Helpful Member Resource Information
ID Theft - How to Protect Yourself!
We keep hearing more and more about Identity Theft these days, especially during the holiday season. How can you protect yourself?
Protecting your identity is primarily common sense. Don't give out personal information such as credit card numbers, account numbers, social security numbers, etc. You should always examine your monthly Visa and credit union statements thoroughly, and compare your transactions to your receipts. Never reply to unsolicited emails or telephone calls asking for your account number(s) or other personal information.
Identity Theft is a serious crime. But you can avoid being victimized by being careful. For more information on preventing Identity Theft, or if you think that you may have already been a victim, please click here.
What is Phishing? As the US Federal Trade Commission puts it: "Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information."
Phishing has been around for a while now, but is becoming much more common lately. To avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam, the FTC says:
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If you get an email (with little or no notice) that one of your accounts will be closed unless you reconfirm billing information, do not reply or click on the link in the email. Instead contact the company cited using a telephone number or Web site address you know is genuine.
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Avoid emailing personal and financial information.
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Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them for any unauthorized charges.
For more information, click here.
FALCON - For Your Protection!
OK, so Phishing is a bad thing. But what about a FALCON? FALCON is actually a good thing; it's a fraud protection program that can detect unusual or suspicious activity on Telcom members' VISA credit cards or VISA debit card accounts.
Thanks to the FALCON program, several members were saved a lot of money and hassle due to lost or stolen credit cards. They were called by FALCON staff about suspicious transactions, and their cards were immediately stopped and replacements ordered. One member was traveling abroad and didn't even know that her VISA card had been stolen until she received a FALCON call.
Help Us Protect You - Make Sure We have Your Correct Phone Numbers!
But FALCON can only work if we have current information for you on our records - including telephone numbers. So if you've moved, changed jobs or phone numbers - even cell phones - please be sure to make sure that we have up-to-date phone numbers for you. You can make an update in person at any Telcom branch, or by calling us at 800.356.7465.
Credit scores are used by lenders as a key part of credit decisions. These scores summarize your credit history and condition, and help determine whether or not you can get a loan, and what kind of interest rate you will be charged. We encourage you to learn more about credit scores, and how you can improve your score. Visit MyFico.com to learn more, or talk to a financial services representative (FSR) at any Telcom office.
Try This FREE Credit Score Estimator
Try this easy credit score predictor to estimate your current credit score, without having to pay for a credit report. Just click here, answer a few short questions, and within seconds, you should have a good idea of what your credit score is.
