Introduction
As use of the Internet continues to expand, more credit
unions are using it to offer products and services or
otherwise enhance communications with members.
The Internet offers the potential for safe, convenient new
ways to shop for financial services and conduct credit union
business, any day, any time. However, members need to make
good on-line choices—decisions that may help avoid costly
surprises or scams.
This brochure offers information and tips to help you if you
are thinking about, or are already, using the Internet to
conduct on-line financial transactions. It will tell you how
to:
safe internet buying, secure online transaction, credit unions, investing online
• Confirm that an on-line credit union is legitimate and
that your share deposit is insured;
• Keep your personal information private and secure;
• Learn where to go for more assistance; and
• Locate helpful on-line resources.
So, before you click there, read here.
Credit
Union
Web Site Legitimacy & Share
Deposit Insurance
When performing transactions on the credit union's Web site,
it's wise to make sure that it is legitimate and that your
deposits are federally insured. Here are some tips
specifically designed for members to consider when
performing credit union transactions over the Internet.
Read key information about the credit union posted on its
Web site.
Most credit union Web sites have an "About Us" section or
something similar. You may find a brief credit union
history, its name and address, and information about its
insurance coverage from NCUA.
Protect yourself from fraudulent Web sites.
For example, watch out for copycat Web sites that
deliberately use a name or Web address very similar to, but
not the same as, that of a real credit union. The intent is
to lure you into clicking onto their Web site and give your
personal information, such as your account number and
password. Always check to see if you have typed the correct
Web site address before conducting any business.
Check the credit union's insurance status and Web site
address.
To check a credit union's insurance status, look for the
familiar NCUA logo or the words "Insured by NCUA" on the Web
site.
To independently verify a credit union's insurance status or
Web site address, you can check NCUA's on-line database of
credit unions. Go to NCUA's home page at
http://www.ncua.gov
and select "Credit Union Data" then "Individual Credit Union
Data." From there enter the first letters of the credit
union's name or the city and state and click the "Find"
button. A positive match will display the credit union's
information, including Web site address ("URL"), on the
screen. The credit union type code also appears. This code
indicates whether NCUA insures the accounts at the credit
union. There are three different credit union types:
1 - Federal credit union (NCUA insured)
2 - Federally-insured State credit union (NCUA insured)
3 - Non-federally insured State credit union (not NCUA
insured)
Please remember that not all credit unions operating on the
Internet are insured by NCUA. Only federal credit unions and
federally insured state-chartered credit unions are insured
by NCUA. Check with your credit union or NCUA if you are not
sure of your credit union's insurance status.
Know where to get more information about NCUA insurance.
If you or your family have less than $100,000 in all your
accounts at the same NCUA-insured credit union, the entire
amount is insured. If your accounts total $100,000 or more,
find out if your total shares are within the insurance
limit. The NCUA brochure "Your Insured Funds" can help you
determine the insurable amount. You can obtain the brochure
from your credit union, the appropriate NCUA Regional
Office, or view it
via a link in NCUA's Web site at
http://
www.ncua.gov/ref/insured_funds/funds.htm.
Realize that not all financial services offered via a
credit union's Web site are necessarily insured.
It is important to note that only shares
offered by NCUA-insured credit unions are protected by NCUA.
Non-insured investment and insurance products, such as
mutual funds, stocks, annuities, and life insurance policies
that may be sold through Web sites or at the credit union
itself, are not NCUA-insured, are not
guaranteed by the credit union, and may lose value.
Remember that non-financial Web sites that are linked to
your credit union's site are not NCUA-insured.
As an added convenience to their members, some credit unions
offer on-line links to other sites. An outside company's
products and services are not insured by NCUA, and your
credit union may not guarantee the products and services.
As in everyday business, before you order a product or
service on-line, make sure you are comfortable with the
reputation of the company making the offer. Only then should
you give out your credit card or debit card number. Never
give the number unless you initiated the transaction.
Protect Your
Privacy
Some consumers may want to know how their personal
information is used by their credit union and whether it is
shared with credit union affiliates or other parties.
Since July 2001, credit unions are required to give members
a copy of their privacy notice, regardless of whether you
are conducting business on-line or off-line. This notice
outlines the credit union's information sharing practices.
Credit unions may want to share information about you to
help market products to your specific needs and interests.
If you do not wish to participate in information sharing,
you have the right to prevent your credit union from sharing
your private personal information with non-affiliated
parties, except in certain limited circumstances. As of July
2001, your credit union should provide a clear method for
you to "opt out" of this type of information sharing. Some
credit unions post a copy of their privacy notice on their
Web site.
Some organizations track your Web browsing habits while at
their site, to understand your interests and then to market
particular services or promotions. You may want to ask
whether your credit union tracks your browsing habits if
these practices concern you. Some credit union Web sites
post an Internet privacy statement on their Web site
describing such practices. By reviewing these practices, you
can learn what information the credit union collects, and
what information, if any, it shares with other
organizations.
Your Web browser may enable you to block the ability of
outside companies to track your browsing habits. Your credit
union and your
Internet service provider may have more information about
how to protect your privacy on-line.
Keep Your Transactions
Secure
The Internet is a public network. Therefore, it is important
to learn how to safeguard your credit union account
information, credit card numbers, Social Security Number and
other personal data.
Look at your credit union's Web site for information
about its security practices, or contact your credit union
directly.
Also learn about and take advantage of security features.
