UCSCU - News Center

News Center

Helpful Tips To Reduce Your Risk Of Identity Theft:

Shred and destroy unwanted documents that contain personal information.

Bring your mail in daily - don’t leave mail in your mailbox.

Immediately report lost or stolen credit cards.

Review and monitor your consumer credit reports regularly.

Do not carry your social insurance card or your birth certificate. Keep these tucked away in a safe place.

Be aware and note when your monthly financial statements arrive in the mail. Notify your financial institutions when they don’t arrive when expected.

Watch your financial statements and ensure all charges made are yours.

Keep your ATM and Debit Card receipts, do not leave these behind.

Shred every piece of mail containing personal and financial information.

Never reveal your bank account, credit card, mother’s maiden name or social insurance number over the phone (unless dealing with a trusted business or organization). Ask the caller to send information by mail.

Keep a list of all your financial accounts such as account numbers, expiry dates, and customer help telephone numbers. Ensure this list is kept in a safe place & use to contact in case of lost or stolen cards.\

When creating passwords or PINs, do not use digits of your social insurance number, mother’s maiden name, your birthdate, any part of your name (first, middle, last).

Watch your credit card expiry dates, if you don’t receive a replacement card prior to the date - contact the issuer.

Consider making your telephone number unlisted or listed without your address.

Sign all new credit cards immediately to prevent someone else from doing so.

Beware of mail or telephone contacts informing you of prizes and awards - especially if they ask for personal or financial account information.

Happy 80th Anniversary Universal City Studios Credit Union!

Universal City Studios Credit Union commemorated our 80th Anniversary during the month of August. Founded on August 26, 1927, by five employees of the Universal Studios, UCSCU was the first state chartered credit union in California. Today, UCSCU serves over 8,000 members with assets in nearing $70 million.

Congratulations to Gevik Harbedian the winner of our 80th Anniversary 32” Flat Screen Television Giveaway!

UCSCU Reel Teller Online Banking is Big Success!

As of the end December, 2006, there are 2,058 members who are active users of Reel Teller. They have made a total of 514,869 calls to Reel Teller since its inception. Reel Teller is a great way to stay on top of your finances on a day to day or hour to hour basis. With it you can perform numerous little tasks yourself, such as transferring money from savings or checking to make your loan payment. If you want to get online too, call the credit union at (818) 777-1295 and ask us to sign you up. Try it - you'll love Reel Teller.

Bill Pay Online!

It’s convenient. It’s secure. It’s free. And now, paying bills online is easier than ever! Call us at (888) FOR-MYCU to set up your access to online bill pay.

24 Hour Deposit Box

Located at rear of Credit Union in the parking structure. Deposits after 3:00 pm will be posted the next business day.

Turn Your Coins into CA$H!

Bring us all your unwrapped coins, and for a small fee, we will count them and deposit the funds into your account at the Credit Union.

MEMBER ALERT!

Two types of scams, credit card via the phone, and "phishing" by email, have hit consumers recently. Please read below, so that you do not fall victim to fraud.

VISA and Mastercard Fraud - Members are receiving phone calls at home from "Visa" or "Mastercard" Fraud departments (which are fake). NEVER, NEVER give your card number, or three-digit number found on the card back, to anyone over the phone who calls you.

The scam works like this: A person calls, gives their name, and states that they are calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. They may provide a badge number. They state that your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and they are calling to verify. They state the bank name, and ask if you have purchased a product like "an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $325.87 from a marketing company based in Virginia"?

When you say "No", the caller says they will be issuing a credit to your account. They then verify your address, and provide you with instructions to call the 800# listed on your VISA card and ask for security. They advise you will need to refer to a control number they furnish.

They then ask to verify the card in your possession. They indicate there are three numbers on the back of the card used to make internet purchases, and ask that you read those three numbers back to them. The scammers indicate they wish to verify the card is in your possession. WHAT THE SCAMMERS WANT IS THE THREE DIGIT NUMBER ON THE BACK OF THE CARD. DO NOT GIVE THAT NUMBER OUT!

Phishing Fraud- There has been a barrage of e-mails to consumers that warn of problems with an account or promote a special offer, and then direct you to a web site that appears to belong to a reputable company like America Online, EarthLink, AT&T, Yahoo, VISA, Amazon.com, eBay, Wells Fargo, etc. This is the latest scam created by hackers called "Phishing".

Phishing occurs when a member receives an e-mail that warns of some problem with an account or promotes a special offer and directs you to a web site that appears to belong to a reputable company. The e-mail message will instruct you to click on a web link that sends you to a fake web site (that looks very similar to the company being impersonated). Where you are asked to provide sensitive information. The sensitive information you enter goes straight to the scam artists. Divulging this type of information can leave you at risk for identity theft.

A consortium of banks, credit unions, credit card companies and online retailers has established an anti-phishing web site, www.anti_phishing.org. This web site contains information regarding Phishing, the types of e-mail subject lines phishers use and a form to report Phishing activity.

The following are tips on how to avoid being lured by these Phishing scammers:

1. If you receive an unexpected e-mail stating your account will be closed unless you confirm your billing information, DO NOT reply or click on any links that may be included in the e-mail.
2. Contact the company named in the e-mail to confirm if the information requested is legitimate. Companies do not ask customers to confirm personal information by sending an e-mail or on a pop-up menu.
3. Avoid e-mailing personal and financial information. Always check to be sure that the "lock" icon is on the browser's status bar. It means your information is secure during transmission.
4. Report suspicious activity to the FTC at www.ftc.gov. If you believe you have been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC's identity Theft web site at www.ftc.gov/idtheft to learn how to minimize your damage.