Help Center

(502) 650- 9278

All transactions made in person with an Southeastern Mutual Trust associate are processed on the business day they are received. Transactions received on Saturdays or days the bank is closed will be processed the following business day. A business day is every day except Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays.

Electronic transactions conducted via our Digital Banking and Telephone Voice Response systems have a cut-off time of 6:00 p.m. Monday – Friday. Digital Banking and telephone transactions made on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays will be processed on the following business day.

Mobile deposits, merchant deposits and Cash Management transactions have a cut-off time of 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday. Transactions made after 4:00 p.m. or on Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays, will be deposited on the next business day. Deposited funds will be posted to the account after daily processing is complete. All deposits are subject to review and availability of funds may be delayed at our discretion.

All locations have a night depository for your convenience. Also, online banking transfers can be made at any time.

Southeastern Mutual Trust knows your privacy matters – so we work to protect your information and try to explain how third parties are restricted in using your information. We update our privacy policy from time to time to account for updates in technology, and we try to make it as clear as possible to make sure our customers understand.

Identity Theft can damage your finances, credit rating and reputation, and complicate many areas of your life. Identity thieves might:

• Drain your bank accounts.
• Make purchases with your credit cards.
• Open new accounts in your name (bank, cell phone, utility, credit cards, etc.)
• Get identity and government documents issued with your name and their photos.
• Receive medical care under your insurance.
• Take out loans in your name.
• Create a false criminal record for you by using your identifying information when investigated or arrested by the police.

Another growing problem is tax-related identity theft. Using your Social Security number, an identity theft might:

• File a false tax return and collect a refund.
• Get a job and have earnings reported as your income.

Financial account credentials, passwords, Social Security numbers and other personal information are sought by thieves to commit identity theft, which can damage your credit and cost you countless hours and dollars in the effort to restore your good name.

Here are some tips from The Federal Trade Commission, to help minimize your risk of identity theft

• Protect your Social Security number and don’t give it out unless absolutely necessary. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check.
• Treat your trash and mail carefully. Always shred documents you discard that may contain sensitive financial or personal information, including credit offers you receive in the mail.
• Be on guard when using the Internet. Beware of “spoof” emails and “phishing” scams.
• Select intricate passwords for log-in to financial and personal information online. Use at least 10-14 characters, both uppercase and lowercase letters, one or more numerals and one or more symbols.
• Change your password often. Do not share it with others, and do not record it in an easy-to-find place.
• Verify sources before sharing information. Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact and are sure you know who you’re dealing with.
• Safeguard your purse and wallet. Carry only the identification information and the credit and debit cards that you’ll actually need when you go out.
• Store your personal information in secure locations.
• Review your credit reports at least once a year to check for errors and fraud.
• Promptly and carefully review your account statements such as bank statements, credit card statements, as well as mobile phone and home telephone bills for unauthorized charges or activity.

Southeastern Mutual Trust or a service provider cannot prevent spyware or viruses from being sent out and infecting people’s computers. What we can do is ensure that our systems are virus-free, properly patched and that our users are knowledgeable of the risks.

The following are tips to help protect your computer and information:

• Prevent the unauthorized use of your computer by requiring a log-in password at start-up. To create a strong password, use at least 10-14 characters, both uppercase and lowercase letters, one or more numerals and one or more symbols.
• Change your password often. Do not share it with others, and do not record it in an easy-to-find place.
• Log off or lock your computer if you must step away from it while working, and log off, lock or shut down at the end of a work session or end of the day.
• Do not leave your laptop or notebook computer where it can be easily removed.
• Ensure that you have a firewall, system security software, anti-virus software, and spyware-detection software installed on your computer — and keep it up-to-date.
• Use only software from reliable vendors. Shareware, freeware and trial-use programs may install unwanted adware or spyware on your computer.
• Wi-Fi access should be secured with strong password encryption.

Running a scam or fraud is another time-tested method for identity thieves. They may contact you in person; by phone, postal mail, or email; or through the Internet to try to trick you into giving out personal information. Avoid scam artist ploys by following these tips:

