Online Security Awareness

America's Credit Union wants you to be aware of potential online threats and know how to keep your information safe.

America’s Credit Union will NEVER ask you to update your information through an email or text message. Should you receive an email or text message allegedly from America’s Credit Union requesting such an update, please report it immediately.

Delete suspicious emails or texts immediately.
Report it to a Credit Union representative ASAP.
Call 214-742-6551 or 1-888-742-6551.

america's credit union in texas wants to keep you safe from identity theft online security represented as a gold padlock

Online Forms Security – Online Loan Application

America's Credit Union keeps your information safe.

The transfer of your information to authorized Credit Union employees through the Internet is encrypted using state-of-the-art techniques (SSL).

You can check that a form is secure in two ways:

Look for the small padlock icon. A closed, or locked, padlock indicates a secure connection.
Look for the letters 'https://' at the beginning of the Website address or URL in your Web browser. The "s" means secure.

america's credit union keeps your information safe do not become a victim of identity theft woman completing her online application while sitting on her bed

woman completing her online application while sitting on her bed

Online Banking Security

America's Credit Union Online Banking pages are protected through a protocol called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Encryption. This security measure provides 128-bits of encryption technology. The end user can only access ACU Online Banking with an SSL-compliant browser. The authentication of an Online Banking session is based on your username, PIN, and one-time passcode as a combination.

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) reduces the risk of unauthorized users by requiring end users to have additional log in credentials besides the standard user ID and password. The end user enrolls the computer most commonly used to access Online Banking. A unique secure cookie is placed in the browser of that computer, linking that user to that computer. During subsequent logins, the password and secure cookie are checked to make sure they are correct.

If an end user logs in from a non-enrolled computer, the end user will be required to answer their challenge questions in order to gain access to Online Banking. After 5 incorrect attempts to log in, the user will need to have their password reset. ACU further protects the members’ account by automatically dropping the member from Online Banking after six months of non-use.

ACU takes numerous precautions to keep your accounts and personal information secure, but you also play a key role in maintaining the security of your accounts. We have provided you with the following suggestions:

Keep your password private. Your online password authenticates (recognizes) you when you log in to Online Banking. You should memorize your password, and never write them anywhere. Never reveal your password to anyone, unless you want to allow them access to your accounts
Choose a strong password. Choose a password that will be easy for you to remember, but not obvious to someone else. For example, never use a birthdate, any part of your Social Security Number or phone number as your password. Do not use names of family members, pets, etc. as your password.
When you have finished your Online Banking session, remember to exit the program. Although your session will "time out" after a few minutes of no activity, you may not always be at your own computer, or in complete privacy, when you are online. Therefore, it is important to exit Online Banking when you are finished.

If you discover an unauthorized transaction on your account, immediately change your password. Contact Member Services as soon as you discover any discrepancies. We can be reached during regular business hours at 214-742-6551 or 1-888-742-6551

woman reviewing an annual report on her laptop

Report Suspicious Email

America's Credit Union strives to discover and implement the most up-to-date security features on all of our products and services. Be suspicious of any emails that request personal information, that ask you to “verify” information through email, or ask you to click on a link to a “special” website to verify or request personal information. In most instances, these scams involve the fraudulent replication of America’s Credit Union website and often request personal and/or account information.

If you receive a suspicious e-mail, please discard it immediately! After, please contact an ACU representative at 214-742-6551 or 1-888-742-6551.

Reminder: America’s Credit Union will NEVER ask you to update your information through an email or text message. Should you receive an email or text message allegedly from America’s Credit Union requesting such an update, please call 214-742-6551 or 1-888-742-6551 to speak to a Credit Union representative.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime. It occurs when personal information is stolen and used to assume the victim's identity. Identity thieves open banking accounts, make purchases, obtain cash and even rent apartments in the victims' name.

