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Mobile Deposit FAQs

What is Mobile Deposit?

Mobile Deposit is a way to electronically deposit checks into your First Farmers & Merchants deposit account(s) from your iPhone® or Android™ device using First Farmers & Merchants Mobile Banking app.

What items can/cannot be deposited via Mobile Deposit service?

Only complete, unaltered checks in U.S. currency drawn on a financial institution in the U.S. and made payable to the account owner(s) that have been properly endorsed with “For Mobile Deposit Only” plus your signature/endorsement and the payee's signature(s) and dated less than six months from the deposit date can be deposited.

items that cannot be deposited are:

No money orders
No cashier’s checks
No traveler’s checks
No foreign checks (i.e., checks not payable in U.S. dollars and/or drawn on a financial institution outside the U.S.)
No bonds
No third party checks
No convenience checks (i.e., checks drawn against a credit card or line of credit)
No insurance drafts
No returned or re‐deposited items
No Checks or items issued by a US federal agency, such as the Treasury Department.

Are Mobile Banking and Mobile Deposit secure?

Yes, our mobile banking and mobile deposit services utilize best practices from online banking, such as HTTPS, 128‐bit multi‐layer encryption, password or multi‐factor authentication access, and application time‐out when your phone is not in use. In addition, no account data is ever stored on your phone and if your phone is lost or stolen, access to your accounts can be disabled by calling First Farmers & Merchants Help Desk at 866-733-3444.

We also recommend that you follow these mobile banking security tips:

Lock your device with a password or PIN when it is not in use.
Use strong account passwords with at least one number and capitalized letter. Do not use your name, birth date or other easily identifiable personal information.
Do not store personal information including your User IDs and passwords on your phone or send them via email or text messages which could be intercepted.
Only download applications from trusted sources. Make sure to download updates regularly, as updates often fix security flaws.
Do not enter personal information unless there is an “s” after http, which indicates the site is secure. Also look for security symbols like the lock icon.
Do not bank or shop online when using unsecured, public Wi‐Fi access.
Do not click on any links in emails claiming to be from First Farmers & Merchants. Instead go to the Bank website directly and log in.
Always log off completely after using Mobile Banking.

What are the qualifications for Mobile Deposit?

In order to be eligible to use Mobile Deposit you must meet the following criteria:

A customer of First Farmers & Merchants with a checking or savings account
First Farmers & Merchants Mobile Banking customer
Agree to the Terms and Conditions prior to the first use of the Mobile Deposit service. The Terms and Conditions can be accessed by clicking on “Terms and Conditions” found in the bottom portion of the Mobile Banking app.

NOTE: If you breach any of the terms of the Terms and Conditions, you use the Services for any unauthorized or illegal purposes, or you use the Services in a manner inconsistent with the terms of your account agreement or any other agreement with us, your access to our Mobile Deposit service will be terminated.

What are the technical requirements to use Mobile Deposit?

Smartphone/tablet
Working camera
Touch screen
Internet access from your device
Appropriate (iOS or Android) First Farmers & Merchants Mobile Banking app downloaded to your device

What does it cost to use Mobile Deposit?

There is no fee charged by First Farmers & Merchants when you make a deposit via Mobile Deposit. Wireless message and data rates may apply. Please check with your wireless service provider for access rates, texting charges, and other applicable fees.

Are there limits to how much I can deposit using Mobile Deposit?

Yes, limits are set for the number and dollar amount of mobile deposits that each customer can make per day. The limit is $2,000.00 per check and $2,000.00 per business day. For questions about your Mobile Deposit limits or to request an increase, please call Customer Service at First Farmers & Merchants at 866-733-3444.

Is Mobile Deposit for consumers or businesses?

This service is available to qualified consumer and business customers of First Farmers & Merchants. With Mobile Deposit, checks are deposited one at a time so it may not be the right fit for an organization that needs to deposit many checks on a frequent basis. If you are a business banking customer, please contact your First Farmers & Merchants banker to discuss Mobile Deposit and Merchant Capture to determine which service(s) are right for your needs.

How do I access Mobile Deposit?

Download the First Farmers & Merchants Mobile Banking iPhone® app from the iTunes® App Store, or our Android™ app from the Google Play™ Store app to your smartphone.
Login to the First Farmers & Merchants Mobile Banking app with your Mobile Banking credentials.
Select the “Deposit” option from the Main Menu.
Acknowledge the Mobile Deposit Agreement, if you are prompted to do so.

If you see the “Deposit Checks” or “View Deposit History” option, you have already been setup with access for the Mobile Deposit service and you can follow the prompts on your phone to set your account information and take pictures of the check.

