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online security

January 4, 2023 • By Kevin Alvarez

Free Upcoming Webinar – 1/11/23- Set Yourself Up For Financial Success In 2023

2023 can be your year to improve how you handle day-to-day personal finances and avoid challenges many of us experience with our spending, saving, and debt despite even the best intentions. Join us to learn about tools and tips to avoid (or overcome) five common money challenges and take the right steps on your financial wellness journey in the New Year.

Financial Success

Click through each tab below to learn more.

  • What You Will Learn

  • Who Should Attend

  • Details

What You Will Learn

  • An understanding of the true cost of an item instead of just considering monthly payment amounts
  • How you can save more strategically for unexpected financial situations
  • Strategies to avoid impulse spending

Who Should Attend

  • Those who want to avoid money mistakes
  • Those who want to learn from others financial mistakes
  • Those helping others overcome or avoid money mistakes

Details

Date: Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Time: 12:00 PM PST

If you are unable to attend this webinar and learn of ways to set yourself up for financial success, you can register and a link with a recording will be sent out to all registrants after the webinar.

Register Now

This free, one hour webinar is presented by GreenPath Financial Wellness

December 1, 2022 • By Kevin Alvarez

12/7 Free Webinar – Identity Theft: What It Is and How To Protect Yourself

Amidst the hustle and bustle leading up to the holidays, it’s easy to get caught up in all the happenings. But there’s more to keep an eye on…like protecting your identity.

Identity Theft online shopping

This webinar will bring you up to speed on identity theft, inform you of common scams and pitfalls to avoid, and offer methods to protect yourself. In an age where we are increasingly connected through technology, protecting your devices and your online presence is vital towards keeping your identity secured.

Click through each tab below to learn more.

  • What You Will Learn

  • Who Should Attend

  • Details

What You Will Learn

  • What identity theft is
  • Common ways identity theft happens
  • How to protect yourself from identity theft

Who Should Attend

  • Anyone who uses technology
  • Anyone who wants to protect their confidential information and finances
  • Anyone looking to prevent identity theft

Details

Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Time: 10:00 AM PST

If you are unable to attend this webinar and learn about ways to protect yourself online from identity theft, you can register and a link with a recording will be sent out to all registrants after the webinar.

Register Now

This free, one hour webinar is presented by GreenPath Financial Wellness

October 20, 2022 • By Kevin Alvarez

International Credit Union Day 2022

The 74th anniversary of International Credit Union (ICU) Day is Thursday October 20, 2022. This year, we celebrate together as a global movement that encourages you to Empower Your Financial Future with a Credit Union™

ICU Day celebrates the spirit of the global credit union movement. The day is recognized to reflect upon the credit union movement's history, promote its achievements, recognize hard work and share member experience.

ICU Day is brought to you by the champions of the credit union movement, The World Council of Credit Unions and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA). Together we all contribute to helping spread the belief of all people having access to affordable, reliable and sustainable financial services for all our members, meeting them at their financial terms.

Fun Facts About Credit Unions and How They Differ From Banks

Bank
For profit
Owned by Stakeholders
Insured by FDIC
Anyone can join
Proprietary branches and ATMs
Objective: to maximize profits
Stakeholders benefit
Credit Union
Not for profit
Owned by members
Insured by NCUA (or privately insured)
Community-based membership
Shared branches and ATMs
Objective: to meet members needs
Members benefit
  1. The first true credit unions were established in Germany in 1852 and 1864.
  2. President Roosevelt signed the Federal Credit Union Act in 1934 to promote thriftiness and prevent usury during the Great Depression.
  3. Credit union membership eligibility is pretty flexible and open to most based on where you live.
  4. Credit union members are entitled to vote for their board members or directors.
  5. Credit unions are able to offer better rates and lower/fewer fees than banks.
  6. Many credit unions participate in shared branches and ATMs, which means you can visit other participating credit unions for access to your accounts, making it a larger network than most big banks.
  7. Once you're a member, you're always a member, regardless of where you live.
  8. All credit unions require you to have a share (savings) account. Even if you only want a loan. It acts as your "share of ownership".
  9. There are currently over 86,000 credit unions that operate in 118 countries worldwide.
  10. You are one of the 375 million credit union members today!

What is a Credit Union?

ICU Day Member Empowerment

Click here to view more educational videos.

Thank you!

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you, our valued members, who help make SafeAmerica Credit Union what it is today.

