FAQs

WHERE ARE EBSB BRANCHES LOCATED?
Click here for Locations.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF EAST BOSTON SAVINGS BANK?
East Boston Savings Bank has operated under the same name since holding its first meeting of incorporation on October 4, 1848. On January 17, 1849, the first official business day of the Bank, 57 people deposited $2,999.00 at the Bank's Maverick Square Office, since then the bank has grown to nearly $1 billion in assets. Most of that growth has been achieved under the bank's current senior management team.

On September 1, 1991 East Boston Savings Bank became a stock savings bank and a wholly owned subsidiary of Meridian Mutual Holding Company, now known as Meridian Financial Services, Inc.

In 2006, Meridian Financial Services, Inc. formed a mid-tier holding company called Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. This company seeded a new commercial stock bank in southern New Hampshire known as Hampshire First.

In 2007, the directors of Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. decided to pursue a partial mutual-to-stock conversion. The ownership of EBSB would remain with Meridian Interstate Bancorp, Inc. its mid-tier holding company, but the mid-tier itself would offer a minority stake in itself to the public, beginning with the Bank’s depositors. The remaining majority stake would still be owned by Meridian Financial Services, Inc. This offering was concluded in 2008.

HOW DO I ACCESS INTERNET BANKING IF I FORGET MY PASSWORD?
You are the first line of defense for your online account security. We recommend that you:

• Never provide your user ID and password to anyone. Our employees never ask for this information.
• Be careful with your password. Do not write it down or maintain it in a place that is easily accessible.
• Select a password which consists of letters, a series of numbers, or a combination of letters and numbers that cannot be easily guessed by others.
• When you are done using Internet Banking, exit the system by clicking the Sign Off link in the top-right corner of the page.

WHAT IS SECURE SIGN ON?
Secure Sign On is a service to help protect you from fraudulent online activity. It provides you with visual cues when you sign on so you know that you are on our web site and it safe to enter information. Secure Sign On also helps us ensure that only authorized individuals can access financial information online.

HOW DO I SETUP SECURE SIGN ON?
By completing three easy steps. First, select a picture and enter a phrase you want to use as confirmation that you are on our web site. Then, set up confirmation questions that help us ensure that only authorized individuals are accessing your account information. Last, decide whether to register this personal computer as an authorized location from which to access your account information.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I CANCEL SECURE SIGN ON DURING SETUP?
The information you enter in the setup process is not saved until you complete the final confirmation step and click “Submit.” If you exit the process before this final step, you will lose the information you have set up and will need to start the process again.

DO I HAVE TO CHANGE ANY INTERNET BROWSER SETTINGS FOR SECURE SIGN ON TO WORK?
To register this computer as an authorized location for accessing your account information, your Internet Browser must be set to accept permanent cookies. Most browsers accept cookies as a default setting. If you haven’t customized this setting, you’ll probably not need to make any changes. If you do need to change the Internet cookie setting to accept permanent cookies, follow the instructions provided in the Internet browser’s help file to complete this task. If you do not want to make this change, you will be able to sign on using the confirmation questions for validation.

WHY DOESN'T MY BROWSERS AUTO COMPLETE FEATURE PRE-FILL MY PASSWORD?
Once you set up Secure Sign On, your password will not pre-fill. Secure Sign On uses a multi-page sign on process that does not allow your browser to anticipate your password entry. While the Auto Complete feature may be helpful for some things, it can also seriously compromise your security and privacy. If a password is saved in the browser on a public computer, that information is available to others for use or theft.

WHAT IS PHISHING?
Phishing is an Internet fraud technique that is used by criminals to trick you into giving them personal information. Phishing occurs when a criminal sends you an e-mail message with a link to what may appear to be our web site – but it is actually a fake. On this fake web site, you will be asked to enter personal information, such as your social security number, account number or credit card number. Phishing is a fraudulent act aimed at stealing your identity and private account information. Phishers set up a phony web site that looks like the site of a trusted company to trick you into disclosing your user ID and password.

IS MY PERSONAL PHRASE THE SAME AS MY PASSWORD?
No. Your personal phrase lets you know that you are at our web site and not an imposter site. It should not contain personal information like your password because it is displayed when you sign on, forget your password, or need to change a temporary or expired password and may be seen by people when you complete these tasks.

CAN OTHER PEOPLE SEE MY PICTURE AND PHRASE?
Yes. Your picture and personal phrase are always displayed when you sign on, forget your password, or need to change a temporary or expired password and may be seen by people when you complete these tasks. Don’t worry if someone sees your picture and phrase. It’s just our sign to you that you are at our web site.

CAN I CHANGE MY PICTURE AND PERSONAL PHRASE?
To change your picture and personal phrase, you must go through the Secure Sign On Setup process again and re-establish your confirmation questions as well. If changes are required, please call Customer Service.

