Free checking you can count on

Tap to Pay cards let you make payments without running your card through a terminal. It’s a touch-free payment method; you simply hold the card within 2 inches of the Contactless/Tap to Pay symbol on the terminal (in other words, you don’t have to literally tap the card against anything). In some cases, it may take a second or two for the transaction to complete, so don’t pull the card away too quickly. To indicate when the transaction is complete, the payment terminal may beep, display a green checkmark, or flash a green light.

Tap to Pay cards are as secure as EMV chip cards because they both use the same security standards for transactions. Whether you’re using a Tap to Pay card or inserting your EMV chip card, the sensitive information sent is encrypted.

You’ll see a Contactless/Tap to Pay Symbol, either on the terminal or displayed prominently by the merchant. It looks something like a Wi-Fi symbol (three or four concentric arcs of different sizes) turned sideways. 

Technically, you use a Tap to Pay card that is embedded with a Contactless chip. However, the terms Tap to Pay and Contactless are basically interchangeable.

You’ll still have the option to swipe the card for a magstripe read or dip it in an EMV chip reader. You’re not losing any options, just gaining the contactless option.

When you receive a new debit or credit card, it will include an activation sticker with instructions for activating your card via the phone. You can also instantly activate the card using the Card Management feature in Online & Mobile Banking. 

You’ll find your checking account number on the bottom of your checks. If you don’t have your checks with you, you can find it in Online Banking. From the Online Banking Dashboard, click on your checking account. This opens a separate panel that shows your recent transaction history.  At the top of the list of transactions, you will see a link that says Account Details. Click on this link, and the displayed information will change. The account number for a checking account is a fourteen-digit number, listed as the “MICR Account Number”.

Example

The routing number is identical for all SF Fire Credit Union accounts: 321076506. You can find the routing number displayed in the bottom right hand corner of most pages within Online Banking. You’ll also find it in the teal box that appears at the bottom of many pages on this public website.

Yes.

1. From the menu in Online Banking or the Mobile Banking app, click on New Accounts and Loans and then select Open New Accounts. 
2. Click “Apply Here” on the Checking, Savings and Certificates tile. 
3. If you have more than one Member ID # associated with your Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number, you’ll have the chance to choose which one should be associated with the new account. 
4. A panel will open to the right to let you choose between three categories: Term Certificates, Checking and Savings accounts, or a new membership. 
5. Choose the category and then the account type you wish to open, and follow the on-screen prompts. 

Term Certificates will require a minimum $250 deposit from an available funding source. If you do not have funds available in an account at SF Fire Credit Union, you will not be able to open a Term Certificate online until you make a deposit or transfer funds in from an external account using Transfer & Pay >> Make a Transfer.

There are a few steps to take to help make sure your Mobile Deposit goes through.

• Make sure to endorse the check on the back (include your name, member number, and “For mobile deposit only to SF Fire Credit Union”)
• Make sure you have sufficient lighting where you are taking the picture
• Make sure the signature on the front of the check does not obscure the account details
• Make sure the check fits within the frame on the screen when taking the photo
• Once you receive a Mobile Deposit #, please record on the back of the check and retain the check for two weeks.

If you get an error when trying to launch the camera, check the Privacy settings for the camera on your device. You may need to give the SF Fire CU Mobile App permission to access the camera.

You can load a travel note for either domestic or international travel using the Card Management feature within Online & Mobile Banking. You will first need to specify a preferred contact phone number, which can be done under Profile>Contact Information.

You can also load a travel note by calling us, visiting the branch, or contacting us via live chat.