What is the cutoff time to make a mobile deposit? When will the funds be made available?

Checks deposited via Mobile Deposit by 3:00 p.m. Central Time on a business day (generally Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays) will be considered deposited on that business day and subject to First Farmers & Merchants Funds Availability Disclosure (“Your Ability to Withdraw Funds”). Otherwise, we will consider that the deposit was made on the next business day we are open. Funds deposited using Mobile Deposit will generally be made available on the first business day after the day of deposit. However, in some cases, funds may take longer before they are available for your use (up to several business days). Please see the most recent “Your Ability to Withdraw Funds” disclosure that you received from First Farmers & Merchants Bank for more details. This disclosure is provided at account opening and when changes to the policy occur.

How should I endorse a check for Mobile Deposit?

You should restrictively endorse checks transmitted through Mobile Deposit as follows:

“For Mobile Deposit Only” plus your signature/endorsement OR
Check the box under the endorsement line that says ‘For Mobile Deposit’

If the check is made payable to you and another payee, then the check must:

Include the restrictive endorsement noted above,
Be endorsed by both payees, and be deposited into a joint account owned by both payees
Tips for taking good check photos
Taking high quality photos of the check is the best way to make Mobile Deposit quick and easy. Here are some hints to keep in mind:
Place the check in a well‐lit area on a dark, non‐reflective background
Flatten folded or crumpled check before taking your photos.
Ensure that only the check is visible in the view screen – no other objects or edges
The check needs to be entirely in the frame
Keep your phone flat and steady above the check when taking your photos.
Hold the camera as square to the check as possible to reduce corner to corner skew.
No shadows across the check.
The MICR line (numbers on the bottom of your check) is readable.

What should I do with my check after I have submitted a Mobile Deposit?

You can view the status of your deposit by selecting “View Deposit History” and selecting the deposit. The status may state either Pending, Rejected, or Accepted. Once the status states Accepted, mark the front of the original check as “Electronically Presented” or “VOID”. Retain the check for a minimum of 7 calendar days but no more than 45 calendar days from the date you sent the Mobile Deposit. After 30 days and having confirmed that the deposit was credited to your account, destroy the check that you transmitted. During the time you retain the check, properly secure and handle the check, and upon request, promptly provide it to First Farmers & Merchants.

How can I view a copy of a check I deposit via Mobile Deposit?

After you have successfully completed a Mobile Deposit, you can access an image of the check you deposited from your mobile device for up 30 calendar days by following these steps:

Login to Mobile Banking app with your Mobile Banking credentials.
Select “Deposit” option from the Main Menu.
Click on the “Transactions” option on the “View Deposit History” screen, which will take you to a list of your recent mobile deposits.
Click on a specific transaction to see the check images.

NOTE: You can view the images of checks deposited via Mobile Deposit in your View Deposit History.

If your check image is no longer available on your mobile device, you can see an image of the check for 18 months via Online Banking. You can also call your local First Farmers & Merchants Bank or First Farmers & Merchants Help Desk at 866-733-3444 to request a copy of a check you deposited via Mobile Deposit.

What happens if a check I deposit via the Mobile Deposit service is returned?

If an original check deposited through Mobile Deposit is dishonored, rejected or otherwise returned unpaid for any reason, you will receive an image, reproduction or substitute of the original check and we will charge the deposit amount back to your account. A return item fee may be charged to your account. As with any returned item, you will be responsible for reimbursing us for all loss, cost, damage or expense caused by or relating to the processing of the returned item. You are prohibited from attempting to deposit or otherwise negotiate an original check through Mobile Deposit if it has been charged back to you. You may be able to negotiate a returned item in person, and should speak to a Customer Service Representative at any of our locations if you require such assistance.

As described in your Account Agreement, if you deposit a check that is returned to First Farmers & Merchants for any reason, including insufficient funds of the payor, we may “set off” the amount of the returned item. We may ”set off” by debiting the account into which you deposited the returned item or by transferring funds from another First Farmers & Merchants account held by you. We may do so whether or not the reason for the returned item was presented to us on a timely basis.

What if I don’t see my deposit right away in Online Banking?

You will be able to view the status of your deposit from your mobile device as soon as the deposit has been transmitted. The deposit will appear on your Online Banking inquiries approximately at 5:00 p.m. each business day and will then be available for withdrawal according to the terms of First Farmers & Merchants Funds Availability Schedule.

Other Questions or Comments?

Please contact us via email at helpdesk@ffmbank.com , or by calling the Help Desk at 866-733-3444.

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