We are a community credit union which means that if you live, work or worship  in Monongalia County or Preston County in West Virginia, or Fayette County or Westmoreland County in Pennsylvania, you can join.

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Fraud Alert – Cashier’s Checks Scams

We have been notified that fraudulent The United Federal Credit Union (TUFCU) Cashier’s Checks are being used in a fraud scheme. The checks are being presented as payment on various items or services; mainly through internet related transactions.  In many instances the Cashier’s Check is written for more than the amount of the item or services purchased.  This scam is commonly referred to as the overpayment scam.

If you have received a TUFCU Cashier’s Check that you suspect to be fraudulent, please contact us to verify validity of the check at (304) 598-5010.

The FTC offers the following tips for avoiding the check overpayment scam:

• Know who you are dealing with, and independently confirm your buyer’s name, street address, and telephone number.
• If you are selling something over the internet, say no to a check for more than your selling price, no matter how tempting the plea or convincing the story.
• There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to wire money back.

For more information on how to protect yourself from fraud, visit the FTC website at https://www.ftc.gov/. See also this advisory.

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Alert: Fake Virus or Security Alert Pop-ups

“Your computer is infected” Call this 800 number to fix it

“Warning—your computer is infected! System detected virus activities. They may cause critical system failure. Click here to get available software.”

These or similar pop-up alerts have been proliferating the internet recently  They commonly appear after you open an email attachment, download files, visit websites programmed to download malicious software or click on a pop-up advertisement. These are a scam.

Be wary of fake anti-virus alerts. NEVER click on pop-up anti-virus alerts. You should be running a security program containing an anti-virus and anti-malware program like Norton Security or McAfee. Keeping your security program up to date and always running is your best protection.

Scammers often use the names of well-known companies that specialize in computer software to gain your trust. The pop-up advertisements aim to mimic genuine warning alerts generated by computer security software.

The software or “free scan” offered in pop-up alerts often doesn’t work or actually infects your computer with the dangerous programs it is supposed to protect against.

This scam aims to either charge you for bogus software and/or obtain your personal information. Once your computer is infected, the scammer commonly gathers personal information to steal your identity or to sell it to other criminals.

Warning signs

• Fake anti-virus spyware programs often generate more “alerts” than the software made by reputable companies.
• You may be bombarded with pop-up alerts, even when you’re not online.
• Scammers commonly use high pressure sales tactics to convince you to buy NOW!
• The alert may request you to pass on the “warning” to “others in your address book” or “everyone you know”.
• Broken or oddly phrased English.
• The message is not addressed to a specified recipient; instead it is addressed to the ‘account holder’ or uses another generic title.

If your computer has been infected, it may dramatically slow down. Other signs that your computer has been infected include new desktop icons; new wallpaper or your default homepage is redirected to another site.

Protect yourself

• NEVER click on pop-up alerts! Don’t even click on the cross to delete the pop-up alert as this may result in getting more pop-ups. Instead, hit control + alt + delete to view a list of programs currently running and delete the pop-up alert from the list of running programs.
• Use reputable pop-up blocker software to avoid pop-ups on your computer.
• Keep your computer updated with the latest anti-virus and anti-spy ware software. Also use a good firewall.
• NEVER open email attachments unless you can verify the sender and you trust them.
• NEVER click on the links in spam email.
• NEVER rely on the contact details provided in a pop-up message. Instead, find your anti-virus vendor’s contact details through an internet search.
• Avoid questionable websites. Some sites may automatically download malicious software on to your computer.

• Don’t give control of your computer to someone who says they need to activate software. Instead, look carefully at the software instructions to learn how to activate the software yourself.
• Don’t give control of your computer to someone who calls you out of the blue claiming to be from tech support. Instead, hang up and call the company at a number you know to be correct.
• Never provide your credit card information, financial information, or passwords to someone who claims to be from tech support.

The FTC’s website has more information about how to spot and stop tech support scams

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If you have a debit card you should have received a replacement card with an EMV chip. Please activate your new card as soon as you receive it and destroy your old card. For more info on the new cards click here.

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Start today, sign up for direct deposit here

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We will be mailing replacement debit cards soon with the new EMV Chip technology. Click here for more details.

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Check out our new TIPS page with tips on how to improve your financial health. Click here to check out.

Click on image to see our tools for youth savings

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Buying a Car Soon? Check out this article from “Motley Fool”, a well respected financial site, about why Credit Unions are your Best Bet for an Auto Loan. Click here to read the article.

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Managing Your Credit: A Guide