FAQs

Your Username needs to be a minimum of six characters and is Case Sensitive. If you have followed these guidelines and it still does not work, someone else may already be using that Username.

Your Password needs to be a minimum of 8, maximum of 17 characters. It needs to have at least 2 alpha characters (Abc), at least 2 numeric characters (123) and is CAsE SensiTive.

A PassMark™ is the image you select when you enroll. This is an enhanced security feature that helps protect you while you access your account. On the Internet today, fraudsters attempt to steal your identity by impersonating the websites you trust. We are committed to proactively protecting you against such attacks. The PassMark™ helps us do this.

The log-in process has improved to protect the privacy and the security of your personal information. We will still ask you for your Password, but not until we have confirmed your identity and let you know you are at the correct Web site.

We will confirm you identity by these factors:

• Your Username and/or Password
• The computer you are using
• Security question and answer you have entered during Enrollment

Your Image (PassMark™) and Phrase will appear during online banking log-in, at this time it's safe to enter your Password. If you do NOT see the correct Image or Phrase you may be on a fraudulent site, do not enter your Password, instead call 1-800-320-7262 and ask for the Internet Department.

Our security solution is extremely simple for anyone to use. You don’t need to memorize anything —just use the site as usual and look for your Image (PassMark™) and Phrase at login.

Yes, you can access your account from any number of computers. If you log-in from a new computer or a public terminal, you will just need to go through one extra step of answering a Challenge Question. This helps protect you by keeping unauthorized people from accessing your valuable information. There is no limit on how many different computers you can use to login to your account.

We ask you a Challenge Question when we detect that you are trying to log-in from a computer you haven't selected us to recognize . This is to prevent unauthorized access to your accounts. Since only you know the answer to the questions, we will know it’s really you. Generally you will be asked to answer a challenge question only when you log-in for the first time from a new computer, IF you check the box after: Please recognize this computer when I login.  If you are using a public terminal, you will not want to check this box.

During online banking enrollment, you will register your computer while selecting and answering your Challenge Questions. If you have already enrolled in the security feature, you will have the opportunity to register your computer after answering your established Challenge Questions.

We only show you your PassMark™ and Phrase if you login from your registered computer, or after you have answered a challenge question. So, it is not possible for an unauthorized person to get access to your PassMark™ and Phrase.

When you enroll or the first time you access Online Banking

No, you cannot upload your own PassMark™. For security reasons, you must choose one of the 50,000+ pre-loaded images we provide to you during enrollment.

Yes, you can change your PassMark™, Phrase and Challenge Questions by selecting the appropriate check box during login.

Immediately call Internet Banking at 1-800-320-7262.

You will be prompted to do so when you enroll.

Yes, you can change your PassMark™, Phrase and Challenge Questions by selecting the appropriate check box during login.

If the payment is sent electronically, the money for the payment is withdrawn from your payment account on the pay date (the date the biller receives your payment).

If the company or person cannot receive electronic payments, Stearns Bank prints a check and sends it to the billing address. For some checks, the money for the payment is withdrawn on the pay date. For others, the money is withdrawn when the company or person deposits or cashes the check.

We deliver your online bill pay payment on the pay date that you select.