bill pay to doesn't accept electronic payments?
If the merchant or individual doesn't accept electronic payments, a check will be mailed to the payee.

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Can I use the Bill Pay service to pay recurring bills automatically?
You can schedule recurring payments to be automatically made for a fixed amount on a weekly, biweekly, twice a month, monthly, every four weeks, bimonthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis. 

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Can I cancel a bill payment or recurring payment once it is initiated?
You can stop any bill payment that is in a “Scheduled” status.

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What should I do if a payee has not posted my payment?
You should allow at least 5 business days for a payee to receive your payment. If a payee does not post your payment within 5 business days after your scheduled payment date, call the payee directly or you can contact us online. We will address your comments within 24 hours. You can call us at (203) 431-7437 or toll-free 1-877-431-7431, ext. 7437, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please provide the payee's name, payment date and amount, and payee telephone number.

How do I add a new payment account to the bill pay service?

  1. Go to My Accounts.
    The My Profile - Personal Information page will open.

  2. Click Add An Account.

  1. In Account Type, select the type of account from which the funds are to be withdrawn.
  2. Select if the account is Personal or Business.
  3. In Account Name, type a description that identifies the account to you. This will help you to know which payment account you are using; for example, Personal Checking or Business Checking.
  4. In Routing Transit Number, enter the bank’s routing transit number: 221172270
  5. In Account Number, type the account number for your payment account.
    Note: You can usually find this number on the bottom of a check or on your account statement. You must type this number correctly for your payments to process.
  6. In Confirm Account Number, re-enter your account number.

What does “confirming” a new payment account mean?
If you add another checking account to the bill pay service, your payment account will be confirmed by CheckFree, our bill pay service provider. Account confirmation helps to protect against unauthorized use of your payment account. You will receive an e-mail from CheckFree’s “Customer Care” with instructions on confirming your account. CheckFree will make two small deposits (each under $1.00) and one withdrawal to your account. The withdrawal is the sum of the two deposits. The deposits and withdrawal will appear on your statement in the Online Banking site within one to three business days with Connect24 Bill Pay AcctConfrm as the description. Please note that until your new checking account has been confirmed, you will be assigned a payment limit. After your payment account has been confirmed, your bill payment limit will be $99,999.99 per payment.

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SECURITY QUESTIONS

Are Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay secure?
With the use of encryption, firewalls and trusted operating systems incorporated into our overall banking architecture, secure and authentic transactions take place over the Internet. In addition, we added another layer of security to our login process called PassMark that will help ensure your information is secure, protecting you from fraud and identity theft.  PassMark also guards against ever-increasing e-mail scams called phishing and pharming. To learn more about PassMark, click here.

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Can anyone else view my account information?
The key to ensure that your information remains private is your personal password, used in conjunction with your Access ID. Do not share your password with anyone. Keep your account information secure. Always exit your Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay sessions before moving to other Internet sites. Finally, notify us immediately if you notice any unusual activity.

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What should I do if I forget my password or my password doesn't work?
When you choose your password, it is immediately encrypted for your protection and no one knows it but you, not even the Bank. If you know your password, make sure to check your caps lock key. Passwords are case sensitive. Also, be sure you have entered your Access ID correctly. If you are still unable to log in,  click on the "Did you forget your password?" link on the Online Banking login screen and a new temporary password will be e-mailed to you. Once you login with your temporary password, you will be prompted to change it and then will be able to access your accounts.

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Can I e-mail questions to you about my account?
Most account information questions are fine to transmit via e-mail as long as you don't send confidential information such as your account number or social security number. If you need to reference them, you may choose the last four digits of both of these numbers instead of the complete number. You can click here to contact us online.

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TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

What kind of computer equipment or software do I need?
You will need a computer with a connection to the Internet and a browser supporting Secure Socket Layer communications. The list below refers to production versions of publicly released browsers as of March 2009.  Beta versions of the individual browsers listed below are not supported.  This list may be updated as new versions of individual browsers become available and are qualified with the Internet Banking software.  The versions listed below are the minimum required, but it is recommended that you update to the latest versions.

There may be slight cosmetic differences between the look of Internet Banking across the various browser platforms that are supported.  This is a function of the different methods and standards that each browser supports and / or how the individual browsers have been coded.  It should be noted that the core functionality of Internet Banking is consistent across all supported browsers, except for the ability to rotate a check images, which is only supported in Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE).