• Stay aware of current scams. Watch or read the news. The nation’s consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), offers information and tips on current scams. Go to consumer.ftc.gov and click on “Scam Alerts”. For Internet scam updates, go to the Internet Crime Complaint Center site at ic3.gov and click on the “Alerts” link.
• Before divulging personal information to anyone, know with whom you’re dealing. Independently verify any information provided. Find the physical address and phone number of who contacted you by yourself. Don’t trust email addresses given by unknown people. Search online for a company’s name and website. Read through the site, and read any online reviews of the person or business.
• Never reply to messages asking for personal information, whether the message was sent over the phone or by email, text message or through an ad. Do not call phone numbers or click on links contained in these messages. You could be a target of “phishing”.
• Never send money or account information in reply to notices that you won a prize or lottery.
• Donate only to established charities. Avoid pop-up charities that suddenly appear after disasters. Check a charities trustworthiness at give.org, the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving site.
• Don’t fall for pressure tactics. Never react quickly or impulsively to offers or requests.
• Be wary of “imposter” scams in which a scammer pretends to be someone close to you or an entity you’re unlikely to question. Fraudsters pretended to be family members, friends, love interests, government agencies, or companies, often trying to get personal information.

While computers and the Internet offer huge benefits, they also offer cyber criminals opportunities to steal personal information. Cyber crooks have shown they can keep up with the fast-paced growth of technology. They constantly develop new tools and methods to trick and exploit people through computer and Internet use. The more aware you are of cyber threats, the more prepared you will be to avoid them.

“Malware” is a broad term for the many forms of malicious software designed to disrupt, harm or hijack a computer system or data. It includes viruses and spyware. Secretly installed without your knowledge or consent, malware programs can damage your privacy and the security of your computer of mobile device. They can capture your personal information in a variety of ways and secretly send it to identity thieves.

Computers and mobile devices are commonly infected with malware through email attachments, downloads and the links within emails, instant messages or pop-up windows.

Warning signs of a malware infection include:

• Slow or sluggish performance.
• Your computer crashes.
• Repeated error messages.
• Being automatically sent to websites you didn’t mean to visit
• An unintended reset to a new Internet home page that can’t be undone
• Getting bombarded with pop-up ads and/or ads popping up when a browser is not open
• Finding a new toolbar added to your browser
• Seeing new icons on your desktop
• Your online search result pages only show ads

Malware can be hard to remove. It you suspect it:

• Immediately stop all online activities that require you to enter any kind of personal information.
• Update and then run your security software.
• Get reliable tech support if possible.

Be aware of other Internet threats that can endanger your personal information and identity.

PHISHING: This is when cyber thieves send you emails that try to lure you into providing or confirming personal information. The emails look like they’re from legitimate organizations, often ones you know. They ordinarily use threats, warnings, or enticements to create a send of urgency. You’re usually asked to click on a link. If you do, it can lead to a spoof website. The site looks real enough to trick you into entering personal information.

SIGNS OF PHISHING EMAILS

• Request (usually urgent) for you to make contact through a provided link
• Spelling and grammar mistakes
• Generic greetings, like “Dear User”
• Unsolicited attachments

SPEAR PHISHING: This form of phishing targets individuals or companies. The emails appear to be from an entity you know because spear phishers use information they already have about you to create more personalized, real-looking emails.

SMISHING & VISHING: Very similar to phishing, this is when criminals use automated dialing systems to call or text you with messages intended to trick you into sharing personal information. The message will direct you to a phone number or website that asks you for the information.

BEWARE!! Clicking on links, opening attachments, or going to web addresses provided through phishing, smishing and vishing frequently cause identity-stealing malware downloads.

AVOID PHISHING, SMISHING & VISHING

• Never click on links in pop-ups or those in emails and text messages from unknown senders. Be cautious about clicking email and text message links even from known senders.
• Don’t trust contact information provided in emails, text messages or pop-ups. Check into its reliability on your own.
• Don’t respond to text or automated voice messages on your mobile phone if they’re from an unknown or blocked caller.
• Know that most legitimate companies and organizations won’t request personal information via email.
• Be cautious about downloading email attachments. Ensure you know and trust the sender.

If you have been a victim of identity theft, act fast! Often victims do not learn of the theft until it’s too late, and by that time, substantial damage has happened to your financial reputation and credit rating.

First, call the companies where you know fraud happened.
Explain that someone stole your identity. Ask them to close or freeze your accounts. Then change your password or personal identification number (PIN).

Second, place a fraud alert and get your credit reports.
Note: To place the fraud alert contact one of the three credit bureaus. By notifying one agency of fraudulent activity, you will notify all three.

• Experian= Experian.com/help or 888-EXPERIAN (888-3967-3742)
• TransUnion= TransUnion.com/credit-help or 888-909-8872
• Equifax= Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services or 1-800-685-1111

To get your free credit reports from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion go to annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.

Last, visit IdentityTheft.gov or call 1-877-438-4338.
Answer questions about what happened to you. Based on your information IdentityTheft.gov will create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan. The site provides detailed advice to help you fix problems caused by identity theft.

