How to sign up for MasterCard’s Secure Code

Maybe you’ve been ready to purchase something online with your American 1 MasterCard debit card, but you get prompted by something called SecureCode.

MasterCard’s SecureCode is a security system to prevent online fraud and theft. It protects others from using your American 1 debit card, keeping your money safe.

There’s just a bit of set-up required. First, you have to make your way to American 1’s own SecureCode site, where you can begin the registration process.

When you click on American 1’s link, the first thing you’ll see is a “Register Now” button. Click that to begin the process.

Be sure to read through the agreement and click “I Agree” underneath.

On the next screen, you’ll enter your American 1 debit card number.

Then, SecureCode will ask for the rest of your information, including your card’s expiration date, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and your birthdate. This is to confirm that it’s actually you signing up with the SecureCode system.

Finally, you’ll pick your Secure Code – a 8-15 character password made up of both numbers and letters. Use something that you’ll remember, but is hard for others to guess, and the more numbers and letters you use, the better. If you forget your Secure Code, you’ll have to pick a new one.

Now, when you’re prompted to enter your SecureCode at online retailers, you’ll be set up with MasterCard’s security system.

ScamWatch: woman loses in lottery scam

Sad news from the Jackson Citizen Patriot:

A Brooklyn-area woman is out more than $125,000 primarily as a result of a “lottery winner” scam that had her sending money to faraway locations, mostly Canada and Jamaica.

The elderly woman wired or sent money through Western Union or by MoneyGram as payment for taxes or other fines or fees she was told she had to pay in order to receive her winnings, Columbia Township Police Chief David Elwell said. She sent payments more than 100 times dating back to about March 2008, sometimes as much as $7,000, Elwell said.

It is unlikely she will get back her money, he said.

As we’ve said before, watch out for any foreign lottery offer – or any foreign person you don’t know personally asking for money.

If it sounds too good to be true…well, you know the rest.

Protecting your online purchases

In the ongoing effort to prevent ID theft and online fraud, American 1 is now requiring that members who make purchases from online vendors using Verified by Visa (for credit card transactions) and MasterCard SecureCode (for debit transactions) sign up for each program.

These two programs require that you enter a seperate, secure passcode when you make online purchases at participating vendors. When an online merchant prompts you to enter your SecureCode or Verified by Visa code, you have to be signed up with the respective credit or debit program to make your purchase.

Not all online merchants (Amazon.com, PayPal, etc.) currently require you to use Verified by Visa or SecureCode when making a purchase. For the ones that do, however, you’ll be required to sign up for the program. Use Visa’s online form to activate Verified by Visa, and MasterCard’s unique American 1 page to get the process started.

You can choose to “decline” the transaction, but if you do, your transaction will be declined.

In other words, this service is now mandatory for online transactions where the merchant offers it. But again: not all online merchants currently utilize these programs.

We’re doing this to combat online fraud. There have been more and more members that have been affected by identity theft, especially using Visa and MasterCard cards, so we’re using these security programs to fight back.

Yes, this means you’ll have one more passcode to remember. But, in the long run, it will help protect you in case someone steals your credit or debit card number.

If you have any questions about Verified by Visa or SecureCode, contact our Card Services Department at (888) 213-2848.

ScamWatch: Beware of fake Charter One verification sites

Head’s up: an American 1 employee received the above phishing e-mail (click for a larger view) that sent her to the this web site:

Take note that the web site asks for all the information on a debit card, including:

• debit card number
• card expiration date
• card verification number (the three numbers on the back)
• AND THE PIN!

This should send up a big red flag for anyone who receives a similar e-mail. Your financial institution will never (NEVER!) ask for your PIN via e-mail, and will never ask for all the information on your card.

Why? They have it already.

Luckily, our staff member was wise enough to recognize this as a phishing attempt. Let this be a lesson: just because something looks and sounds legit doesn’t mean it’s so.

If you ever receive an e-mail like the one above, let us know!

American 1’s response to the Heartland data breach

[Update: After careful consideration and account monitoring, we have decided that, for now, a mass reissue of the compromised cards is not necessary. We compare any claims of fraud against the compromised card list on a daily basis and will continue to do so. There has been no increased fraud claims since this compromise came to light. If you would like to know if your card number is on the compromised list, please give us a call or e-mail and we will be happy to check for you. If your card is on the list, and you would like to have your card replaced, we will do so for you.]

The Jackson Citizen Patriot posted an article about two local credit unions that were affected by the data breach, and we’ve had many members ask us if American 1 has been affected.

First, some background: Heartland Payment Systems, a company that helps businesses process debit and credit card transactions, was hit by malicious hackers. The hack put millions of credit card customers at risk in what may be the biggest data breach ever.

Heartland handles data from credit card merchants. So say you pay for a fill-up at a gas station with your American 1 Visa. That data gets sent to Heartland, who parses the info for Visa, and sends the payment back to the gas station. In effect, this data breach isn’t the fault of you, the gas station, or even Visa. It goes back to Heartland. And because it stems from a processor, and Heartland deals with upwards of 200,000 merchants (like gas stations), the breach may affect lots of people.

