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Fraud Prevention

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Our priority is protecting your accounts and personal information.

Southeast Texas residents and other Americans lose tens of millions of dollars every year because their personal information falls into the wrong hands. Fraudsters use your personal data to empty deposit accounts, run up credit card balances, and generally ruin your credit. At Education First Federal Credit Union, we've taken many steps to protect your security. 

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Fraud & Security Support

Here are some other things you should report to us:

  • Fraudulent activity on your account. 
  • Unauthorized check or paper draft activity on your account. 
  • Unauthorized ACH withdrawals on your account. 
  • Unauthorized debit card transactions on your account. 
  • Unauthorized wire transfers on your account. 
  • Lost or stolen checks
  • Lost or stolen debit or ATM card

Call us at 409-898-3770 or 800-456-4684, Monday through Friday, 8 AM - 6 PM, to report a lost or stolen Education First debit or credit card. 

Common Financial Scams

Financial scams are among the most common crimes affecting adults in the United States. These crimes are committed against people of all ages and backgrounds. Help protect yourself by knowing how to identify these scams and always be vigilant with whom you share personal information.  

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Cell Phone Texts

Text messages are increasingly used by online thieves as part of a scheme to plant viruses on your computer. Education First will never send you text messages with a link to click on. 

 

 

 

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Email Spam

These scams are designed to trick you into giving personal information. In a phishing scam, you may receive an email that appears to be a legitimate business, asking you to update or verify your data by replying to an email or visiting a website.  

 

 

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Internet Fraud

Safe online shopping requires caution. Only purchase from trustworthy retailers with secure payment processes. Research products and sellers beforehand and understand the return policies. Beware of suspiciously good deals.

 

 

 

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Lottery Scam

Lottery scams start with unexpected emails from free email accounts like Yahoo, Hotmail, or MSN. Scammers use real lottery names to make the email look legit. You are asked to keep it secret and contact a claims agent to verify your winnings. The agent then asks you to pay a fee to distribute the winnings, but you will never hear from them again after making the payment.

Guard your personal information and passwords. Shred sensitive documents. Keep records of your credit cards. That's just a start.

  • Never reveal personal identifying information unless you are sure how it will be used or shared.
  • Never give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or over the internet unless you have initiated contact and know who you are giving it to.
  • Review your bills. A missing credit card bill could signal that someone may have gained access to your account and changed the billing address.
  • Guard outgoing mail by placing it in the post office collection boxes and taking it to your local post office. 
  • Use Unique passwords and don't provide usernames or passwords to anyone, for any reason.
  • Keep all papers with personal information in a safe place and shred receipts, copies of credit applications, physician statements, insurance forms, bank checks and statements that you are discarding, and expired charge cards with credit offers you receive in the mail.
  • Verify that personal information in your workplace is kept in a secure location.
  • Maintain an accurate record of all credit cards. Include the names on the cards, account number, expiration date, and phone number to call in case the card is lost or stolen.
  • If a credit card is lost or stolen, call the company and cancel the card immediately.
  • Don't carry your Social Security card with you. Give out your number only when necessary.
  • Check your credit report at least once a year to make sure it is accurate. 

  • Explore our Card Management Services to help protect you against fraud.
  • Select a User ID, Passcode, and security questions that are difficult for others to guess. Avoid using family names, local sports names, birth dates, addresses or phone numbers.
  • Don't share your Internet Banking User ID or Passcode with anyone. Never use information that could be readily found in your wallet or purse, such as your house number or date of birth.
  • Memorize your Internet Banking User ID or Passcode instead of writing it down.
  • Never provide your financial information to an unfamiliar website.
  • Don't leave your computer unattended during an online banking session.
  • Review monthly financial statements and report any discrepancies immediately. Never ignore suspicious charges on your statements. Call immediately to resolve any discrepancy.
  • Shred unnecessary old bank statements and other financial documents.

Your credit score affects your ability to borrow money, the rate of your loans, and even your job prospects. You should periodically check your score with one of the three major credit bureaus. Federal law allows you to obtain a free credit report every year, which you can get through AnnualCreditReport.com. If your score drops sharply, it may mean that you've been an identity theft victim and someone is raiding your accounts.

  • Equifax. To report fraud, call 800-525-6285. To order your credit report, call 800-885-1111 or write to: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta GA 30374
  • Experian. To report fraud, call 888-397-3742. To order your credit report, call 888-397-3742 or write to: P.O. Box 2104, Allen TX 75013
  • TransUnion. To report fraud, call 800-680-7289. To order your credit report, call 800-916-8800 or write to P.O. Box 1000, Chester PA 19022

Handy Tools at Your Disposal.

Calculate your budget, see and compare the latest rates and discover what perks you gain for being a member of Education First Federal Credit Union.

 

Calculators

Take charge of your finances! From big purchases to debt elimination and savings plans, our calculators guide you every step of the way. 

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Rates

Check current rates and find out which ones adhere to your loan type.

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Member Perks

When you want a better place to hold your accounts and grow your money, Education First is at the head of the class.

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