Did you recently get a notice that says your personal
information was exposed in a data breach? Did you lose
your wallet? Or learn that an online account was hacked?

Depending on what information was lost, there are steps
you can take to help protect yourself from identity theft.

If your information has been exposed, visit
advice about your particular situation.

Yes, Southeastern Mutual Trust’s website is optimized for mobile devices. Any Android, Google or Windows devices will have the same viewing experience as a desktop computer. Anyone using an Apple device will have the same experience, but must accept a third-party cookie to be able to access Bill Pay. This can be accepted by going to Settings>Safari>Block Cookies – Change to ‘From third-parties and advertisers’.

While Southeastern Mutual Trust believes it is our top priority to protect your banking information, you have an important part in safeguarding your accounts. There are multiple ways you can ensure your Southeastern Mutual Trust Online Banking information is protected.

• Don’t give your Access ID and/or Passcode to anyone. These are designed to be exclusive to only your Banking Session and will protect your information if you keep them private.
• Change your Passcode frequently.
• Don’t walk away from your computer if you are logged in to your Online Banking Session.
• ALWAYS sign off your Online Banking Session before visiting other sites.

Your Online Banking payments and transfers will be indicated on the monthly or quarterly statements we provide. Please notify us promptly if you change your address or if you believe there are any errors or unauthorized transactions on any statement, or statement information.

If you believe your Online Banking credentials or other means of access have been lost or stolen or that someone has used them without your authorization, call us immediately at 1-888-287-4094 Toll Free or locally at 573-334-1010 during normal business hours. After hours you may e-mail us at alliancebankcs@alliancebanking.com, or write us at Southeastern Mutual Trust, 217 N Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO, 63701. Immediately contacting us by phone is the best way of reducing your possible losses, since not all e-mail may arrive at their destinations. We will send an e-mail back to you as confirmation that we did receive it. Because e-mail is not secure, do not include any of your account or social security numbers with your e-mail. Your name, address, and a brief message as to what the problem might be is all we will need. If you have given someone your Online Banking credentials and want to terminate that person’s authority, you must change your username and password or other means of access or take additional steps to prevent further access by such person.

You may terminate your Online Banking Agreement at any time upon giving Bank written notice of the termination. If you terminate, you authorize us to continue making transfers you have previously authorized until we have had a reasonable opportunity to act upon your termination notice. Once we have acted upon your termination notice, we will make no further transfers or payments from your Online Banking Account. If we terminate your use of your Online Banking Account, we reserve the right to make no further transfers of payments from your account including any transactions you have previously authorized.

You are responsible for all transfers you authorize using the Online Banking services under this Agreement. If you permit other persons to use your Login information, you are responsible for any transactions they authorize or conduct on any of your accounts. However, tell us at once if you believe anyone has used your Login information and accessed your accounts without your authority. Telephoning is the best way of keeping your possible losses down. If your statement shows transfers that you did not make, tell us at once. If you do not tell us within sixty (60) days of the mailing date of your statement, you may be liable for the full amount of the loss if we can prove that we could have prevented the unauthorized transactions if you had told us in time. Should some emergency such as extended travel or hospitalization prevent you from contacting us, a reasonable extension of time will be allowed.

In case of errors or questions about your Online Banking transactions, telephone us at the phone numbers or write us at the address set forth above as soon as you can. We must hear from you no later than sixty (60) days after we sent the first statement on which the problem appears.

• Tell us your name and account number.
• Describe the transaction you are unsure about, including the transaction confirmation or reference number if applicable, and explain as clearly as you can why you believe it is an error or why you need more information.
• Tell us the dollar amount of the suspected error.

The following two paragraphs apply only to consumer accounts (an account belonging to a natural person and used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes)

If you tell us orally, we may require that you send us your complaint or question in writing within ten (10) business days. We will tell you the results of our investigation within ten (10) business days after we hear from you and will correct any error promptly. For errors related to transactions occurring within thirty (30) days after the first deposit to the account (new accounts), we will tell you the results of our investigation within twenty (20) business days. If we need more time, however, we may take up to forty-five (45) days to investigate your complaint or question (ninety (90) calendar days for new account transaction errors, or errors involving transactions initiated outside the United States). If we decide to do this, we will re-credit your account within ten (10) business days for the amount you think is in error, so that you will have the use of the money during the time it takes us to complete our investigation. If we ask you to put your complaint or question in writing and we do not receive it within ten (10) business days, we may not re-credit your account.