Heartland has taken responsibility for the breach, and offers tips to consumers who may be affected. Robert Carr, Heatland’s chairman/CEO, puts it this way:

As a cardholder, you will not be held financially responsible for any unauthorized transactions that are timely reported to your card issuer. You should regularly monitor your card and bank statements and report all suspicious activity to your card issuer (in the case of Visa and MasterCard cardholders, that would be the bank that issued the card, not the card brand).

Heartland says they’ve closed the security hole, but they still haven’t reported how many people may be affected.

Here at American 1, we are monitoring our members’ accounts closely to safeguard against any fraudulent activity. We won’t block anyone’s cards, meaning you can continue to use your American 1 Visa and debit cards as normal, and – if something does happen – you are not liable for any fradulent charges.

If we do find something suspicious, we will contact you directly. American 1 has dedicated employees that handle all our card transactions. If you have a problem with your American 1 Visa or MasterCard debit card, you will talk to a real, live person at our branch.

We’ll offer a tip: sign up for home banking to keep a close eye on your accounts. If you do spot something suspicious, please let us know. You can direct your questions to a Member Services Specialist at any branch location.

Receive a text message? It’s a scam

We’ve had several members tell us that they have received text messages, supposedly from a local bank, asking for personal information.

As always, ignore these text messages – or report them to the police. Our security officers says “the text messages are a scam and [members] should not call the number that the text is prompting them to call.”

Keep in mind: never give personal information to someone that calls you and asks for it. When you call our branch, we’ll ask you confirmation questions just to make sure it’s you. That’s for your security. But when someone calls or texts and asks for your information, don’t give it to them. When we call, we already have your information.

Bad economy sees increase in bad behavior

When the economy suffers, so do people’s ethics, it seems.

A recent story in the New York Times reports that shoplifting, especially around the holidays, is on the increase:

Police departments across the country say that shoplifting arrests are 10 percent to 20 percent higher this year than last. The problem is probably even greater than arrest records indicate since shoplifters are often banned from stores rather than arrested.

This time of year is also a peak time for online and e-mail fraud.

At American 1, we are very vigilant in looking out for “secret shopper” and foreign-country lottery scams. As always, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Be aware of where you keep your checkbook, debit card, and credit card. “Crimes of opportunity” – thefts where a thieve is in the right place at the right time – are also on the rise, meaning your pocketbook or wallet could be at risk.

If your banking or personal information is ever stolen, or if you become a victim of an online scam, alert your local police department. Then contact your financial institutions, like American 1. Look for more tips and resources to fight ID theft at our ScamWatch page.

ScamWatch: beware fraud text messages

We recently received word from another credit union that members are receiving fraud text messages citing “unusual account activity.” These text messages provided an 800 number, where members were asked to verify three pieces of information linked to their account to “restore their credit or debit card.” And then it asks them to enter their 16-digit credit or debit card number.

Folks, this is a scam. Credit unions will not alert you via text message when something is wrong with your account. If you ever receive something like this, be sure to double-check the given phone number against our own: (888) 213-2848 or (517) 787-6510. And please, don’t ever enter your credit or debit card number to just anyone. Check and double-check each request for financial information. It could save you a bundle.

Member wins shredder, $50 Visa credit

Deborah H. gets a lot of credit card solicitations in the mail.

She bought a household shredder to take care of most of it, but when American 1 offered to shred her junk mail for free, she jumped at the chance. Since then, she’s shredded dozens of credit card offers, and won our Top Secret Visa contest – including a heavy-duty home shredder and a $50 credit to her American 1 Visa card.

“American 1 is the only place I do business,” Deborah (above, with her son Cory) says, and her American 1 Visa is the only credit card she has.

Now she’ll use her new shredder to shred everyone else’s credit card offers, including the four she’s received already after winning our contest.

Congrats to Deborah! To learn more about big bank credit card tricks, visit our Top Secret Visa site.

ScamWatch: the old cash-and-send-back scam

We recently had a member come in with a check for almost $3,000, along with a letter that said if she cashed the check, put the money into a cashier check, and sent it back, the company would send her a $50,000 “federal grant.”

Now, right away your fraud sense should be tingling. But to this member, that sense was silent.

Sadly, the member had already sent $300 of her own money to this company to get the process started. When an American 1 employee told this member that the deal was most likely a scam, the member disagreed and walked off in a huff. She probably went and tried to get the check cashed at another financial institution to get the “deal” rolling.

Friends, this is definitely a scam. Any agency that sends you a check, asks you to cash it, and send the money back in a cashier check is dealing with fraud. Why would anyone ask you to do something so silly, unless the original check was a fraudulent check?

Yes, these are tought times, and yes, families can use all the help they can get. But this is no time to fall for scams like a free $50,000 “federal grant” that comes out of nowhere.

Be on guard against mailings and e-mails that sound too good to be true. Because…well, you know the rest.