Protecting Your Finances
South Metro Federal Credit Union knows financial savvy goes beyond the thickness of your wallet. Below are some tips to help protect your hard-earned cash.
TruStage™ Insurance
Coverage the Credit Union Way
TruStage insurance products and programs help members protect what matters most. Backed by nearly 80 years of working in partnership with credit unions and their members, you’ll find products for life, car, AD&D, home and more. TruStage offers straightforward information, real value and assurance.
To learn more, get quotes or just explore, visit trustage.com.
One of the nice benefits of credit union membership is a no-cost TruStage Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance policy from CMFG Life Insurance Company. AD&D coverage pays you or your loved ones a cash benefit after an accident results in a covered injury or loss of life due to an accident.
You can get $3000 of coverage, paid for by your credit union, and provided by CMFG Life Insurance Company. You can also get up to an additional $300,000 AD&D coverage from CMFG Life at affordable rates.
Sign up for your no-cost or additional protection today.
© CUNA Mutual Group, 2017 All Rights Reserved
TruStage™ is the marketing brand for AD&D insurance issued by CMFG Life insurance Company. The insurance offered is not a deposit and is not federally insured or guaranteed by your credit union.
TruStage is the marketing brand used to identify life insurance products made available by CUNA Mutual Insurance Agency, Inc. and underwritten by leading insurance companies. The insurance offered is not a deposit and is not federally insured. This coverage is not sold or guaranteed by your credit union.
Working with carefully selected auto insurance partners, the TruStage Auto Insurance Program offers competitive rates, online services, and 24/7 claims service.
If you haven’t compared auto insurance lately, it’s a great time to take a look. It could result in some nice savings.
Get your free quote today or call 1-855-483-2149.
© CUNA Mutual Group, 2017 All Rights Reserved
TruStage™ is the marketing brand for the Auto & Home Insurance Program made available by CUNA Mutual Insurance Agency, Inc. and underwritten by leading insurance companies. The insurance offered is not a deposit and is not federally insured. This coverage is not sold or guaranteed by your credit union.
TruStage™ Home, Condo & Renters Insurance Program
The TruStage Home Insurance Program provides affordable top-quality protection for your home.
This valuable coverage can help you protect your family’s home and personal belongings. You’ll also have access to outstanding online and 24/7 claim services.
Get your free quote today or call 1-855-483-2149.
© CUNA Mutual Group, 2017 All Rights Reserved
TruStage™ is the marketing brand for the Auto & Home Insurance Program made available by CUNA Mutual Insurance Agency, Inc. and underwritten by leading insurance companies. The insurance offered is not a deposit and is not federally insured. This coverage is not sold or guaranteed by your credit union.
We offer TruStage Life Insurance Policies to help you protect the people who matter most in your life. Underwritten by CMFG Life Insurance Company, these plans are designed to fit your budget and provide excellent coverage.
Learn about this important coverage or call 1-855-612-7909 for more information.
© CUNA Mutual Group, 2017 All Rights Reserved
TruStage™ Life Insurance is offered by TruStage Insurance Agency, LLC and issued by CMFG Life Insurance Company. The insurance offered is not a deposit and is not federally insured or guaranteed by your credit union.
Identity Theft
Below are some steps to help protect your identity:
- Destroy papers you don’t need. Take special pains to shred papers with sensitive or identifying information.
- Guard your Social Security number. Don’t carry your card with you and resist giving it out unless necessary. Don’t put your social security number on your checks. Keep all personal records in a secure location, such as a safe or vault.
- Limit the number of cards and info you carry in your wallet.
- Report lost or stolen cards immediately.
- Cancel all inactive credit accounts.
- Use different passwords on all credit cards, bank accounts, and phone cards.
- Match your bills against charges to your credit account each month.
For more information, visit IdentityTheft.gov, from the Federal Trade Commission. If someone has used your personal information without permission, visiting this website should be your first step to limit the damage.