International Credit Union Day

December 1, 2021 • By Kevin Alvarez

Webinar- Staying Safe On The Internet Without Breaking A Sweat

This free, one hour webinar about staying safe on the internet is presented by GreenPath Financial Wellness

If you are reading this, you probably use the internet often, most likely every day. We have heard time and again that we must be careful while online, but even the most diligent among us can take our online safety for granted. Staying safe on the internet can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Join us on Wednesday, December 8 at 10:00 pm PT as Leo Hopper, GreenPath’s Director of Information Security, offers some simple and useful tips on staying safe on the internet.

Click through each tab below to learn more.

  • Who Should Attend

  • What You Will Learn

  • Details

Who Should Attend

  • Anyone who uses the internet either regularly or sporadically
  • Those who shop online 
  • Those who would like to use the internet more, but are afraid that they will expose vital information

What You Will Learn

  • How to avoid common traps that can compromise you online
  • How to check site security before you use it
  • How to guard your personal information

Details

Date: Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Time: 10:00 am PST

This webinar will be recorded and a link will be sent out to all registrants after the webinar.

Click the red button below to register.


Register Now

October 29, 2021 • By Kevin Alvarez

Identity Theft – Steps Victims Should Take

Consumer complaints about identity theft are rising from across the country followed by debt collection complaints and impostor scams. This is a sure sign that people need to continue to pay attention and closely monitor their monthly credit card statements, credit reports and credit scores.

It is important that consumers are aware of their ability to take advantage of accessing one free credit report per year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus. Logging on to www.annualcreditreport.com will provide steps in acquiring your free credit reports. You can read more about how to access your free annual credit report by reading our previous blog post titled:

"Credit Reports - How to Get Your Annual Credit Report"

Below are four steps consumers should take if they become a victim of identity theft. Click on each tab to learn more about the topic.

  • Fraud Alert(s)

  • Closing Accounts

  • File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission

  • File a Police Report

Fraud Alert(s)

Place a 'Fraud Alert' on your credit reports, and check your credit reports regularly through www.anualcreditreport.com. Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the three consumer reporting companies below or visit their websites. (Note: you only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert on all three.)

Transunion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com

Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com

Closing Accounts

Close any accounts that you believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each company. Follow up in writing, and include copies (NOT originals) of supporting documents. Send your letters by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can document what the company received and when. Keep a file of everything you send and a record of every conversation.

File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission

By visiting https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ or by calling the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Hotline 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.  Be sure to call the Hotline to update your complaint if you have any additional information or problems.

File a Police Report

File a police report in the community where the identity theft took place. Call and ask them if you need to file the report in person or if you can do it over the phone or on the internet.  When you file your report, bring or attach a copy of your FTC ID Theft Complaint form and any supporting documentation. Ask the officer to attach or incorporate the ID Theft Complaint into their police report. The FTC ID Theft Complaint, along with the police report, can constitute what is known as an ”Identity Theft Report.” This Identity Theft Report can be used to (1) permanently block fraudulent information from appearing on your credit report; (2) ensure that debts do not reappear on your credit report; (3) prevent a company from continuing to collect debts that result from identity theft; and (4) place an extended fraud alert on your credit report.


While not everyone may be a news junkie, it is important to identify trends and understand news article/segments in a manner to protect ourselves and loved ones to the best of our ability.

SafeAmerica Credit Union’s blogs are provided to inform our members of all things financial. With that being said, the recent spike of identity theft related crimes brought on by the pandemic, has resulted in more and more articles, reports and news segments informing people of what can be done to prevent themselves from becoming a victim of identity theft.

The latest Bay Area identity theft trend making the rounds, shows scammers posing as Comcast representatives convincing users their internet speed has slowed down and maintenance is required to “troubleshoot” the problem. The criminal process used to perform the “troubleshooting” is done by obtaining remote access to the victim’s computer. They do this with the victim’s permission after successfully gaining the victim’s trust. While “troubleshooting”, the scammer accesses the victim’s personal information and before the victim notices, their bank accounts have been compromised.

The Alameda Police Department has shared the following tips via Patch.com:

  • Alameda Police Department Tips

Alameda Police Department Tips

  • Be cautious of unsolicited calls and emails.
  • Be wary of callers who demand immediate action.
  • If you are uncertain of the call's validity, hang up and call the number listed on the company's verified website.
  • Educate potentially vulnerable loved ones on how to protect themselves.
  • Block unwanted calls and text messages.
  • Register with the Do Not Call Registry. Registered numbers should only receive calls from companies you do business with or that you permit to contact you.
  • Report fraudulent calls to the Do Not Call Registry. DoNotCall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222.
  • File a complaint with the FCC.
  • If you are the victim of a crime, file a report with local police.

