Card Protection
We’ve got you covered…At Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union, we do all we can to protect you from plastic card fraud. If you are using your credit union Visa or Debit Card for purchases that are out of the ordinary for you, you will more than likely be contacted to confirm the transactions are legitimate. In addition, we recommend that you contact the credit union if you are traveling out of the area.
Who will contact you?
Our fraud alert management system is a service provided by FIS, our card processor. If their analysts suspect fraudulent activity on your account, they will contact you via telephone on our behalf.
The Fraud Center will then use the number you are calling from as part of the security process, and will then ask for your case number. Cardholders will need to provide the last four digits of their social security number, card number, date of birth or any other personal information unless the initial security validation fails.
How could you fail the initial security validation?
If you call from a telephone number that isn’t on file with your credit union or if you do not have the case number available when you call, the analysts will ask you for additional information.
If fraud is confirmed, your card will be permanently blocked and you will need to contact us to have a new card issued. If you cannot be reached by our fraud management company, a temporary block will be placed on your card until the transaction is verified with a credit union representative.
You can rest assured that we value you as a member and strive to protect you and your finances!
Protect yourself…safeguard your information! You can deter fraud, detect unusual activity and defend your good name with these simple, yet effective strategies.
- Monitor and review your credit report annually – get a FREE annual credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com.
- Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately – MasterMoney Debit (800) 754-4128 and Visa (800) 991-4965.
- Contact your credit card company immediately if you suspect any problems.
- Reconcile your check and credit card statements in a timely fashion. Immediately challenge any purchases you did not make.
- Never give out personal information – account numbers, PINs, credit card numbers, social security numbers – unless you know who you are dealing with. Keep your information in a secure place and don’t just throw it away, shred it.
- Sign all new credit cards upon receipt, but limit the number of credit cards you have and cancel any inactive accounts. If you have applied for a credit card and have not received it in a timely manner, immediately notify the card issuer. Closely monitor the expiration dates on your credit cards, and contact the credit issuer if the replacement card is not received prior to your credit card's expiration date.
- Use passwords on your credit cards, bank and credit union accounts. Avoid using the obvious passwords – your mother's maiden name, your birth date or the last four digits of your social security or phone number.
- Limit the personal and financial information stored in your wallet. In other words, don’t record your social security number, passwords or PIN on paper and store them in your wallet or purse – memorize your numbers and/or passwords.
As always, we recommend that you monitor your account activity on an ongoing basis and don't hesitate to contact us directly at 989-356-3577 or 800-443-3577 if you ever have questions regarding your Visa credit or MasterMoney debit cards.
Remember to sign for your purchases for added security! You should always sign for your purchases when using your debit card. When you sign for your purchases instead of using your personal identification number (PIN), you get security protections that help prevent and detect fraud.
