Help Center: Security Center

How We Protect You

Protecting your personal and account information is something we take very seriously. Seriously.

Bank Midwest will never ask for your username or password. If someone calls asking for log in information, hang up and call us back to be sure you’re talking to a real bank employee.

Do not respond to any email, text or phone requests for this sensitive information, from us or from anyone else.

Is your banker questioning your account activity? It’s for your own protection. Here’s why.

  • Icon Authentication

    Steps we take to help protect you online

    • Secure Website

    We’ve secured our website for you.  Look at your web browser window and you’ll find  https:// in the website address indicating that it is secure.  You may also see a key or padlock icon in your browser window.

    • Convenient account access

    Bank Midwest provides online banking and related services for your convenience.  You can easily access your account information and take greater control of monitoring and managing your accounts.

    • Multi-Factor Authentication

    Feel safe accessing account information with secure login credentials and multi-factor authentication codes to confirm new devices accessing your accounts are authorized.

    • Encrypted Data

    In addition to secure credentials to access accounts online, we use Extended Validation Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology that securely encrypts your personal information such as IDs and passwords. This is a preventative measure used to deter anyone but you or bank personnel from accessing your information.

    High security browsers will display a green color in the address bar of your web browser indicating the site you’re on is using extended security certificates and is a genuine website.

    • Account Lockout Feature

    Password guessing is prevented with an account lockout feature. Our online banking system will automatically lock a user out when an incorrect password is entered multiple consecutive times.

    Learn how to reset your password.

    • Session Timeout

    Online banking sessions have a time limit for inactivity. If you logged in but left your computer or haven’t been active in your online banking session for several minutes, the system will automatically log you out in order to prevent anyone else from accessing your account.

    • Security Alerts

    Email notifications are automatically sent to you when changes are made to your username or password or if alert email address or phone number is updated. These alerts can help quickly flag suspicious activity that may indicate someone other than you is trying to access your account.

    You can also configure security and account alerts to send you text notifications about transactions affecting your account.* Set up a variety of account activities like when your balance drops below a certain threshold or a debit transaction is higher than a certain amount. Learn more about online and mobile security alerts.

    *There is no fee from Bank Midwest. Connectivity and usage rates may apply. Contact your wireless provider for more details.

    • FDIC Deposit Protection

    Bank Midwest is a member of the FDIC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which insures bank deposits up to $250,000 per depositor. Learn more about FDIC protection.

Online and Mobile Banking Security

  • Can I recycle a different password to access my accounts online?

    We highly discourage it. Hundreds of millions of electronic records are lost or stolen in data breaches every year, including usernames, passwords and personal information. Hackers use a tactic called credential stuffing in which they input stolen credentials from one online service into as many other services as possible with the hope that the same username and password have been used elsewhere on the web. This puts anyone who has used the same username and password for multiple services at risk.

  • What makes a strong password?

    Information security experts recommend 9–12 characters (longer is always better), including some uppercase letters, numbers and symbols. Try to use words or phrases that are hard to guess (not your first child’s name or your street). “Password1234” and other simple password combinations might be easy to remember, but they’re also easy to guess.

  • Is mobile banking safe?

    It’s about as secure as any other form of banking presuming you’re careful:

    • Download your Bank Midwest app from a trustworthy source such as the Apple App Store or Google Play.
    • Protect your device either with a PIN code or a biometric token such as a fingerprint or face scan.
    • Use a long and complex password or set up a biometric login (e.g., Apple Face ID, or Touch ID).
    • Don’t use your mobile banking app on public Wi-Fi.
    • Be mindful of prying eyes when you’re banking on your device in a public space.

  • Should I set up biometric login for mobile banking?

    It’s up to you. Biometrics (Face ID or Touch ID) can represent a highly secure and more convenient alternative to traditional usernames and passwords on compatible devices. However, biometric login today is more of a convenience factor since most mobile banking apps, including the Bank Midwest app, can still be accessed with online banking credentials.