HOW ARE THE SECURE SIGN ON CONFIRMATION QUESTIONS USED?
Confirmation questions are used as an additional form of identification when you sign on from a computer that has not been registered. They are also used to verify your identity if you forget your password or need to change a temporary or expired password. These extra security measures help us insure that only authorized individual’s access your financial information.

CAN I CHANGE MY CONFIRMATION QUESTIONS?
To change your confirmation questions, you must go through the Secure Sign On Setup process again and re-establish your picture and personal phrase as well. If changes are required, please call Customer Service.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I FORGET THE ANSWER TO A CONFIRMATION QUESTION?
Confirmation questions must be answered to access your account information from an unregistered computer. Answers are not case sensitive but the information and spelling must match what was entered during setup. You will have several opportunities to answer the questions correctly before access to your account information is disabled. If you are not able to access your account information, please contact us for assistance.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I REGISTER A PERSONAL COMPUTER?
We store a permanent cookie on the computer that enables us to recognize it as an authorized location to access your information online. The next time you sign on, we will recognize the location and you will not be asked to answer confirmation questions as part of the sign on process.

WHAT IS A COOKIE?
A cookie is a small text file that a web server can store on a user's computer. The cookie we store on your computer is only used by us when you access your account information online. It is not used to track your Internet activity and cannot be used by others to access your information.

CAN I REGISTER THIS PERSONAL COMPUTER LATER?
Yes. Each time you sign on using an unregistered personal computer, you will be given an opportunity to register it.

WHY SHOULDN’T I REGISTER PUBLIC COMPUTERS?
We don't recommend registering public computers to access your financial information online. Public computers can be used by many individuals and aren’t typically as secure as a personal computer. When you use public computers, we will ask you additional questions before you sign on to protect your personal information. Examples of public computers include, computers available at a library, coffee shop, or other public locations.

WHY WOULD I REGISTER A PERSONAL COMPUTER?
Registering your computer is another security measure to protect your financial information. With your user ID and password, this information helps us prevent unauthorized access to your accounts. On a registered computer, you are not asked to answer confirmation questions when you sign on – making it faster to access your account information.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I REGISTERED A PERSONAL COMPUTER BY MISTAKE? CAN SOMEONE USE IT TO ACCESS MY ACCOUNT
No, someone cannot access your account information online simply because the computer has been registered. In addition to the cookie we use to register a computer, your user ID and password are needed to sign on from an authorized location. If you are concerned about a cookie that has been left on a public computer, we suggest that you change your password and/or user ID. The cookie does not contain this information and is useless if these other identifiers are not presented properly. Cookies are also updated periodically as an additional security measure.

IF MULTIPLE PEOPLE USE THIS COMPUTER, SHOULD EACH PERSON REGISTER IT?
If more than one person is commonly using this computer to access information for accounts they have with us, each person should register the computer for faster access to their information. Registered locations are saved for each customer.

IF I REGISTER THIS COMPUTER WILL I EVER BE ASKED TO REGISTER IT AGAIN?
You may be asked to register this computer again if the cookie is deleted or if your Internet browser doesn’t allow permanent cookies. Also, if you use more than one Internet browser on your computer, you will be asked to register this computer the first time you use a different browser. Note: If your Internet browser doesn’t allow permanent cookies, you can change your cookie settings using the instructions provided in the Internet browser’s help file.

ARE COOKIES DANGEROUS TO MY COMPUTER?
No. Cookies are small text files that can only be retrieved by the web site that stored it on your computer. These web sites cannot look at any other cookie or anything else on your machine. The cookie we store on registered computers are only used to ensure that an authorized location is accessing your account information. It is not used to track your Internet activity and cannot be used by others to access your information.

DOES ANTI-SPYWARE AND FIREWALL SOFTWARE AFFECT REGISTRATION OF A PERSONAL COMPUTER?
We recommend that you use anti-spyware and firewall software on all your computers. However, some anti-spyware and firewall software do not allow cookies to be stored on a computer. If your anti-spyware or firewall software do not allow cookies, you may not be able to register your personal computer. Some anti-spyware software may give you an option to remove cookies. If our cookie is removed, your personal computer will no longer be registered and you will be asked to answer confirmation questions the next time you sign on.

HOW CAN I GUARANTEE THE SECURITY OF MY BANKING INFORMATION?
You are the first line of defense for your online account security. We recommend that you:

• Never provide your user ID and password to anyone. Our employees never ask for this information.
• Be careful with your password. Do not write it down or maintain it in a place that is easily accessible.
• Select a password which consists of letters, a series of numbers, or a combination of letters and numbers that cannot be easily guessed by others.
• When you are done using Internet Banking, exit the system by clicking the Sign Off link in the top-right corner of the page.

