First Federal Savings of Lorain — Customer Service: complete professional guide

Purpose, scope and what to expect

First Federal Savings of Lorain’s customer service functions as the front line for account maintenance, payments, fraud response, loan servicing and regulatory compliance. Customers should expect support for routine tasks (balance inquiries, transfers, stop payments), problem resolution (unauthorized transactions, billing errors) and escalations that require underwriting or legal review. Most community banks and mutual savings institutions publish service-level targets; a reasonable benchmark is phone-response under 5 minutes and secure-message response within 24–48 business hours.

This guide is written to be operational: it explains contact channels, exact escalation steps, regulatory remedies and the documents you must provide when filing disputes. Because branch schedules, phone numbers and fee schedules can change, always verify the bank’s current details on the institution’s official website or via the FDIC BankFind tool (banks.data.fdic.gov). For regulatory complaints you will also use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and FDIC channels referenced below.

How to contact customer service — channels, exact steps and expected response times

Use the following prioritized channels for fastest resolution: (1) phone for urgent issues (lost card, fraud), (2) secure online message for documented account questions, (3) in-branch for document-heavy matters such as notarized forms or loan closings. When you call, have your account number and government ID ready; for secure messages, attach PDFs or images of checks, statements or notification letters. Below are practical contact expectations and the external tools to verify official contacts.

• Phone: call the bank’s published customer-service number (expect to authenticate with account number + last 4 SSN). Aim for an initial hold target under 5 minutes; if transferred to operations or underwriting, additional holds of 10–20 minutes are common. If you cannot find the phone number, use the FDIC BankFind tool (banks.data.fdic.gov) to locate the bank’s official number.
• Online/secure message: expect acknowledgement within 24 business hours and a substantive reply within 1–3 business days for routine inquiries; complex disputes are investigated per Regulation E timelines (see below).
• In branch: branch hours for community savings institutions typically are Monday–Friday 9:00–5:00 and Saturday 9:00–12:00; confirm current hours on the bank’s site before visiting. Bring a government ID and copies of any relevant documents.

Disputes, fraud claims and regulatory timelines

For electronic fund errors (unauthorized ACH/debit transactions), federal Regulation E immediately applies: file the dispute as soon as you notice an unauthorized item; the bank must provisionally credit your account within 10 business days if it takes reasonable steps to resolve while it investigates, and complete the investigation within 45 calendar days (longer for new accounts or point-of-sale exceptions). For unauthorized credit-card transactions, issuers follow different rules under the Fair Credit Billing Act, with billing-cycle windows of up to 60–90 days depending on the issue.

If you believe a bank has not resolved your dispute, escalate internally to a supervisor, then to the bank’s compliance officer or designated complaints team. If internal escalation does not resolve the issue within the regulatory timeframe, file a complaint with the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint (phone: 855-411-2372) or the FDIC at banks.data.fdic.gov/bankfind-suite/bankfind (FDIC consumer hotline: 1-877-ASK-FDIC, 1-877-275-3342). When filing externally, include the bank name, account number, timeline of events and copies of correspondence.

Fees, service standards and what to verify on statements

Common consumer fees to verify on First Federal Savings statements include maintenance fees, ATM fees, overdraft/NSF charges and stop-payment fees. Typical Midwest community bank ranges (as a benchmark) are: monthly maintenance $0–$12 (often waived with direct deposit), overdraft/NSF $25–$38 per item, stop-payment $25–$35. Always confirm exact amounts on the bank’s fee schedule or disclosures given at account opening and on periodic statements.

Review monthly statements for the following concrete items: (1) recurring ACH debits (exact company name, amount, effective date), (2) ATM withdrawals (date, terminal location), and (3) fees posted with codes (e.g., NSF, OD, MAINT). If a fee appears incorrectly, note the statement date, ledger date and amount, then use the secure message channel to request reversal; document all communications with timestamps and reference numbers.

Preparing to escalate: documents, scripts and practical templates

When preparing to escalate a service issue—whether internal complaint, regulator submission or legal counsel—assemble a concise packet: account number, copies of relevant statements, transaction IDs or check numbers, date/time stamps of calls, names of bank employees spoken to and copies of any written correspondence. A well-prepared packet reduces investigative time and increases the probability of complete remediation.

• Essential documents: government-issued photo ID, proof of address (utility bill), copies of affected statements (PDFs), front/back images of disputed checks, screenshots of online banking pages, and a short timeline (3–6 bullet points) of events with dates and employee names.

Final practical tips and verification resources

Always confirm the bank’s official phone number and branch hours via FDIC BankFind (banks.data.fdic.gov) or the institution’s website before providing personal data. For mortgage or loan servicing issues also verify NMLS registration at nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Keep all communications in writing when possible and escalate to the CFPB (consumerfinance.gov/complaint, 855-411-2372) or FDIC (1-877-ASK-FDIC) if the internal process does not resolve the issue within the prescribed federal timelines.

Following these operational steps and compiling the precise documentation described above will materially shorten resolution times and produce a verifiable record should you need to involve regulators. If you need, I can draft an escalation email or phone script tailored to your specific account facts—provide the transaction dates and amounts (do not share account numbers here) and I will prepare a concise, evidence-based message ready to send to customer service or the compliance officer.

How do I check my Federal Bank account?

How to view account summary?

1. Login to the FedMobile app.
2. Tap the ‘FedBook’ icon at the bottom of the Home screen.
3. Tap on ‘View all accounts’ on top right corner of the screen.
4. Tap on the account you want to see the details.

What is the minimum balance in First Federal Savings Bank?

Personal Savings Accounts

• Only a $50 minimum opening deposit.
• $3 monthly service charge is waived if you maintain a daily balance of $100 or more, or are a minor under the age 18, or are age 50 or older.
• Competitive Interest rates.
• Make deposits and withdrawals anytime at the bank or ATM.
• Open Now.

Is the Federal Savings Bank a legitimate company?

About The Federal Savings Bank
We are a veteran-owned, federally chartered bank with a focus on educating our customers about the mortgage process. To ensure we provide the highest quality mortgage experience, we start with understanding the needs of our customers.

How big is First Federal Savings of Lorain assets?

Data Updated on: 08/08/2025
The bank has 74 employees and holds $532,208k in total assets. With a focus on community banking, the bank has been serving its customers since 01/01/1921. Learn more about First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Lorain on Visbanking Report Portal.

Who bought out the first federal bank?

The assets and deposits of Federal Bank of California in Santa Monica were bought by closely held OneWest Bank.

What is the phone number for the Federal Savings Bank?

877.788.3520
For more information about your banking options or to open an account, call 877.788. 3520 to speak with one of our business bankers.