Rules For Shopping At Home For The Holidays

Posted by SIU Credit Union on Nov 20th, 2009 | one comment

Does the thought of making your way through crowded malls and shopping at 20 different stores only to wait in long check-out lines have you feeling like the Grinch? Shopping online during the holiday season can save time and minimize stress, but know a few simple rules before you dive into the world of online purchasing.

1. Only buy from familiar companies. Confirm the seller’s contact information in case you have questions or problems in the future. Know exactly what you’re buying. Carefully read the product description. Remember–if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

2. Protect your privacy. Read and understand the company’s online privacy policy and keep any personal information, passwords, or PINs (personal identification numbers) private. Look for these signals indicating that you have entered a secure Web page:
* A screen notice that says you’re visiting a secure site
* A closed lock or unbroken key in the bottom corner of your screen
* The first letters of the Internet address you are viewing change from “http” to “https”

3. Pay safely. After you review all terms of the sale, such as cost for shipping, delivery date, and return policy, you are ready to buy. Credit or charge card payments offer consumers the most protection. Finally, print all transaction records and any other useful information pertaining to your purchase.

Although online shopping allows you to virtually load your sleigh with just a few mouse clicks, practice safe browsing this holiday season.

Pending Legislation on Overdraft Protection Needs Your Input

Posted by SIU Credit Union on Nov 6th, 2009 | no comments

Dear Member:

You are one of our best members, and we thank you for the trust you have placed in our financial institution.

When you have used our overdraft program, it has enabled us to cover your unexpected expense or help you avoid embarrassment due to an error in your recordkeeping.  This meant you were able to pay for something at the grocery store, fill up your gas tank or unexpectedly purchase a prescription for a sick family member.  These are the reasons you used this safety net – and the reasons it should remain available to you and your family.

As you know, there is a cost for not having overdraft services.

• The returned check charge from the grocery store (averaging $38.50 in our city)
• The damage to your credit from bouncing a check.
• The embarrassment of having your purchase declined with your neighbors watching from the back of the line.
• The inconvenience of having to return to the merchant to ‘pick up your bad check’ and pay a ransom for it in CASH!

Unfortunately, Washington thinks you need their help to manage your checking account.

We believe that you should know how decisions being made in Congress could affect your financial freedom .

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) has proposed the “FAIR Overdraft Coverage Act of 2009″ that will dramatically restrict overdraft services on your account.  Instead of your local branch giving you the benefit of our relationship, Senator Dodd wants us to return your checks.  All but six of them a year!  Six overdrafts a year may be fine for the Senator’s household – but what about yours?

Washington doesn’t understand how important this is to you.  They need to hear from you!

Tell them about your personal use of our overdraft program and what it will mean to you if they take away this option.  We want to help so we have prepared a simple form for you to complete.  If you will complete it, mail or drop it back to us, we will deliver it to Congress for you!

Or, if you come into the branch, we have copies there you can complete.  At that time, we would be happy to answer any questions you have, but we want your voice to be heard!

Washington is moving quickly.  The time for your action is NOW!

Sincerely,
Dennis Schaefer President/CEO SIU Credit Union

My Credit Union Story

Posted by SIU Credit Union on Nov 6th, 2009 | no comments

For the past couple of days, a good friend and co-worker has been continually reminding me that I have yet to turn in an article for our blog.  Since I finally realized his persistence is both shameless and tireless, I decided I better get started.  “This won’t be hard,” I thought to myself.  After all, I oversee compliance for the credit union, so I could just choose one of the hundreds of regulatory changes currently affecting the financial sector, write a short blurb, and be done with it.  However, let’s face it…there are only a few of us nerds out there who actually enjoy reading the minute details of upcoming lending mandates or interchange legislation.  So I thought I would start off with telling my story about what I have learned first-hand about credit unions.

When I interviewed for this position just one year ago, CEO Dennis Schaefer asked me if I knew the difference between credit unions and banks.  I confessed that I did not (somehow I was still hired).  I soon learned that one of the main surface-level differences is that where banks are for profit, credit unions are not for profit, member-owned cooperative networks.  The underlying premise upon formation for all credit unions includes a desire to promote thrift and to provide credit to individuals who may otherwise be unable to obtain it.  When I learned this, I thought to myself, “that is a great story, and I’m sure that was the idea a hundred years ago, but in today’s society, that kind of desire and commitment to help your neighbor just doesn’t exist.”  I was immediately proven wrong.

Throughout this past year I have been amazed at not only SIU Credit Union’s desire and commitment to serve and help its members, but at the entire industry’s dedication to service.  I have attended several conferences and meetings with officers and executives from credit unions nationwide, and everywhere I go, the overall atmosphere can be summed up into one simple theme:  help your neighbor; serve the underserved.  This is evident on a daily basis from here at SIU Credit Union in Southern Illinois, to Washington, D.C. where credit union lobbyists are continually fighting for the best interest of the entire credit union movement.  As cliché as it may sound, I feel like I have become a part of a family here at SIU Credit Union.  I find it very refreshing to be a part of something that, in spite of these tough economic times, still manages to put people first and to go the extra mile.

Tell us your credit union story. We’d love to hear it.

