Frequently Asked Questions

We have already included you in these enhanced services as part of our fraud protection services.

Transactions that we have identified as potential fraud trigger the alerts.

The majority of suspected fraud accounts will be blocked, just as they are today. However, some lower risk items may not be declined.

Yes, though please keep in mind that it could take up to 5 – 10 minutes for a block to be removed in some situations.

Once the alert is updated in our fraud system, you can attempt the transaction again, usually within 5 – 10 minutes of the initial message sent to validate activity.

The system will accept many common typo variations of the “yes” or “no” text message response. If the system cannot understand what was typed, it will generate a message to call a representative for help.

Yes.

The standard order of communication is:

1. Text
2. Voice Call
3. Email

Alerts generated overnight result in an email only until calling and texting hours are available. Text will be sent from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in your time zone. Calls will be sent from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the your time zone.

If a mobile phone is on record, a text alert is triggered first. All numbers on record that are identified as a mobile phone are utilized. FIS has technology to determine if a phone number is a mobile phone or land line. If there is no response to the text(s), then an automated voice call is generated. The automated voice call asks the client to confirm the authorization(s) are valid or unrecognized. If the cardholder pushes not recognized, the call is transferred to an agent to confirm the alert is fraudulent.

In other areas of business, we have calls only going out during certain hours so cardholders aren’t being called before normal waking hours. Emails will be sent 24 hours. Text will be sent from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the cardholder’s time zone. Calls will be sent from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the cardholder’s time zone. Texts and voice calls pending from the night before will be triggered the following morning at the applicable time noted above. Agents are available 24/7.

All you need to do is respond back to the SMS text alert with the word STOP. U.S. consumers who have service through AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile will not be charged message or data rates for our fraud alerts. We absorb that cost for you!

We are unable to send text or phone calls internationally, but please make sure your email address is current as we can always email you 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Simply call Sandy Spring Bank’s Client Service Center, or visit any branch location, to add your mobile phone number to your accounts.  Please make sure to keep your email address and phone numbers up to date so that we may contact you quickly if fraud is suspected on your accounts.  Our Client Service Center is available Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.