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) for Windows - Version 7.x, Version 8.x.
  • Mozilla Firefox - Version 3.x
  • Opera - Version 9.x
  • Mozilla Camino - Version 1.0.3 or higher
  • Apple Safari - Version 3.x, Version 4.x
  • Google Chrome - Version 2.x

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Why do I need a secure browser to use Connect24 Online Banking?
In order to use Connect24 Online Banking, your web browser must support SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protocol. SSL allows you to send and receive encrypted (encoded) transactions over the Internet.

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What should I do if my browser is rejected?
If you do not have one of the supported browsers listed above, you may download Microsoft Internet Explorer at http://www.microsoft.com.

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What happens if I receive a security message that prevents me from logging in?You are most likely experiencing a problem with your browser and may need to upgrade to a higher version. If you need to upgrade your browser you may do so via the specific web browser’s web site. For Microsoft Internet Explorer, a current version of the browser can be downloaded at http://www.microsoft.com. Once you have performed the download, you can use the Online Banking and Bill Pay services.

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When I log into Online Banking, all of the fields are not displayed. Why does that happen? This can be an indication that your computer does not meet the browser requirements. If you need to upgrade your browser you may do so via the specific web browser’s web site. For Microsoft Internet Explorer, a current version of the browser can be downloaded at http://www.microsoft.com. Once you have performed the download, you can use the Online Banking and Bill Pay services.

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INTERNET ISSUES

I typed in your URL (Universal Resource Locator or web address, www.fairfieldcountybank.com) and it would not connect. Why?
Netscape users may see a message like, “The requested location does not have DNS entry. Check with…” Internet Explorer users may see a message like, “The page cannot be displayed. The page you are looking for is currently unavailable…” First make sure you are typing the address correctly. If you still cannot connect, it may be a temporary problem with Internet routing. Domain name servers match the letters we type with numeric addresses (IP address) on the network. Some servers will be missing entries at given times. First, simply try again. If several attempts do not connect, a key server may be down. It is rare, but does happen. Try accessing other websites. If you cannot reach other sites, contact your Internet Services Provider (ISP) if the problem persists. If you get through to other sites, try the site again at a later time. If you are still unable to connect, call a Customer Consultant at (203) 431-7437 or toll-free at 1-877-431-7431, ext. 7437, Monday through Thurday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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What if I can’t access Connect24 Online Banking and/or Bill Pay?
There may be a variety of factors that affect the ability to connect to a secure site. One possible problem may be heavy Internet traffic. If that is the case, you will need to try again later. Or you may be accessing the Internet through a firewall. This means it might not let you into another secure site, which sits behind another firewall. If this problem continues with other web sites, you may need to check with your Internet provider.

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Why does using my “BACK” button exit me out of Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay? Why can’t I bookmark the pages I use most often and be connected directly to those pages?
For security reasons, your access to Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay is controlled by always having to go through a log in page where you must have a valid Access ID and Password. To protect this, some pages within Connect24 Online Banking and Bill Pay automatically expire. In these cases, using the BACK button puts you out of the Online Banking and Bill Pay sites. For the same reasons, you cannot use your browser’s bookmarks to go directly into Connect24 Online Banking or Bill Pay without first going through the log in page of Online Banking. We suggest that you bookmark the bank’s home page for easy access. If you lose your Online Banking or Bill Pay session, simply return to the log in page of Online Banking and sign on again.

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GETTING HELP

Who do I contact for help?
If you still need assistance after reviewing the Help Functions on the Online Banking and Bill Pay sites, you can call a Customer Consultant at (203) 431-7437 or toll -free at 1-877-431-7431, ext. 7437, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you prefer, you can contact us online.  When sending e-mail messages, please keep in mind that e-mail is not secure. Therefore, do not include any sensitive information such as account numbers, balances, passwords, etc. By providing us with your name, mailing address, phone number and a general description of your question, we can review your account activity and will respond to you by phone or e-mail.  If you don't have access to your computer and you would still like to retrieve information about your accounts, call our automated Connect24 Telephone Banking service at (203) 431-1986 or 1-800-416-5866 any time, day or night.


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