Protect Yourself

There are many ways that you can help reduce your risk of becoming a victim of fraud:

• Identity Theft
• Protect Your Computer
• Online Banking
• Protect Your Personal Access Code (PAC)
• Protect Your Personal Identification Number (PIN)
• Telephone or Mail Inquiries

Identity Theft
Fraudsters are constantly coming up with new ways to carry out identity theft. Identity theft can be the result of any number of actions. Some common methods include:

1. Responding to a fraudulent telephone call, letter or email that asks for your personal banking information
2. Having your purse, wallet, mail or any other personal information stolen
3. Rifling through your garbage
4. Posing as a landlord, potential employer, etc?
5. Visiting insecure websites

Armed with your personal information, a person may be able to access your accounts, establish credit and obtain services and benefits in your name.

You can help protect yourself from identity theft by educating yourself on how it occurs, and taking appropriate action to reduce your chances of becoming a target.

1. Sign credit cards when they arrive
2. Safely discard all personal materials. Consider purchasing a personal shredder for home use.
3. Review your credit union statements and credit card statements when they arrive.  Advise your financial institution of any discrepancies immediately.
4. Practice safe banking online. Protect your computer with a firewall and anti-virus software.
5. Memorize your PIN number. Do not write it down or disclose it to anyone.
6. Never provide financial information such as personal passwords by phone or email.
7. Perform an annual credit check. An annual credit check is available free from the credit bureau, or through Equifax or TransUnion.
8. Report any theft of personal information to your local police, your credit union, the credit bureau and any service providers that you use.

Protect your computer
We have provided a secure channel for our customer-owners to communicate with us. Once the information has reached your computer, it's up to you to protect it. To protect your information, you should:

1. Never leave your computer unattended while using our online banking services.
2. Always exit the MemberDirect® site using the logout button and close your browser if you step away from your computer. (Your browser may retain information you entered in the login screen and elsewhere until you exit the browser.)
3. Prevent the browser from caching (storing) the pages that you view by using the enhanced security feature located on the login screen. We strongly recommend that you use this feature if you are accessing the MemberDirect® site from a shared computer, such as at a friend's house or through a publicly-accessible computer, such as at a library or airport.
4. Secure or erase files stored on your computer by your browser so others cannot read them. Most browsers store information in non-protected (unencrypted) files in the browser's cache to improve performance. These files remain there until erased. They can be erased using standard computer utilities or by using your browser feature to "empty" the cache.
5. Disable automatic password-save features in the browsers and software you use to access the Internet.
6. Install and use a quality anti-virus program. As new viruses are created each and every day, be sure to update your anti-virus program often. It is recommended you update anti-virus definitions weekly. Scan all download files, programs, disks and attachments and only accept files and programs from a trusted source.
7. Install and use a personal firewall on your computer to ensure others cannot access your computer through the Internet.
8. Install new security patches as soon as your operating system and Internet browser manufacturers make them available.
9. Install an anti-spyware program and check your computer regularly.
10. If you visit any questionable web site before MemberDirect®, we recommend you close your browser and restart it before proceeding to MemberDirect.

To learn more about browser security, please visit the Microsoft and Netscape websites. To ensure a safe and secure Internet session, only visit reputable sites.

Online Banking
The easiest way to tell if an email is fraudulent is by remembering that your credit union will never email you a request for your personal passwords, personal information numbers or login information.  Legitimate credit unions do not include links to their websites in email communication with customer-owners.

1. When banking online, check the address of any pages that ask for personal account information. Does the address begin with "https" or "http"? Any pages of a legitimate Internet banking website that ask members to enter account information will have "https" in the address and this indicates that the page is secure.
2. Look for, and click on, the padlock found in the lower right corner of your screen. If the page is truly legitimate, by clicking on the padlock you can view a page which lists the security certificate details for the site. A fraudulent site will not provide such details.
3. Never disclose your passwords and/or PIN to anyone via email or any other way. You must be the only person that knows this password/PIN. Legitimate credit unions take measures to ensure that you are the only one that knows your password. It is not even known by your credit union.
4. Make it difficult for others to guess your password, by using a combination of letters and numbers in your password.
5. Always ensure that you are transacting on the credit union server by typing in the credit unions web address yourself.
6. If you are unsure of the authenticity of an email, delete it and call your branch to find out if an email was indeed distributed.

Protect your Personal Access Code (PAC)
Just as you play a vital role in ensuring the security of your home and your possessions, you too share in the responsibility for ensuring that your personal information is adequately protected.

In order for us to ensure that only you are accessing your accounts, we need a unique way of knowing that it's you. Just as the key to your home protects unwanted entry, the online banking 'key' - your Personal Access Code (PAC) - ensures that only you can access your accounts.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your 'key' to access online services is protected. Please observe the following security practices:

1. Select a PAC that is easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess.
2. Do not select a part of your PIN (your ATM 'key') or another password.
3. Keep your PAC confidential and do not share it with anyone.
4. Do not write your PAC down or store it in a file on your computer.
5. Never disclose your PAC in a voice or email, and do not disclose it over the phone.
6. Ensure no one observes you typing in your PAC.
7. Change your PAC on a regular basis. We suggest every 90-120 days.

Protect your Personal Identification Number (PIN)
Just as you play a vital role in ensuring the security of your home and your possessions, you too share in the responsibility for ensuring that your personal information is adequately protected.

In order for us to ensure that only you are accessing your accounts, we need a unique way of knowing that it's you. Just as the key to your home protects unwanted entry, the electronic and ATM banking 'key' - your Personal Identification Number (PIN) - ensures that only you can access your accounts.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your 'key' to access electronic banking services is protected. Please observe the following security practices:

1. Select a PIN that is easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess.
2. Do not select a part of your PAC (your online 'key') or another password.
3. Keep your PIN confidential and do not share it with anyone.
4. Do not write your PIN down or store it in a file on your computer.
5. Never disclose your PIN in a voice or email, and do not disclose it over the phone.
6. Ensure no one observes you typing in your PIN.

Telephone or Mail Inquiries
Your credit union will never call you to ask for or verify personal information, credit card number, PIN number or account number. Never give out or verify any of your personal information over the phone.

The best response to this type of inquiry is to ask to set up an appointment at your credit union. Ask for the name and phone number of the caller. It is almost certain that the individual will not give this information if they are attempting a fraud and if they do, the information would prove to be false.

If you are contacted by anyone purporting to be a credit union employee looking to obtain or confirm personal information, notify your credit union immediately.