Online Banking Secure Code
What is a Secure Code?
This feature ensures that you are the person actually accessing your accounts online by contacting you at a number on file with the bank whenever your computer, tablet, or phone is not recognized. Any attempt to access your accounts from an unknown device triggers the security process. This secure code feature prevents logins by thieves who have stolen your login information. The banking term for this security is “out-of-band authentication,” and it is the strongest in the industry.
When is a Secure Code Required?
Once you have identified yourself and your device by providing the secure code from a call or text, online banking will only ask you to repeat the process when it does not recognize your device. Below are examples of situations that may require you to receive the secure code again.
- Clearing your cache or cookies on your computer
- Having your browser set to clear cookies upon exit
- Changing the browser you use to access the Internet
- Using a browser that is not supported by the online banking software
- Changing devices (i.e. laptop to tablet to phone)
- Your PC getting infected by a virus or malware
- Changing Internet service providers
- Resetting your wireless router
- Using your tablet or phone in a different location (using a different wireless signal to access the Internet)
- Using an automatic update feature to download online transactions into financial software
While we realize that having to repeat the verification process can be inconvenient at times, we hope you understand that your security is our number one priority.
Secure Code Retrieval Process
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council "FFIEC" issued security guidelines for Online Banking to all banks to provide greater protection to you from fraudulent online access to your account information. Journey Bank is implementing security features to meet the guidance requirements.
If we don't recognize the device from which you are attempting to access Online Banking OR if you are logging in from a geographic location/network not routinely used by you, we need to identify you. An extra layer of security is needed to complete the login.
- When logging into Online Banking, after you input your username, if we don’t recognize your device or network, you will receive a security message to Continue with Security Code. A security code is needed to continue with login; click Continue with Security Code to continue with login.
- The security code can be delivered to you by phone call or by text message. On the next screen your contact information on file with the bank will be displayed and you may select how you want to be contacted.
- Phone Call - If you select to receive an automated phone call, click on Continue and the next Online Banking screen will provide the one-time security code that you will enter on the phone when you receive the automated phone call.
- Text Message – If you select to receive a text message, click on Continue and the next Online Banking screen will request the one-time security code that you will receive in the text message.
- When the one-time security code is provided by you, you will be directed to the password screen.
Helpful Tips If You Are Repeatedly Required to Authenticate
- If using Internet Explorer as your browser, make sure "Preserve Favorite Sites" is not checked.
- Add the Bank's website to your trusted sites.
- Clear the cookies on the device.
- Make sure that your browser is not set to clear cookies upon exit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your username and password can be easily obtained through malicious software that, unknown to you, can get installed on your computer. The combination of those two "old" security features with the "new" security program that identifies a change in how you access Online Banking (different computer, different geographic location), assures your account information and funds are protected.
The call you will receive is an automated call that will identify the bank and request you to speak or enter on the phone the one-time security code provided by Online Banking. You will have three attempts to correctly enter or speak the security code.
You should receive the call or message within seconds of completing the request. If you don't receive a call within a minute, click on "I didn't receive a phone call" or "I didn't receive a text message" link on the screen for help.
You will get a message "No phone number on record. A phone number is required to complete this request. Please contact us to update your contact information." You may go to any banking center location or call the Bank at 570-784-1660 or 570-546-2211 to update our records.
You are not locked out of Online Banking if you don't complete the authentication process. You are free to try again.
Once you are directed to the screen on which you select how you want to be contacted, you have five (5) minutes to complete the authentication. If you don't validate with the one-time security code within five minutes, Online Banking will redirect you back to the login screen.
Generally this is because a change was made to your computer that prevented the Online Banking system from identifying it. Examples that would trigger the authentication process:
- Clearing cookies
- Browser setting changes
- Browser updates
- Computer date out of sync with actual date
- A single User using many devices in a short period of time
- Multiple Users using the same device in a short period of time
- Changing Internet service providers
- Resetting your router
- Using your tablet or phone in a different location (using a different wireless signal to access the Internet)
- Using an automatic update feature to download online transactions into financial software
FFIEC guidance says that we should contact you through a different channel than you are using to access Online Banking. This is called out-of-band authentication.
You would need to have a cell phone available and the cell phone number on record at the Bank in order to complete the authentication process.
We strongly recommend that you not login to Online Banking from a computer if you don't know if virus protection and firewalls are in place. Online Banking is a gateway to your account information and the computer you use should provide security protection from unauthorized access.
When you enter a valid username, Online Banking determines if the device profile is typical for past successful logins with that device. If it is typical, the password screen appears. If it is not typical, you will be required to authenticate your identity through the out-of-band process.
You already have my phone number in your records. By putting in the phone number, you are giving us permission to send the text message to that phone. This is a requirement of mobile carriers.
If you use the same multiple devices routinely, the device profiles are recognized by Online Banking.
Since Online Banking will not recognize the device, you will go through the authentication process. Once you have provided the additional authentication so that Online Banking can learn that the new device is legitimate, you can access Online Banking from it in the future without authentication, provided that other changes are not made to your device.
All phone numbers used to authenticate your identity must be on record with the bank. That message means that you entered a phone number that is not on record with the bank. You will need to either enter a phone number that is on record or contact the Bank to add/change your phone number.
Online Banking can contact these phones. However, some carriers do restrict SMS text messages to person-to-person messages or require you to buy a specific level of service to get access to text messages. This would need to be discussed with your phone provider. If the text message containing the one-time security code is not received, go back and ask to be contacted by phone call.