HOW OFTEN CAN I CHANGE MY PASSWORD?
As often as needed but only once per day. Once you are signed on, go to Customer Service to make the change.

HOW DO I ACCESS INTERNET BANKING IF I FORGET MY PASSWORD?
In the event that your password is forgotten, you should click the Forgot Your Password link on the login page. If this link isn't displayed, please contact the EBSB Internet Customer Support line at (800) 524-7912, or during regular business hours at (800) 657-3272. For security reasons, EBSB is unable to provide your current or new password over the phone, but will mail a new password to your primary address.

HOW OFTEN CAN I CHANGE MY USER ID?
Following your initial enrollment into Internet Banking, you will be permitted to change your user ID only once. While we do recommend that you change your password as often as needed to prevent it from being compromised, it is not wise to change the user ID, which uniquely identifies you as a user of the Internet Banking service.

WHAT ARE THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNET BANKING?
HARDWARE: PC or Macintosh computer equipped with:

• 133 Mhz processor
• 64 Mg of memory
• 56k Modem
• 800x600 screen resolution NOTE: Our product can still run on less robust machines, but response may be slower.

• Microsoft Internet Explorer: No special configuration options are required.
• Netscape Navigator: Client users should verify appropriate Netscape settings as follows: --On the Netscape Navigator toolbar, select EDIT / PREFERENCES / ADVANCED and ensure that the box is labeled 'Enable Java Script for Navigator' is checked. --On the Netscape navigator toolbar, select VIEW / SET LANGUAGE REGION and ensure the language option is set to English (US).

WHAT DO I DO IF I SEE ANY INACCURATE INFORMATION IN MY STATEMENTS?

We will make every effort to ensure your information is current, accurate and as complete as possible. If you see any inaccurate information on your statements or in any other correspondence from us, please write to us at: East Boston Savings Bank, Deposit Operations, 67 Prospect Street, Peabody, MA 01960

You may also contact our Call Center at (978) 977-3272. All requests will be handled in a timely manner.

Should any of your information change prior to receiving any statements or mailings from us, please notify us so that we can update our records.

WHAT IS REMOTE DEPOSIT CAPTURE?

Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) is a solution that allows you to capture, validate, and transmit your deposits from the comfort of your office. It reads the amount on each check you scan and balances the total for a deposit slip that you also scan. The images, deposit information, and MICR information are then electronically delivered to EBSB over a secure Internet connection.

HOW WILL REMOTE DEPOSIT CAPTURE BENEFIT MY BUSINESS?

You can eliminate time-wasting deposit preparation and trips to the bank, while improving the speed and efficiency of both collections and returns.

HOW DOES REMOTE DEPOSIT CAPTURE GET ME MY MONEY FASTER?

As long as you transmit your deposit by 7:00 p.m., it will be effective today and available tomorrow, allowing you to invest faster, or pay down debt sooner.

HOW LATE CAN I MAKE A DEPOSIT AND STILL GET SAME DAY CREDIT?

The cutoff time for same day deposits is 4:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday - Friday. Saturday deposits will roll over to Monday.

ARE THE TRANSITIONS OF BATCHES SECURE?

All transmissions are secured using SSL encryption.

DOES THE APPLICATION SCAN THE FRONT/BACK OF EACH CHECK IMAGE?

Yes. With a single pass through the scanner, the front and back of the check are image captured at the same time CAR/LAR, DREAM, IQA/IQU, Duplicate Detection, and MICR processes are completed, information is read, and routing transit numbers are validated.

DOES THE APPLICATION PERFORM REAL TIME ROUTING AND TRANSFER CHECK DIGIT VALIDATION?

Yes. The application only allows valid U.S. transit routing numbers to be captured, as foreign transit routing numbers and non-valid U.S. transit routing numbers are rejected immediately by the application. For invalid numbers, users are notified that the items should be removed because they cannot be included with the deposit.

WHAT DO I DO WITH THE CHECKS AFTER I MAKE A DEPOSIT?

You will retain the original checks in a secure location for 45 days at which time they should be destroyed.

DOES THE APPLICATION ALLOW THE USER TO ENTER ANY ADDITIONAL USER-DEFINED FIELDS AS COMPLIMENTARY TRA

Yes. The system allows for user-defined fields with varying lengths at either the Deposit or Item level. This functionality will require detailed analysis for setup and configuration.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF USER ACCESS AVAILABLE?

Users have access to perform different functions within the system based on the User Profile. For example, some users may be able to capture and correct items, but not actually submit the deposit to EBSB. Capture Items, Balance Deposit, Reports, Change Account Descriptions, Research Date, and System Administration are just a few of the examples of privileges that can be granted to individual users.