Online Banking Frequently Asked Questions

What is Online Banking and Bill Payment?
Online Banking will allow you to do your banking anytime, from anywhere, using an Internet connection. You’ll be able to check account balances, transfer funds between your checking and savings accounts, make loan payments, and more! With Online Banking, you can view the recent transactions that have cleared your deposit accounts and verify ATM withdrawals. You can even download those transactions into your own personal financial software.

Bill Payment is a service that allows you to have money sent from your checking account to almost anyone. You set up the information about who you want to pay, then never have to worry about taking the time to address an envelope, buy a stamp, or run to the mailbox.

What if I don’t have a computer or Internet access?
American bank also offers a Telephone banking service. So, if you don’t yet have Internet access or if your computer or Internet access is out-of-service, you can call 1-800-711-9292 to hear your account balance and transactions or to transfer funds between your accounts.

Is there a demonstration available?
Yes. There is a demo available at our website. Select the Online Banking icon located on the home page of our website and from the options listed, choose “Demo”. Follow the instructions on the screen to preview our Online Banking product.

What system requirements must I have?
You will need:

• Pentium PC or Macintosh Computer, 133 Mhz, 64 MB memory
  
• Windows 2000 or higher
  
• 128-bit strong encryption with one of the following browser versions:

How secure is American Bank’s Online Banking?
We require the use of a 128-bit high encryption pack for the strongest security available.

To ensure that the information is being sent from a secure server, check that the address starts with https:// rather than http://. Also, you will see a closed padlock at the bottom of your screen when receiving the information from a secure SSL server.

Do I have to be an American Bank customer to use the Online Banking product?
Yes. To access our Online Banking product, you do need to have an active account with American Bank. To open an account with American Bank, please visit any of our 6 convenient locations.

How much does Online Banking and Bill Payment cost?
At this time, there are no monthly fees for our Consumer Online Banking and Bill Payment service that includes inquiry, transfer and bill payment features. Business users may choose our Commercial Online Banking product if additional features are required. If you own a business, please call us to discuss the options that are available and to obtain the enrollment form and related disclosure and fee schedule.

How do I get started?
Visit our website at www.ambank.com. Click Online Banking, then click Enroll. Complete the online banking request forms and choose a User ID and password. You will be able to view account balances and transactions immediately. If you enroll for the bill payment service, we will need additional time to evaluate and approve your bill payment application. We will generally notify you of our decision by mail within 3-5 business days after receiving your application.

If you will use online banking to transfer funds or to make a loan payment, you must first preauthorize the transfer accounts. You can print the authorization form (Funds Transfer Form.pdf), then complete it and mail it to us at P.O. Box 1077, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-1077 or fax it to us at 920-924-2324. You can also visit any of our offices or contact our Customer Service staff at the number below to obtain the authorization form.

How current is the information that is provided?
The Online banking system receives updated information all day long in real-time. Generally, checks and deposits posted to your account today can be viewed as soon as they are posted. ATM or debit card pinned purchases made before 6:00 p.m. today can be viewed today. Debit Card signature purchases can usually be viewed the following day. Bill payment activity is not available for viewing until the day following the activity.

What happens if I forget my password?
The first time you sign in with your new Online Banking customer ID and password, you will be prompted to answer some questions for our “Forgotten Password” system. If you later forget your password, we will ask you to answer these questions to help verify your identity. When verification is complete, you will receive a new password.

For Customer Support, please call 920-922-9292 or 1-888-509-9292, Monday thru Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

How often will I need to change my password?
Every 90 days. The new password you create will be required to be unique from your previous passwords.

What happens if I forget to Sign Off of Online Banking?
If you go to any other site without logging out, you are still active and can use the back button in your browser to return to an active session as long as it is within 10 minutes of leaving the Online Banking site. After 10 minutes, the automatic logoff takes effect. If you close your browser window without logging out, you will automatically be logged off.

How does Online Bill Payment work?
Online Bill Payment is a service that allows you to set up bill payments to most businesses and individuals. Once you enter a payment instruction in the system, the request is submitted to Online Bill Payment Services (8:00 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday). On the business day following the date you requested for the payment, your payment is sent electronically or via check and the funds are deducted from your checking account.

Which accounts can I use to pay bills?
You can use your checking or NOW account.

Are there any payments that I cannot make using Online Bill Payment?
The Bill Payment Service will not process foreign transactions. Bill payments may be made to any governmental agency (IRS, taxes, child support, court fees, etc) with the following limitations:

• American Bank has limited ability to research any issues that may arise due to the government’s strict adherence to the Consumer Privacy Act.
  
• American Bank will not be responsible for any late fees or penalties that may be incurred by these types of payments.

Can I use Online Bill Payment from outside the United States?
Yes. As long as its made payable to a United States payee (which includes Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and international U.S. military bases) in United States dollars.

Do I need to contact my payees to tell them I am using a bill payment service?
No. Your payees do not need to do anything different to process online bill payments. Online Bill Pay uses the ACH electronic network or a paper check with your payment information clearly indicated.

