Last Updated: May 2, 2024

Online Privacy Statement

Protecting your privacy and the trust that you, the consumer, have placed in Farmers & Merchant’s Bank and its affiliates (collectively “F&M”, and sometimes referred to herein as “we”, “us”, or “our”) is at the core of our business. Our goal is to protect your personal information during the course of every interaction with you, whether on the telephone, in our lobby, at one of our ATMs, on the Internet, or while using a mobile device. This Online Privacy Statement describes the types of personal information we collect when you visit or use F&M’s websites, mobile applications, and other Online Services (collectively, the “Online Services”), how we use the information, with whom we may share it, and the choices available to you regarding our use of the information. We also describe measures we take to protect the information and how you can contact us about our privacy practices.

This Online Privacy Statement applies solely to our Online Services. If you are a consumer who has a financial product or service with F&M, please also refer to our Consumer Privacy Notice, which federal law requires us to give to certain consumers to explain what we do with their personal information, how we may share it, and how consumers can limit our sharing of the information.

The Types of Information We Collect

Through your use of the Online Services, we may collect personal information from you in the following ways:

 

Personal Information You Provide to Us.
• We may collect personal information from you, such as your first and last name, address, email, User IDs, telephone number, and social security number when you open a new financial account or register for other financial services.  Device images/videos may be accessed when you deposit a check or use a QR code to make peer to peer payments using Zelle or other payments functionality.  Device contacts may be accessed when you make peer to peer payments using Zelle or other payments functionality.  Device location may be accessed to detect and prevent card transaction fraud and also to provide branch and ATM locations.
• We will collect the financial and transaction information necessary to provide you with the Online Services, including account numbers, payment card expiration date, payment card identification, verification numbers, and transaction and payment history.
• If you provide feedback or contact us via email, we will collect your name and email address, as well as any other content included in the email, in order to send you a reply.
• We also collect other types of personal information that you provide voluntarily, such as any information requested by us if you contact us via email regarding support for the Online Services.

Personal Information Collected from Third Parties. We may collect certain information from identity verification services and consumer reporting agencies, including credit bureaus, in order to provide some of our Online Services.

Personal Information Collected Via Technology. We and our service providers may automatically log information about you, your computer or mobile device, and your interaction over time with our Online Services, our communications, and other related services, such as:
• Device data, such as your computers or mobile device’s operating system type and version, manufacturer and model, browser type, screen resolution, RAM and disk size, CPU usage, device type (example: phone, tablet), IP address, unique identifiers, language settings, mobile device carrier, radio/network information (example: Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G), and general location information such as city, state, or geographic area.
• Online activity data, such as pages or screens you viewed, how long you spent on a page or screen, the website you visited before browsing to the Online Service, navigation paths between pages or screens, information about your activity on a page or screen, access times, and duration of access.
• Cookies, which are text files that websites store on a visitor’s device to uniquely identify the visitor’s browser or to store information or settings in the browser for the purpose of helping you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, enabling functionality, and helping us understand user activity and patterns.
• Local storage technologies, like HTML5 and Flash, that provide cookie-equivalent functionality but can store larger amounts of data, including on your device outside of your browser in connection with specific applications.
• Web beacons, also known as pixel tags or clear GIFs, which are used to demonstrate that a webpage or email was accessed or opened, or that certain content was viewed or clicked.
• Location Information. If you have enabled location services on your phone and agree to the collection of your location when prompted by the Online Services, we will collect your location information when you use the Online Services; for example, to provide our fraud detection services. If you do not want us to collect this information, you may decline the collection of your location when prompted or adjust the location services settings on your device.

We may use third-party analytics services on our Online Services, such as Google Analytics. The information we obtain through the Online Services may be disclosed to or collected directly by these services. To learn more about Google Analytics, please visit https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.

Please note, your browser may tell you how to be notified about certain types of automated collection technologies and how to restrict or disable them. Without these technologies, however, you may not be able to use all of the features of our Online Services. For mobile devices, you can manage how your device and browser share certain device data by adjusting the privacy and security settings on your mobile device.

How Does F&M Use the Information We Collect?

We may use the personal information we collect to:

  • Establish and administer accounts;
  • Provide our products and services and process and fulfill transactions in connection with our products and services;
  • Communicate with you (including providing you with offers and other communications about our products and services), respond to inquiries, and offer customer support;
  • Report to credit bureaus;
  • Verify your identity;
  • Personalize your experience on our Online Services;
  • Advertise and market our products and services;
  • Manage career opportunities at F&M, including for recruitment purposes, candidate screening and evaluation, and employee onboarding;
  • Establish and manage our business relationships;
  • Operate, evaluate, and improve our business (including developing new products and services; enhancing, improving and analyzing our products and services; managing our communications; and performing accounting, auditing, and other internal functions);
  • Maintain and enhance the safety and security of our Online Services, products, and other services and prevent misuse;
  • Protect against, identify, and prevent fraud and other criminal activity, claims, and other liabilities;
  • Exercise our rights and remedies and defend against legal claims; and
  • Comply with and enforce applicable legal requirements, relevant industry standards, and F&M policies and terms, including, but not limited to, those relating to anti-money laundering, economic sanctions, and anti-terrorism.

We also may use the information in other ways for which we provide specific notice at the time of collection.

 

How Does F&M Share Collected Information? 

We may share the information we obtain about you with our affiliates and subsidiaries and with our business partners. We also may share the information we obtain about you with third-party vendors and other entities to perform services on our behalf, such as website hosting, data analytics, marketing, payment processing, fraud prevention, and other services. In addition, we may share personal information with: (1) other financial institutions; (2) other companies in connection with co-branded products, services, or programs; and (3) consumer reporting agencies.

We also may disclose personal information:

  • If required by law or legal process (such as a court order or subpoena);
  • In response to requests by government agencies, such as law enforcement authorities, or self-regulatory organizations;
  • To establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights and those of our affiliates, subsidiaries, or business partners;
  • When necessary or appropriate to prevent physical or other harm or financial loss;
  • In connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity;
  • With your consent or as directed by your representative;
  • To facilitate an actual or prospective merger, acquisition, sale, bankruptcy, reorganization, or other disposition of some or all of our assets.

 Third-Party Links and Features

For your convenience and information, our Online Services may provide links to other third-party online services, and may include third-party features such as apps, tools, widgets, and plug-ins. These third-party online services and third-party features may operate independently from us. The privacy practices of the relevant third parties, including details on the information they may collect about you, are subject to the privacy statements of these parties, which we strongly suggest you review. To the extent any linked third-party online services or third-party features are not owned or controlled by us, we are not responsible for these third parties’ information practices.

 How We Protect Personal Information

We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the personal information you provide against accidental, unlawful, or unauthorized access, destruction, loss, alteration, disclosure, disposal, or use.

Our Policy Concerning Children

Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13 through our website. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information through our website, we will take steps to delete such information.

Updates to Our Online Privacy Statement

This Online Privacy Statement may be updated periodically and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our personal information practices. We will indicate at the top of the Online Privacy Statement when it was most recently updated.

Questions?

If you believe any information collected about you has been used for an improper purpose, please call us at (540) 896-8941 or email us at info@fmbankva.com. Please explain your concerns in as much detail as possible so that we may evaluate your concerns and, if appropriate, take action.