 


SafeAmerica understands the level of security needed to stay secure while on the internet and during National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we want to help inform our members of the best practices for staying safe online and keeping sensitive information secure. Keep an eye out every week this month for new blog posts on the best practices during the time you spend online. Safe for surfing the web.


Sources:

Patch.com

Helpful links for Comcast Users:

Common Phone Scams and How to Protect Yourself

Comcast Resources for Fraud and Identity Theft Resolution

 

October 27, 2021 • By Kevin Alvarez

Free Webinar Spread Joy and Save Money: Make it a Happy and Financially Healthy Season

This free, one hour webinar about Financial Transformation is presented by GreenPath Financial Wellness

Are you already stressed about the upcoming holiday season? Join GreenPath to learn how to  maximize your dollars and create a memorable gift-giving season. We will help you create a plan to set yourself up for success for years to come.

Click through each tab below to learn more.

  • Who Should Attend

  • What You Will Learn

  • Details

Who Should Attend

  • Those that want to reduce stress during the holidays
  • Those who have experienced a change in their budget
  • Those that want to maximize the value of gifts given.

What You Will Learn

  • How to spread joy without impacting your wallet
  • Strategies for gift giving
  • How to create lasting memories

Details

Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Time: 10:30 am PST


Register Now

October 15, 2021 • By Kevin Alvarez

Safe Online Shopping

As technology continues to advance, more and more people from all age ranges have learned of the ease of access our personal computers and mobile devices provide for us, especially when it comes to online shopping. With the holiday season fast approaching, its time to review what can be done to keep your personal information safe while shopping online.

The benefits of online shopping are clear, stores are always open. Shipping is only a blink away, you don’t have to deal with crowds.  It’s easy to research and compare products before making a decision and you can find good deals with the click of a mouse. Even discount codes have been shared relentlessly only to further entice the convenience of online shopping.

Click on each tab below to learn more about the topic.

  • Online Risks

  • Online Shopping Tips

Online Risks

  • You don't always know if a website is secure.
  • You must use a credit or debit card.
  • It can be hard to return an item.
  •  Shipping costs can be expensive.
  • You aren't able to try on before you buy.
  • It's easy to overspend because online shopping can be addicting.

Online Shopping Tips

Keep these tips in mind and you'll be sure to be safe while shopping online:

  • Only provide private information to secure sites that have an “s” after the http (https://). Also, look for a padlock symbol next to the “https.”
  • Check if the website provides clear and detailed contact information. Scam websites often lack specific contact information like phone numbers and addresses.
  • See if there are reviews of a website if you are unsure about it.
  • Use a service like PayPal that doesn’t reveal your private information.
  • If you buy online, always check your credit card statement to make sure everything is correct and that there are not any unwanted or unknown charges.
  • Stick with popular websites that you trust.
  • Check the company’s privacy policy to see how they will use your information.
  • Never click on a random pop-up window. If you don’t know where it came from, close it! Pop-up windows can carry viruses.  If a website generates pop-up windows, you may even want to leave the website.
  • Never send private information, such as a credit card number or a checking account number, in e-mail.
  • In the event of fraud or unwanted charges, it will be more difficult to get your money back if you pay with a debit card than if you pay with a credit card.  Under the Fair Credit and Billing Act, your liability for a lost or stolen credit card is only $50.
  • Do not use an unsecured network or Internet connection to shop online.  Unsecured networks are typically found in public places such as a library or restaurant.

SafeAmerica understands the level of security needed to stay secure while on the internet and during National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we want to help inform our members of the best practices for staying safe online and keeping sensitive information secure.

Keep an eye out every week this month for new blog posts on the best practices during the time you spend online. Safe for surfing the web.


 

October 10, 2020 • By Kevin Alvarez

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), which is a collaborative effort between government and industry sectors to raise awareness of the importance of cyber security. With the added need for objectivity with navigating through a pandemic, handling working from home, child care and more recently; the start of the academic school year for children-which now happens to demand a new added level of responsibility for parents in regards to online learning-many people have and could fall victim to the influx of online security breaches. Working from home means even more attention is needed for your work space security, especially with the fact that your IT department isn’t readily available to assist with issues as they would in the office. Fortunately, there are plenty of preventative actions that can be done to keep any and all information properly secured.