– Amy Ragan, Internal Auditor and Compliance Officer

Add Credit Life and Disability To Your Loans

Posted by SIU Credit Union on Nov 5th, 2009 | 2 comments

Every member has needs and they are unique in every circumstance.  SIUCU is now offering loan protection to all of our members to give you the peace of mind you deserve.  You will be offered the product of Credit Life and Disability when applying for a loan.  Both members and their families will benefit through their loans being paid off in case of death or disability.

Members who are out of work because of disability may find themselves waiting even longer for the Social Security safety net to catch them.

In 2007, the Social Security Administration experienced a record breaking backlog of disability claims.  The average waiting period to get a hearing has reached 17 months. Having the extra protection on your loan will ease the stress during this difficult time.

Many U.S. households say they need more life insurance.  The average amount of life insurance you need is three to six times your annual income.

Your life insurance needs to:

Replace your income

Pay off your mortgage

Cover daily living expenses (food, utilities, transportation, child care)

Pay for college education for your children

Cover retirement for your spouse

Pay for funeral expenses

Pay off loans

By adding Credit Life and Disability insurance to your loan, you will have the piece of mind knowing that your obligations will be taken care of when you need it most. Stop by any branch location. We’ll be happy to discuss how Credit Life and Disability can benefit you.  For more information on insurance products offered thought CUNA Mutual Group, visit http://www.siucu.org/resources/index.htm#insurance

–Kim Babington, Vice President of Operations

Fraud Alerts On The Rise

Posted by SIU Credit Union on Nov 2nd, 2009 | no comments

This past week saw several government warnings and alerts about financial frauds as well as several credit unions reporting other scams that could spook some accountholders. But these are no Halloween pranksters.

Keesler FCU reported that at its base in RAF Mildenhall, England, about 100 members saw fraudulent charges on their accounts this month (Stars and StripesOct. 28). All affected accountholders had visited Spain sometime this year, Michelle Foster, a loss prevention manager for Keesler told Stars and Stripes.

The losses were from Visa debit cards. Visa said it is aware of a possible security issue in Spain but said the investigation was ongoing and it couldn’t comment. Visa Europe contacted several affected banks and credit unions when the fraud was discovered.

One Keesler member reported charges of $539.16 from boutiques in Chicago suburbs. She said the only time she used her debit card while in Spain was at a mom-and-pop store near the beach.

Another credit union , Service CU, which has 15 locations in Germany and 17 in the U.S., saw less than one-half of 1% of members’ cards compromised by the breach, the newspaper said.

In another situation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) Thursday issued an alert warning financial institutions of an increase in schemes to recruit individuals to receive and transmit unauthorized electronic funds transfers (EFTs) from deposit accounts to individuals overseas.

The recruitees or “money mules” are solicited on the Internet by criminals who have gained unauthorized access to the online deposit account of a business or consumer. The criminal will originate an EFT from a victim’s account to a money mule’s deposit account. The money mule is told to quickly withdraw the funds and wire them overseas after deducting a “commission” of 8% to 10%.

The schemes often occur in the context of online job posting websites, advance fee scams, mystery shopping jobs, and social networking sites. Some hesitant money mules have been threatened by their criminal “employers” if they don’t make the transactions quickly and secretly, said the FDIC. The personal identifiable information provided by the money mule may be used later to commit identity theft or account takeover.

SIU Credit Union has systems in place to monitor for fraudulent activity. But if you suspect you account has been compromised, contact us immediately. For more information on how to protect your accounts, visit our fraud prevention page.

–CUNA News Now

Why Credit Unions Aren’t Banks

Posted by SIU Credit Union on Oct 28th, 2009 | no comments

When we are out and about in the community, we often hear two things. What’s a credit union? and I didn’t know I could join. To be clear, if you are living in Southern Illinois you are more than likely eligible to join SIU Credit Union. And no, you don’t have to been connected to Southern Illinois University to join the credit union.

But when you explain what a credit union is, it’s almost guarneteed to be followed with … so you’re a bank. Um, no. Here’s the difference.

Banks and credit unions may offer similar products and services. But the similarities stop there. Crucial differences exist–in ownership, in cost of borrowing money, and in use of services.

* You own your credit union. Credit unions are member-owned nonprofit financial cooperatives dedicated to improving members’ lives. More than 90 million members own 7,905 U.S. credit unions with combined assets of $869 billion. Stockholders own banks. Banks make money for stockholders, not for customers.

Credit unions are the only democratically controlled financial institutions in the United States. You and other members elect a volunteer board of directors to oversee the credit union. The manager or reports to this board. Bank directors, however, are paid and legally bound to make decisions that benefit stockholders, not customers.

* Credit unions have the best rates. Credit unions price loans, pay interest on funds you’ve deposited, and charge fees to provide you with high-quality, low-cost services. Banks price products and services to make a profit.

Credit union loan rates also are better. Money market, savings, and interest checking accounts carry higher rates–giving back more to members. Interest rates on credit cards and auto loans average one to one-half percentage points lower than bank rates. Credit unions make consumer loans and some member business loans. Banks offer consumer loans, but really emphasize business loans.

Because you’re an owner of SIU Credit Union you have a say in how we do business. Let us know how you think we’re doing, and what services you want at your credit union.