If we decide after our investigation that an error did not occur, we will deliver or mail to you an explanation of our findings within three (3) business days after the conclusion of our investigation. If you request, we will provide you copies of documents (to the extent possible without violating other members’ rights to privacy) relied upon to conclude that the error did not occur.

• Southeastern Mutual Trust will nevercontact any customer and request your electronic online banking credentials. If you get a call asking for your credentials, hang up and call us!
• If you are an Southeastern Mutual Trust commercial online banking customer we suggest you periodically evaluate the possible risks to your account. Some key areas to check are:
  • Who has access to the online banking PC and user credentials?
  • Is (Are) the online banking PC or PCs secured after normal business hours?
  • Do you have up-to date anti-virus and anti-malware software on the PC?
  • How often do you change the online banking passcode and how many users know the passcode?
  • Is there an active firewall on your PC?

If we do not complete a transfer to or from your consumer account on time or in the correct amount according to our agreement with you, we will be liable. Our sole responsibility for an error in a transfer will be to correct the error. You agree that neither we nor the service providers shall be responsible for any loss or property damage, whether caused by the equipment, software, Southeastern Mutual Trust, or by online browser providers such as Netscape (Netscape Navigator browser), Google (Google Chrome) and Microsoft (Microsoft Internet Explorer browser), or by Internet access providers or by online service providers or by an agent or subcontractor of any of the foregoing. Neither we nor the service providers will be responsible for any direct, indirect, special or consequential economic or other damages arising in any way out of the installation, download, use, or maintenance of the equipment, software, the Southeastern Mutual Trust Online Banking services or Online Browser or access software. In this regard, although we have taken measures to provide security for communications from you to us via Southeastern Mutual Trust Online Banking Services and may have referred to such communication as “secured,” we cannot and do not provide any warranty or guarantee of such security. In states that do not allow the exclusions or limitation of such damages, our liability is limited to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Additionally, Southeastern Mutual Trust will not be liable for the following:

• If, through no fault of ours, you do not have enough money in your account to complete a transaction, your account is inactive or closed, or the transaction amount would exceed the credit limit on your line of credit.
• If you used the wrong Login information or you have not properly followed any applicable computer, Internet, or Southeastern Mutual Trust user instructions for making transfer and bill payment transactions.
• If your computer fails or malfunctions or the Online Banking service was not properly working and such problem was or should have been apparent when you attempted such transaction.
• If, through no fault of ours, a bill payment or funds transfer transaction does not reach a particular creditor and a fee, penalty, or interest is assessed against you. If circumstances beyond our control (such as fire, flood, telecommunications outages or strikes, equipment or power failure) prevent the transaction.
• If the funds in your account are subject to legal process or other claim, or if your account is frozen because of a delinquent loan, overdrawn account, or suspected fraud.
• If the error was caused by a system beyond Southeastern Mutual Trust’s control, such as a telecommunications system, or Online service provider.
• If you have not given Southeastern Mutual Trust complete, correct, or current information so Southeastern Mutual Trust can process a transaction.

Block cookies on your Web browser
When you ‘surf’ online websites, hundreds of data points are being collected by the sites you visit. These data points get mashed together to form an integral part of your “digital profile,” which is then sold without your consent to companies around the world. By blocking cookies, you’ll prevent some of the data collected about your user profile. You will have to enter your online passwords more often, but it’s a smarter way to surf the web.

Don’t put your full birth date on your social-networking profiles
Identity thieves use birth dates as cornerstones of their craft. If you want your friends to know your birthday, try just the month and day, and leave off the year.

Don’t download Facebook apps from outside the United States
Apps on social networks can access huge amounts of personal information. Some unscrupulous or careless entities collect lots of data and then lose, abuse, or sell them. If the app maker is in the U.S., it’s probably safer, and at least you have recourse if something should ever go wrong.

DO NOT USE public Wi-Fi hotspots to access Online Banking
Criminals and hackers are able to set up fake Wi-Fi hotspots that look legitimate. When you login to the fake network, they are able to access personal information or download malware onto your device without the consumer knowing.

Use multiple usernames and passwords
Keep your usernames and passwords for social networks, online banking, e-mail, and online shopping all separate. Having distinct passwords is not enough nowadays: if you have the same username across different Web sites, your entire romantic, personal, professional, and e-commerce life can be mapped and re-created with some simple algorithms. It’s happened before.

Southeastern Mutual Trust strives to exceed expectations regarding your privacy and security, as both are very important. We won’t store personal or financial information on your mobile device and will not use your camera or contact lists for any purpose. All wireless communications are securely encrypted using the industry standard.