Alerus Financial — Customer Service: Practical, Expert Guide

Overview and channels of service

Alerus Financial is a regional financial services firm headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, offering consumer banking, mortgages, wealth management and retirement plan services. It operates through branches, a full-featured online banking platform and a mobile app, and is publicly listed on NASDAQ (ticker: ALRS). Deposits at Alerus are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category; always confirm specific coverage for business or trust accounts with a bank representative.

Customers can interact with Alerus via in-branch visits, telephone support, secure messaging inside online banking, and in some cases live chat accessible from alerus.com. For retirement plan clients and institutional relationships, Alerus maintains specialized client services (plan administration and custodian support) with dedicated teams and SLAs that differ from retail consumer support; expect separate phone numbers and secure portals for plan sponsors.

How to contact Alerus and realistic response expectations

The fastest routes for routine issues are the mobile app and online secure message center: many banks (including Alerus) staff secure-message inboxes Monday–Friday and respond in 1–2 business days for non-urgent inquiries. For urgent matters—lost or stolen cards, suspected fraud, wire transfer cutoffs—call the appropriate phone line published on alerus.com so a customer service representative can take immediate action (card blocks, stop payments, or initiate an investigation).

Branch hours typically follow standard regional banking patterns: weekdays (~9:00–5:00) and limited Saturday hours (~9:00–12:00). Call volumes spike on Monday mornings and around month/quarter ends; when possible, call Tuesdays–Thursdays after 10:00 a.m. to reduce hold time. If you submit a secure message or secure form, expect acknowledgment within 24 hours and substantive resolution within 2–5 business days for straightforward requests; complex investigations (fraud, wire tracing, title or estate matters) commonly take 7–30 days depending on documentation required.

Documentation to have and what representatives will ask

• Account identifiers: last 4 digits of account or card, full account number for written requests, account owner name and date of birth.
• Transaction details for disputes: date/time, amount, merchant name (as shown on statement), and supporting screenshots or receipts.
• Identification and proof: government ID number for in-person visits, and the last 2–4 months of statements if resolving complex reconciliation or wire-trace matters.

Providing the items above at first contact reduces back-and-forth and shortens resolution time. For ERISA or retirement-plan inquiries, have plan number and participant SSN (or masked ID) available and route requests through the plan sponsor portal when possible; institutional teams often require signed authorization or a fiduciary resolution to act on plan-level changes.

Fraud, disputes and timelines

When reporting suspected unauthorized transactions, Alerus will typically: (1) place an immediate hold or block on the affected card or account, (2) initiate a fraud investigation, and (3) provide provisional account credits per federal rules while the investigation proceeds. For consumer electronic fund transfers, federal Regulation E sets expectations for investigation windows—banks generally acknowledge within 10 business days and may provisionally credit accounts during investigation; full resolution can take up to 45 days for complex cases (international transactions or cross-border wires can be longer).

For lost or stolen debit/credit cards, request an immediate block and next-day or expedited card reissue if available. For wire transfer errors, contact Alerus immediately—banks routinely require a written recall request and can take 7–30 business days to trace funds; success rates drop significantly if the originating or beneficiary bank is outside standard correspondent networks. Keep a paper trail: reference numbers, names of representatives, and timestamps of calls or secure messages are essential if escalation becomes necessary.

Fees, common service prices and how to verify them

Fee schedules change, so always request the current Fee Schedule or “Truth in Savings” disclosure on alerus.com or at a branch. Typical retail bank fee ranges to expect (industry-standard approximations): incoming domestic wire $10–25, outgoing domestic wire $25–35, outgoing international wires $35–50 plus intermediary bank charges; out-of-network ATM fees $2.50–5.00 plus any ATM operator fee. Monthly maintenance fees are commonly $5–15 but are frequently waived with qualifying balances or direct-deposit requirements.

Mortgage and wealth-management services have separate fee structures: mortgage servicing questions (escrow shortages, payoff quotes) require payoff statements with exact per-day interest figures; trust and wealth accounts may have AUM (assets under management) fees stated as a percentage—0.5%–1.5% annually is typical depending on service tiers. Always obtain a written fee quote before accepting services and compare it against the disclosure you receive at account opening.

Escalation, complaints and external remedies

If initial customer service does not resolve your issue, request escalation to a supervisor or the branch manager and ask for a specific timeframe for resolution (date and reference number). For formal disputes, send a written complaint (email or certified mail) with transaction evidence and copies of prior correspondence. Document every step—names, dates, and promised deadlines—to preserve an audit trail.

When internal escalation is exhausted, use federal and state resources: file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov (phone: 855‑411‑2372) or contact the FDIC for deposit-related issues (fdic.gov). Alerus, like other banks, is regulated by federal/state agencies depending on the charter; these agencies have published escalation procedures and timelines. Always provide copies (not originals) of supporting documents when submitting to regulators and expect a formal acknowledgment within 15 business days.

What is the phone number for bank financial customer service?

You can stop by any of our branch locations and ask to speak with a Branch Manager regarding feedback or questions. You may also schedule an in-person appointment with a personal banker using our Appointment Scheduler or calling our Customer Service Center at 1-800-894-6900, option 4.

What was the old name of the Alerus company?

In 2000, First National Bank changed its name to Alerus Financial.

Is Alerus a good company?

Ratings distribution
Alerus has an employee rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, based on 106 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there.

Can I withdraw from my Alerus 401k?

You are allowed to make withdrawals from your account under certain circumstances. The fees indicated will be deducted from your account to process each distribution you request. An outstanding loan balance may lower the amount of your requested distribution.

How do I dispute a charge on Alerus?

Clients should try to contact the merchant about the error, if it can’t be resolved through the merchant call our Client Service Center at 800.279. 3200 to start the dispute process.

Is Alerus FDIC insured?

The Alerus mobile app is free to download. Your carrier’s standard message and data rates may apply. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment products are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency of the United States and are not deposits or obligations of nor guaranteed or insured by any bank or bank affiliate.