credit union hours and contact information
monday – friday 8:30am to 5:00pm >>ATM 24/7
www.pocu.com
608.244.3518 • 800.431.7628
608-244-1107 fax
[email protected]
winter 2017 NEWSLETTER
don’t let holiday bills weigh you down
The holidays are over and the bills
have started to roll in. If you ended
up using plastic this year to buy
your gifts, don’t worry. POCU can
help you simplify your debt and
start systematically paying it off.
Call 244-3518 or visit us at the
branch, so we can help remove
this weight from your shoulders!
When you meet with one of our
Financial Services Representatives
we will review your current budget,
the bills you are expecting, and the
income you currently have.
There are many loan options for
consolidating your debts, including
using the equity in your home, or
another asset like a vehicle. We will
show you all of the options, and
together, we will create a payment
and savings plan that will get you
back on track for 2017!
madison’s first credit union
www.pocu.com 608.244.3518
GOOD RATES >>
auto show & tell
Winter is known for many
shows, and they are fun and familythings, but did you know it’s the
friendly. In 2017 you can expect to
season of opportunity for vehicle
see a lot of new electric models, the
manufacturers? Every January the
latest and greatest technologies in
show-and“smart cars”
tell season
“expect to see a lot of new and a plethora
starts with big
of SUVs,
electric
models,
the
latest
metropolitan
crossovers
and
greatest
technologies
auto shows,
and trucksattended by
PERFECT for
in “smart cars” and
thousands of
Wisconsin
a plethora of SUVs,
consumers,
consumers who
crossovers
and
trucks”
journalists
have winter
and industry
roads to worry
people. Everyone is there to find out about! As always, we stand ready
what car companies plan to offer
to assist you in financing your next
the car-buying public in the coming vehicle. Once you find it, we take
years. If you didn’t make it to New
care of the rest! Call POCU at 244York or Detroit, don’t despair!
3518 and let’s take a spin!
Many cities in Wisconsin have auto
credit insurance
Are you protected against unanticipated financial hardships that could
easily put your dreams and lifestyle in jeopardy? POCU offers Credit
Insurance on our consumer and home equity loans to help you avoid
missing loan payments. If death or disability were to affect your family,
your POCU loans would be taken care of. This valuable safety net is so
affordable, adding just a few dollars to your monthly payments. Wouldn’t
it be great to know your assets are protected during tough times? Let’s talk
about credit insurance on all of your POCU loans.
GOOD CHOICE >>
staying financially fit in the new year
If you make New Year’s Resolutions, one or more of them might have to do
with financial matters in 2017. But, like many resolutions, life gets in the
way sometimes, with unexpected situations and expenses. So how do you
stay financially fit when life deals you a bad card? Just follow these three
simple rules:
Be realistic! It’s nearly impossible to stick to a budget 100% of the
1. time,
and setting a budget that is too restrictive only sets you up for
failure. Re-evaluate each month and move money around as necessary.
Mid-way through the year you will have made a few tweaks and should
be hitting your stride.
Plan ahead! It might seem like a no brainier, but having a little extra
2. money
set aside in a rainy day account can be a big help. It might not
cover the total cost of the unplanned expense, but it gives you some
wiggle room.
Look to POCU for help! We offer many avenues to help you
3. afford
unexpected expenses. We offer budgeting help, credit reviews,
and of course loans for whatever you need. Whether you are creating a
budget to stay out of debt, pay off existing debt, or save for a vacation,
vehicle or other expenses, don’t let the unexpected get in the way.
Learn more about how POCU can help you stay financially fit in 2017,
244-3518.
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2. Plan Ahead
3. Ask POCU
GOOD ADVICE >>
be password savvy!
Do you use the same passwords for multiple websites? This is a bad
habit which can put you at risk. Think of your password as a key. When
you re-use passwords for multiple websites, you are essentially only
using one key for multiple areas of your online life.
And here is the problem: While
some websites have a high level
And here is the problem:
of security, others definitely don’t.
While some websites
So, if your (one) password becomes
compromised on a website with weak
have a high level
security, a hacker now has the key
of security, others
to access a wide variety of online
definitely don’t.
accounts and profiles!
Cyber criminals are becoming
smarter and more ruthless in their
determination to steal private data
and sell to the highest bidder. While it may not be easy to remember
multiple passwords on the fly, there are many tools and programs out
there to help with the storage and retrieval of multiple passwords. The
collection of personal data is here to stay, so protect yourself by being
password savvy!
your money is safe at POCU
Credit unions like POCU encourage members to save regularly to build
economic security for themselves and their families. In exchange, we
insure your deposits to keep them safe. Federally insured credit unions
(like POCU) offer a safe place for you to keep your money, with deposits
insured up to at least $250,000 per individual depositor. The National
Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is the independent agency that
administers the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF).
Like the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund, the NCUSIF is a federal
insurance fund backed by the full faith and credit of the United States
government. Did you know not a single penny of insured savings has
ever been lost by a member of a federally insured credit union?
don’t get phished
Phishing” is the term we give to activities meant to fraudulently acquire
sensitive financial information such as passwords, account numbers and
personal details which could aid fraudsters in stealing your identity and
wreaking havoc in your financial life. Here are some recommendations to
help you avoid becoming a victim of a phishing scam:
• B
e suspicious of any email with urgent request for
financial information
• Be suspicious of emails which talk about upsetting
(or exciting) situations designed to get you to act
• A
void filling out online forms with financial information; make
sure you are in a secure, encrypted area in a shopping cart or
financial portal
• W
hen in doubt, look up in your address bar for https:// as the
“s” stands for secure which is good
• C
heck all your statements and activity regularly, letting us
know of any suspicious transactions
If you have a problem, you have several options: Report it to
[email protected], forward suspicious emails to the
Federal Trade Commission
at [email protected], and
notify the Internet Crime
Complaint Center of the
FBI on their website at
www.ic3.gov.
User
Na
me
Passw
ord
On Tuesday, January 24th, Director John Cuta and
President Kevin Yaeger attended the Wisconsin Credit
Union League’s State Governmental Affairs Conference.
Kevin and John were part of a group of over 200 credit
union activists meeting with their elected representative
to discuss issues of importance to credit unions.
P. O B ox 774 4
Madison , WI 5 370 7- 7744
w ww. po cu . co m