Cybersecurity IT Professionals

Cybersecurity Basics: What To Do

Your password is the first line of defense from keeping people out of your personal/sensitive online accounts. Passwords should be lengthy, mixed with upper and lower case letters as well as numeric and special characters such as (!@#$%^&*_). These all add to making it difficult for unauthorized access.

Cybersecurity Password Management

Wi-Fi management dashboards have been a growing provided resource from internet service providers that assist with monitoring your internet connection. This allows you to view who and what devices are connected to your network, allowing you to instantly identify and disconnect any unauthorized device(s) connected to your Wi-Fi network. If you come across any challenges with finding such page/service on your internet service provider’s website, consider finding a customer support phone number to call directly for assistance with finding a Wi-Fi management dashboard.

Cybersecurity Working from home

Most routers come with encryption enabled from the start (WPA2 or WPA3). If for any reason you notice that there are no encryption labels when logging onto your Wi-Fi network or read a disclaimer in the router set-up booklet, then reach out to your internet service provider to assist with properly encrypting your internet connection to prevent unauthorized usage/access of your wireless network.

Where you store your laptop/smart devices should be secured. Consider storing your laptop in the less public areas of your home to avoid the possibility of intruders running off with the possible access of your online accounts. Given how the pandemic has kept everyone at home, people have been making more purchases with online retailers, so both computers and smart devices should be seen as sensitive items if they are not already.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) also known as two-factor authentication, this serves as an added layer of security for the login process. This is done by verifying the login attempt through another unique account by a verification text, call or even an email. For example, if someone is attempting to log onto an account that has MFA in place, they would need to have access to the location of the second factor authentication. Unless they have access to your phone or email, the login attempt will be stopped due to being unable to provide the security code sent to the second factor authentication. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommend using multi-factor authentication on all accounts that have your personal data, such as your primary email, financial accounts, as well as health records.

Cybersecurity Two step authentication

Fraudulent Emails/Texts, What To Look Out For

Approach COVID-19 related emails, texts and/or links with caution. Many scammers have been taking advantage of the biggest stand-still as an excuse to target people’s vulnerabilities through emotions. Scammers have always come up with deceitful and malicious strategies of obtaining personal information. The latest method being used in light of COVID-19 has been “Phishing”, which is when fake emails are sent to people trying to pose as a legitimate company or person that they may have some sort of social relationship with.

An example of such practice is scammers sending an email or text message saying “We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click on the link below, and confirm your identity.” Never click on links of emails that you deem fraudulent. To verify, call the company directly from a number you have used previously. Never use lines of communication listed in suspicious emails, such as customer support numbers. They will most likely direct to the scammer in an attempt to convince you they are legitimate.

Cybersecurity Coronavirus (COVID-19) Scams

There are many key indicators for spotting a fake email. Scammers seem to be in quite the hurry when typing their fake emails, and that alone serves in our favor for identifying the real from the fake. From the subject line to the closing of the email and everything in between, there is plenty of opportunity for spotting obvious errors. There are several key identifiers that can help to uncover what is and isn’t a phishing email attempt, such as :

  • Grammar – Phishing emails often contain grammatical mistakes that make it obvious it’s some sort of illegitimacy. Names, email addresses, as well as the body of emails are all prone to OBVIOUS grammatical mistakes. If you are skeptical of any received emails, simply reach out to the known legitimate source in the manner you usually do to conduct your communication with, in order to verify if the email is legitimate or not.
  • Logos – When it comes to branding, companies use their logo to be as clear as possible to assure brand awareness. A logo that is pixelated, blurry or simply low quality often means that scammers copied and pasted the logo onto their email, meaning they do not work for the company. So remember, companies and organizations would not let a bad image of their logo be displayed to their consumers, a blurry logo is a sign of a scammer attempting to steal your information.

Take the time to make the needed adjustments to help ensure a safe and reliable home internet network as well as taking the necessary steps towards preventing scammers from breaching your personal accounts.

Additional Resources

Tips and resources for reducing cybersecurity risks and protecting yourself online >>

SafeAmerica Website Privacy Policy >>

Coronavirus Scams
5 Tips for Managing Your Finances Through Covid-19 and Beyond
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