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More Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

Do not give personal information, such as account numbers or social security numbers, over the telephone, through the mail, or over the Internet, unless you initiated the contact and know whom you are dealing with. Beware of phone scams. Never give your PIN or any other personal financial information to an unknown caller.
Do not disclose credit card or other financial account numbers on a website unless the site offers secure transactions. Before submitting financial information through a Web site, look for the "padlock" icon on your browser's status bar. This signals that your information is secure during transactions. To make sure you are on a secure Web server, check the beginning of the Web address in your browser's address bar. It should read https://, rather than just http://.
Protect your PIN and other passwords. Avoid using mother's maiden name, your birth date or the last four digits of your social security number as a password.
Closely guard your ATM/debit card, checks, and credit cards. Report all lost or stolen credit cards or checks immediately.
Shred all unwanted materials containing sensitive personal information such as credit union statements and credit card bills.
Switch to e-Statements instead of receiving paper statements by mail. Check all statements carefully to ensure you have authorized all charges. With ACU Online Banking you can check your activity frequently instead of waiting until month-end.
Take credit card receipts with you. Never toss them in a public trash container.
Carry only essential credit cards and identification. Don't carry your Social Security card or birth certificate. Leave them in a secure place.
Put outgoing mail into a secure, official postal service collection box.
Don't leave mail in your mailbox overnight. Credit card applications mailed to you with your personal information already filled in can easily be used by thieves to open accounts in your name.
Obtain a copy of your credit report at least once each year for monitoring.

Recovering from Identity Theft

Alert America's and any other financial institutions you do business with to flag your accounts and to inform you of any unusual activity.
If your America's credit card or check card are lost or stolen, report the loss immediately by calling the credit union at 214-742-6551 or 1-888-742-6551.
Contact the fraud departments at each of the three major credit bureaus. Let them know you're an identity theft victim and request that a "fraud alert" be placed in your file. Types of fraud alerts you can request:
- Active Duty Military – good for 12 months. Available for your protection, whether or not you suspect theft or have been victimized.
- Fraud Alert – good for 90 days. This is used if you suspect you are a victim of ID theft. Can be renewed after the 90 days.
- Extended Fraud Alert – good for 7 years. Requires proof of identity and an identity theft report filed with any law enforcement agency (local, state or federal).
- To report fraud to the credit bureaus, call:
  - EQUIFAX: (800) 525-6285
  - EXPERIAN: (888) 397-3742
  - TRANSUNION: (800) 680-7289
File a police report with any law enforcement agency (local, state, or federal). Keep a copy for your records.
File a claim with the FTC at (877-438-4338)
Keep copies of correspondence and documents related to the theft and make note of all telephone calls, including the date and time of your call and the name and title of the person who assisted you.
Upon request, America's will provide account records to the identity theft victim at no charge. The identity theft victim must provide a government-issued photo ID, proof of a claim of identity theft that has been filed with any law enforcement agency, and any other personal identifying information the credit union might need.

Additional Resources on Identity Theft:

Federal Trade Commission: Fighting back against Identity Theft
Federal Trade Commission: OnGuardOnline.gov

America's Credit Union Electronic Fund Transfers Disclosures

Please click here to view America's Credit Union Electronic Fund Transfers Disclosures

man on his cell phone researching savings secured loans

Phishing

Internet "phishing" involves a bogus email message that uses legitimate-looking materials, like another company's logo, to entice you to provide personal financial details, such as account information, credit card, and Social Security numbers.

Reminder: America's Credit Union will NEVER ask you to update your information through an e-mailed link or a cell phone text message. Should you receive an e-mail or text message allegedly from America's Credit Union requesting such an update, please call 800-543-2811 to speak to a Credit Union representative.

How to identify them?

A generic greeting is used such as: "Dear customer " instead of using your name.
The e-mails have a sense of urgency. This may include an urgent warning requiring your immediate action.

May include a warning that your account will be shut down unless you reply.
The sender's email address may be forged, even if it looks legitimate.
There is often a link to a website to "fix" your account. These are often forged.
Personal information is requested. This may include asking for login and password information, either in the email or from the link.

How to protect yourself?

Never respond to an unsolicited email that asks for personal financial information.
Avoid filling out forms in Email messages. You don't know where the data will be sent. You should only communicate information such as credit card numbers or account information via a secured website or telephone.
Type web addresses into browsers instead of clicking on links in e-mails.
If you go to a link offered in an unsolicited email, check to see if there is an 's' after the http:// in the address and a picture of a padlock at the bottom of the screen that indicates the link is secure and encrypts data. Though this is not an indication that the site is legitimate, an online form that asks a consumer to submit sensitive personal information should always be encrypted.
Closely read your emails before responding with any information and contact the organization if you are in doubt.
Be cautious about opening attachments or downloading files from e-mail messages.
Keep anti-virus and anti-spam filtering software on your computers, and keep it up to date.

If you've been Phished

Immediately contact those organizations for which you provided the information.
Contact the three major credit bureaus and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission or call (877) 382-4357.

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