YOUR Account Security is a Priority with Us!

     We all know fraud is rampant in the world at this time. The Credit Union spends countless hours and large amounts of money to provide the hardware, software, testing and staff training to ensure your information is protected.  However, you are your best defense since you know what are your transactions and what are not.

     Below are some ways to help you protect yourself from becoming a victim. Yes, you may eventually get your money back, but the hassle you will go through, contacting merchants and requesting documents can take many hours you would rather use to be doing something else. Remember, you may not be using the Internet, but the government and most businesses today are, so your data is still out there.

     Please read below and remember they are all FREE and simple to use:
– Don’t share any of your personal information with anyone you don’t know.  If someone calls you telling you they need to verify information on your account, ask them for their name and number and then call the Credit Union number you know and verify their request is legitimate. Remember – the Credit Union will never call you to ask you for your account number.  We already have it.

– Check your account online at least once a day. You are the only one who can verify your transactions. If anything looks suspicious, contact the Credit Union immediately.

– Review your statements when you receive them and again notify the Credit Union immediately with any questions.

– Set up eAlerts in Online Banking – login, go to Info Center, choose the eAlerts that will be most helpful to you and then choose to receive them by text, email or both. They can warn you about your balance, ACH deposits or withdrawals, number or amount of transactions that post in a day, and even notify you when your loan is due – You Choose What YOU want to see.

– Set up Alerts in the app – you can do the same things above by clicking on the More button at the bottom of the screen, then Manage My Cards and then choose the specific debit or credit card(s) you want to set up.

– Fraud Alerts – make sure the credit union has your current phone number, in the event our anti-fraud detection software flags a transaction.  They will first try to call you by phone.  If unable to reach you, they will send you a text to verify that the transaction was authorized.

– Lock and Unlock your 1CFCU debit and/or credit cards under Manage My Cards. You can easily lock your card with the tap of your finger when not in use so it is protected from unauthorized use or if the card is lost.  It is easy to turn the card off and on and it only takes a minute to make it available.

– Traveling – Be sure to call the Credit Union before leaving so we can flag your debit and/or credit cards with your travel destination(s) to prevent anti-fraud detection software from blocking your transactions.

– Passwords – don’t use a simple password, never use/reuse a default password and don’t use the same password on multiple sites.  Also, don’t write your PIN on your cards.

– Only email personal or financial information securely – contact the Credit Union for the easiest, most secure way for you to share information with us.  There are different ways depending on the information or documents you wish to share.

– Don’t open unsolicited/unexpected emails – Be very careful to verify who sent the email – most phishers use email addresses that look similar to an email address you might be familiar with. Phishers are notorious for misspelled words and improper grammar, especially if they are from another country. Don’t be drawn in by emails claiming you won a lottery you never entered, sale overpayments, restarting memberships you never had, fake tech support, blackmail scams, or anything that says “Share this NOW!!!” Always remember – Think BEFORE you click!

– Check Your Credit Report– Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and request your FREE credit report annually from all three bureaus.   

– Freeze Your Credit Report – You can even contact the three credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax and Transunion – to freeze your credit so no unauthorized persons can apply for credit in your name. Just remember when you yourself apply for credit, you need to remove the freeze on your credit reports.

– Code Word on Your Credit Union Account – You can even place a Code Word on your account that would be required for any in person or phone transactions.  Call for details.

                                      Remember – Your Security is Our #1 Priority!