To report a lost or stolen Debit card, call Card Member Security at 1-833-311-0079.
To dispute a Debit card transaction, call the FIserv Dispute Line at 1-833-311-0083.
To report a lost or stolen Credit card or to dispute a credit card transaction, call 844-845-8538. Outside the US call 240-651-7802.
I can’t tell you how happy I am with the service I received when we opened an auto loan. Most banks have lost their ability to work this close with the client. – Jesse
Scams
Internet scams are on the rise. For this reason, it is important to be cautious online. Remember: never give your user ID or password information to anyone else. Unless you are logging into your account online, South Metro will never ask for your user ID or password.
South Metro FCU will never contact you to request your member number, username or Online Banking password. Anyone who asks you for this information is NOT an authorized employee of the Credit Union.
Additionally, we will never contact you to ask for credit or debit card numbers or PINs. Unless you call us regarding your account, you should never give this information to anyone claiming to represent South Metro (or its affiliates) who is trying to verify your account information via phone, text, or email.
There’s a type of internet piracy called “Phishing.” It’s pronounced “fishing,” and that’s exactly what these thieves are doing; “fishing” for your personal financial information. Don’t get hooked on a phishing scam!
- Keep your antivirus software up to date on your computer.
- NEVER provide personal financial information, including your Social Security number, account numbers or passwords, over the phone or the internet unless you initiate the contact.
- NEVER open a suspicious email, or click on any links provided.
- DON’T be intimidated by an e-mail, text message or phone call that suggests dire consequences if you do not immediately provide or verify financial information.
- IF you believe the contact is legitimate, call your company immediately using information from another source, NOT from any information provided in the message.
If you fall victim to an attack, act immediately to protect yourself. Alert your financial institution. Place fraud alerts on your credit cards. Monitor your credit files and account statements closely.
REPORT suspicious e-mails or calls to the Federal Trade Commission or call 1-877-IDTHEFT.
- Look for a padlock symbol next to the address bar.
Before you enter any private information online, check next to the address bar and make sure you see a padlock and “https” in the website address. This indicates more safety protocols in place to protect your data. A website address that begins with “http://” does not use this level of encryption. - Use your mobile phone network rather than public Wi-Fi.
Many people leave the Wi-Fi option enabled on their mobile phone at all times for the sake of convenience. Turn it off. It’s okay to use for faster service in a safe place such as your home, but you’d be surprised at how unsecure many hotspots actually are. If you’re going to shop from your phone, use your mobile network provider for your internet access. - If you’re heart rate goes up, so should red flags.
There’s no better way to lure victims to a scam than with tempting offers or dire-sounding threats. It only takes a click to download malware onto your device, so convincing a victim to act before thinking is a successful way to cause trouble.
In short, avoid impulse shopping online. ALWAYS do your homework first. Research companies (or individuals) before doing business with them online. Check their website’s security. Make sure you’re using a private network. If any red flags are appear, walk away.
For more information visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Information website. This branch of our government is dedicated to educating the public about threats to your financial privacy.
Avoid Malware
Keep a Clean Machine
It’s most important to keep your security software current. Having the latest security software, web browser and operating system is the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats. Many software programs offer the option to automatically connect and update to defend against known risks. Turn on automatic updates if this is available on your device.
Keep in mind that you need to protect all devices that connect to the Internet. Your smartphones, gaming systems and other web-enabled devices also need protection from viruses and malware. USB ports and other external devices can be also be infected by viruses and malware. Make sure your security software scans these as well.
For more information, visit StaySafeOnline.org from the National Cyber Security Alliance.
Routing #: 091981646 | NMLS ID # 1059389
WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE
We at South Metro Federal Credit Union are committed to the digital inclusion and providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience in accordance with certain standards and guidelines. We are striving consistently to conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA of accessibility. If you run into any barriers, please reach out to us at 952-445-0888 or MemberServices@SouthMet.com.
