4:22 p.m., October 9, 2026

Time-Sensitive Action Required: Update Your BankMobile Refund Preference & Mailing Address

Important Highlights:

  • All SMC students must reselect refund preferences to continue receiving financial aid & refunds
  • Verify your mailing address in Corsair Connect by Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, at 5 p.m. PST
  • Reselect your BankMobile refund preference by Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, at 1 p.m. PST—if your preference remains "undefined," you will receive a paper check via USPS (which is why you must ensure your mailing address is correct)
  • No SMC student BankMobile accounts were compromised in the recent security incident

Dear Student,

We are writing to notify you of an important change affecting BankMobile refund preferences and how your financial aid disbursements and tuition refunds are delivered. There is time-sensitive information included—please take a few moments to read this:

First and foremost, we would like to inform you that BankMobile has notified Santa Monica College that no BankMobile accounts associated with SMC students were compromised during the recent high-risk activity period. However, as part of BankMobile's security measures, all students must reselect their refund preferences to ensure their funds are delivered through their preferred method.

This email recaps important background information & next steps you must take to continue receiving your funds.

What happened?

Recently, BankMobile uncovered an increase in high-risk activity associated with student profiles. As a result, they restricted access and adopted additional security measures to protect against this newly identified threat vector.

As part of these security measures, BankMobile changed the refund preference status to "Undefined" for students who had previously selected direct deposit to an external bank account. This means that your previous direct deposit selection may no longer be active, even if you have been receiving refunds successfully through BankMobile.

SMC's Financial Aid and Admissions & Records offices have already contacted students whose disbursements or refunds were delayed. However, we are now asking all students to review and reselect their BankMobile refund preference, even if they are not currently expecting a payment.

If you have already updated your BankMobile refund preference within the past 24 hours, you are all set! However, please also verify your mailing address in Corsair Connect.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

STEP 1: Verify your mailing address in Corsair Connect by Monday, October 12, 2026, at 5 p.m. PST.

Even if you prefer direct deposit, it is important that SMC has your correct mailing address and mobile number.

If BankMobile must issue your refund by check—see “STEP 2” for more information—the check will be mailed to the address SMC has on file, which may differ from the address you previously provided to BankMobile.

To review or update your information:

  • Log in to Corsair Connect.
  • Under “Home & Profile," select “View/Edit Profile."
  • Locate “My Contact Information” and review your U.S. mailing address and mobile phone number.
  • Make any necessary corrections and select “Submit Changes."

STEP 2: Review or update your BankMobile refund preference as soon as possible.

  • Access BankMobile through Corsair Connect (to be safe, always access BankMobile through this verified SMC portal, instead of clicking on any other links that may be emailed to you).
    • Click "Fees and Payment" to expand the menu
    • Click "Refunds & BankMobile." You will find a BankMobile button at the bottom of the page.
  • If your preference displays "Undefined," select your preferred delivery method again and confirm that your selection has been saved.

Important! If you do not reselect your refund preference by Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, and have a financial aid disbursement or tuition refund forthcoming, your payment will not be deposited into your external bank account. Instead, BankMobile will send a paper check through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to the mailing address on your SMC student account.

What if I cannot access my BankMobile account?

If your BankMobile account is locked, you cannot update your refund preference, or you notice an unauthorized change, contact BankMobile directly:

  • BankMobile Customer Care: 877-327-9515
  • BankMobile Account Security Assistance: 855-398-9443
  • BankMobile may require additional identity verification before allowing changes to your account.

We understand how important financial aid and your refund are to you:

We know that many students depend on financial aid disbursements and refunds to cover essential expenses, including housing, food, transportation, and educational supplies, and we realize how inconvenient any delay might be.

Although BankMobile has notified Santa Monica College that no SMC student BankMobile accounts were compromised, the precautionary security measures unrolled by this external entity have caused unexpected inconveniences and delays for some. At SMC, we have been working diligently to stay on top of the developments shared with us and to keep everyone impacted informed.

Please continue checking your SMC student email for additional updates.

Thank you.

Financial Aid and Scholarships Office
Cashier's Office
Admissions and Records Office