Some examples are:
-
Encryption
is the process of scrambling
private information to prevent unauthorized access. To
show that your transmission is encrypted, some browsers
display a small icon, usually in the lower right hand
corner of your screen, that looks like a "lock" or a
"key" whenever you conduct secure transactions on-line.
Frequently e-mail is unsecured, even if you access it
from a secured web page. Therefore, avoid sending
sensitive information, such as account numbers, through
e-mail unless added security measures are in place.
-
Passwords and/or personal identification numbers (PINs)
should be used
when accessing an account on-line. Your password should
be unique to you and you should change it regularly. Do
not use birth dates, Social Security Number, or other
numbers or words that may be easy for others to guess.
Be careful who you give your password to. For example,
if you use a financial service that requires you to
provide your password in order to gather and display
your financial data in a consolidated format from
various on-line sources, make sure you learn about the
company's privacy and security practices.
-
General security
over your personal
computer such as virus protection and logical access
controls (i.e., passwords) should be used and updated
regularly. Contact your hardware and software suppliers
or Internet service provider to ensure you have the
latest browser version. Also, consider the use of a
personal firewall to minimize unauthorized access from
the Internet.
If you have a security concern about your on-line accounts,
contact your credit union to discuss your concerns.
For More Help
Answers to your questions.
Many regulations provide consumer protection for both
traditional and on-line transactions.
If you have any questions or concerns, first try to get
guidance from your credit union. If you are still not
satisfied and your credit union is a "Federal Credit Union"
(FCU), contact the appropriate NCUA Regional Office.
Otherwise contact the State Supervisory Authority where the
credit union's main office is located.
How to file an FCU
complaint
You should file your complaint in writing. This may be
on-line via e-mail or sent by fax or regular mail. Your
complaint should include:
-
Your full name, address, and telephone number
-
Your e-mail address (if applicable)
-
The credit union's official name and main office
address
-
Specific information regarding the nature of your
complaint (if filing via unsecured e-mail, do not
include sensitive information such as account numbers or
Social Security Numbers)
-
Any supporting documentation
Retain a copy of your letter and supporting documents for
your records.
Where to file a complaint
NCUA Regional Offices
Region I - Albany
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New
York, Rhode Island, Vermont)
NCUA Region I
9 Washington Square
Washington Avenue Extension
Albany, New York 12205
Telephone: (518) 862-7400
Fax: (518) 862-7420
E-Mail: region1@ncua.gov
Region II - Capital
(Delaware, District of Columbia, New
Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia)
NCUA Region II
1775 Duke St., Suite 4206
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3437
Telephone: (703) 519-4600
Fax: (703) 519-4620
E-Mail: region2@ncua.gov
Region III - Atlanta
(Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Virgin Islands)
NCUA Region III
7000 Central Parkway, Suite 1600
Atlanta, Georgia 30328
Telephone: (678) 443-3000
Fax: (678) 443-3020
E-Mail:
region3@ncua.gov
Region IV - Chicago
(Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri,
Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin)
NCUA Region IV
4225 Naperville Road, Suite 125
Lisle, Illinois 60532-3658
Telephone: (630) 955-4100
FAX: (630) 955-4120
TDD: (630) 245-1016
E-Mail: region4@ncua.gov
Region V - Austin
(Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
South
Dakota, and Texas)
NCUA Region V
4807 Spicewood Springs Road,
Suite 5200
Austin, TX 78759
Telephone: (512) 342-5600
Fax: (512) 342-5620
E-Mail: region5@ncua.gov
Region VI - Pacific
(Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming)
NCUA Region VI
2300 Clayton Road, Suite 1350
Concord, CA 94520
Telephone: (925) 363-6200
Fax: (925) 363-6220
E-Mail: region6@ncua.gov
Where to report a
suspected fraud
If you have been a victim of credit union fraud or if you
have visited a credit union Web site that appears to be
fraudulent, please contact either the appropriate NCUA
Regional Office (please see contact information above) or
NCUA's Fraud Hotline.
The Fraud Hotline toll-free number from anywhere in the
United States is (800) 827-9650 or in the Washington, D.C.
area (703) 518-6550.
Who to contact if you've been a victim of identity theft
Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to
all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and
uses another person's personal data in some way that
involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.
You should contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by
telephone, toll-free at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); by postal
mail: Federal Trade Commission, Identity Theft
Clearinghouse, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
20580; or electronically via an on-line complaint form,
located at
http://www.consumer.gov.
The FTC puts your information into a secure consumer fraud
database and may, in appropriate instances, share it with
other law enforcement agencies and private entities,
including any companies about which you may complain.
For more information to help you guard against and recover
from identity theft, you can request the booklet ID
Theft: When Bad Things Happen To Your Good Name from the
FTC or view it on their Web site at
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/. This Web site also has
an ID Theft Affidavit to alert companies where a new account
is opened in your name.
Helpful On-line Resources
Below is a listing of some additional useful Web sites.
First Gov for Consumers
Consumer information from the federal government.
Consumer Education on Computer Safety
Computer security tips from an alliance of government &
business organizations.
Internet Fraud Complaint Center
FBI and National White Collar Crime Center partnership
addressing fraud via the Internet.
Top Ten Dot Cons
Internet scam awareness information from the Federal Trade
Commission.
About Us |
E-Mail
|Sitemap |
Retailers Join Now || Retail Meat Manual
| Meat
Spreadsheets | STORE
Privacy Policy
Meatnplace Disclaimer
Terms Of Use