How do I add a payee (merchant/vendor)?
Use the Payee Search list within the product to find and add your new payee. If the new payee is not listed, simply select Manually Enter Payees and enter the required information.

What date do I put in the "SEND ON” field?
The “send on” date is the date that you want your payment to be extracted for processing. Normally, the funds are deducted from your account one to two business days following this date.

When should I set up my payments to make sure they are paid on time?
Minimum payment "lead times" will be provided based on whether the payee accepts electronic payment or paper check payment. Payments to electronic payees should be scheduled a minimum of 3 business days before the payment due date. For paper check payments, payments should be scheduled 5 to 7 business days before the payment due date.

How do I know if a payee will be paid electronically or by check?
When you select “make a payment” and you select a payee that accepts electronic payments, you will get this message: This payee accepts ePayments. Allow at least three business days to ensure on-time payment.

When you select a payee that does not accept electronic payments, you will get this message: This payee is always paid by a mailed check. Allow at least five business days to ensure on-time payment

How far in advance can I schedule payments?
You can schedule a payment up to 364 days in advance.

How do I set up recurring payments?
Once your payee is set up, you can select how often a bill is to be paid (for example, the 15th of every month) and the amount. This feature is used for recurring payments of identical amounts, such as a car or mortgage payment.

What does the payee receive with my payment?
Your payee will receive either an ACH electronic payment or a paper check. In either case, the payment is appended with the information that you have provided, such as your name and account number with the payee, so the payee can properly credit your payment.

Can I make multiple payments to the same payee on the same day?
Yes, you can make multiple payments to the same payee on the same day as long as the payment amounts are different. For your protection, the system will not pay duplicate items for the same payee on the same day.

How do I delete a payee?
First, cancel all scheduled payments for the payee by accessing the Pending Payments screen and clicking the cancel button in the Action column. Then, select Payee Management, and delete the Payee in the Payee details section.

How late in the day can I enter, edit, or delete a payment?
Cut off time is 8:00 p.m. CT. Any new bill payments entered by that time will be accepted for processing that day, unless they are future dated, in which case they will remain in the pending queue until 8:00 p.m. CT on that date. Payments entered after this cutoff will be processed on the next business day.

How often are payments processed?
Payments are processed Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

What happens if I have a scheduled payment that falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday?
It is processed the next business day.

Can I make changes to an already scheduled payment?
If the payment is still pending, changes can be made. However, once the payment has been transmitted, you can no longer make changes to or delete payments.

How do I know when my payments have been made?
You can review the Bill Payment reports screen.

When will money be taken out of my account for a bill payment?
Normally, funds are deducted from your account 1 to 2 business days after the send on or scheduled payment date.

Can I place a stop payment on a bill payment that I have already set up?
If the payment is a paper check that has been processed but has not yet cleared, you can call Customer Support at 920-922-9292 or 1-888-509-9292, Monday thru Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to request a stop payment. The standard stop payment fee will apply.

What if my payee says that they have not received my payment?
Review the Bill Pay payment reports screen. If you need assistance, contact Customer Support at 920-922-9292 or 1-888-509-9292, Monday thru Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to research your payment, contact the payee, or provide you with proof of payment.

Can I get a copy of a canceled check?
If the payment could not be sent electronically and a check was issued, you can request a copy.

Can I make an American Bank loan payment online?
You must preauthorize loan accounts that you will make payments to. You can print the authorization form from our website or contact a customer service representative to obtain one. When it is returned to us, you will be able to make a loan payment.

Can I transfer funds between my accounts online?
You must preauthorize accounts that you will transfer money to and from. You can print the authorization form from our website or contact a customer service representative to obtain one. When it is returned to us, you will be able to make transfers online.

Can I rename my accounts?
Yes. Use the Account Preferences screen to customize the account name.

Can I update my personal information through Online Banking?
Yes. By choosing Message Center, Contact Us, you can send a secure Email to the bank with the changes. It’s important that you keep your information up to date, especially your personal Email address. We use your personal Email address to send you some information

What's the difference between a personal Email address and a Bank Mail?
Regular Internet Email is not secure. We provide a Secure Bank Email system within the Internet Banking Web Site. You can use the Secure Bank Email to ask questions of the bank. We will reply to you using the Secure Bank Email. If you have Secure Bank Mail waiting to be read, you will see a note at the top of the main screen "You Have 1 New Message". Please read all Email that we send you as soon as possible! If you have a personal Email address we may use that to send you alerts and other non-personal information.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Please call or write to our Customer Support staff at the nearest American Bank location. You can also email your question to us. We provide a secure email system within the Web site. After you login to our Internet Banking product with your User ID and password, select Message Center, Contact Us, and send us a message with your question.

If you cannot login to the Web site and still wish to contact us using Email, click on Contact Us on the Web Site, www.ambank.com. If you email us by this method please DO NOT include any personally identifiable account information such as your account number, User ID or password. Public email is not secure and therefore not a safe way to send personal information to American Bank.