Transcript GPCE Credit Union

GPCE Credit Union
Senior Interests
What is the
“Senior Interests”?
The purpose of our Senior Interests page is to provide our mature
members with helpful information regarding their finances, managing
money, investments, travel, Internet assistance, and so much more!
The information is updated from time-to-time. However, in order to
serve our seasoned members better, we would love to hear your
suggestions too. You can contact us by the following methods:
Phone - (850) 430-1961 or (850) 477-8650
Fax - (850) 477-6690
e-mail - [email protected]
Employee BIN - # 455
General mail delivery - 9641 Holsberry Road, Pensacola, FL 32534
Member Survey - located online or at each GPCE Credit Union office
We hope you enjoy your Senior Interests…
Seniors Hi-tech
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Many seniors are not
familiar with the
computer or have
limited computer skills.
In an effort to help you
with this area, we are
providing a few
suggested options
through literature and
various Internet sites.
Books can help you
understand the computer.
Need assistance using the computer?
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Read the following literature designed as a basic guide for adults
or anyone who wants to learn how to “GET CONNECTED”.
Good for PC beginners.
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Get step-by-step instructions. Learn to surf around the Internet like
a professional.
These books offers tips on how to use e-mail, Internet games &
correspondence, music and the WEB.
The First Week with My New Digital Organizer:
A Very Basic Guide to Palm OS PDAs
The First Week with My New IMac
The First Week with My New PC
All Written By: Pamela R. Lessing
“Free” Online Classes
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Log on to www.freeskills.com to view over 650 free tutorials.
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No matter what your age, learning a new skill can be refreshing
and exciting. There is no time like the present.
www.Senior.com
It’s Your Internet Community
A welcoming internet site to link you with other seniors
who share your same interests.
Discover information on travel, family, recreation, and news!
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The goal is to provide website visitors and members with a safe
community to communicate with family and friends, to research
information and to purchase items in a secured environment.
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Membership is absolutely free. There is no cost to be a member.
They respect your privacy and will safeguard your personal
information. They will not distribute personal information to
advertisers, sponsors or vendors without your explicit permission.
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml
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Official information and
services from the U.S.
government.
Whatever you want or need
from the U.S. government, it's
here on USA.gov. You'll find a
rich treasure of online
information, services, and
resources.
As the U.S. government's
official web portal, USA.gov
makes it easy for the public to
get U.S. government
information and services on
the web. USA.gov also serves
as the catalyst for a growing
electronic government.
SCAMS against Seniors.
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Scams can take many
different forms.
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Here are a few dependable
tips and some helpful
information that can assist
you with your concerns from
the
The Better Business
Bureau (BBB) of
Northwest Florida.
Click to next slide.
Con-Artists, Fraudsters,
Thieves…
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Did you know that older Americans
are the fastest growing segment of
the population to be victimized by
identity fraud and Internet
schemes? Everyday, con-artists
bombard your telephones,
mailboxes, and even your e-mails!
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In addition to these newer types of
fraud, seniors continue to be
victimized by age-old scams such
as foreign lotteries, shoddy home
improvement work and investment
schemes. In many instances, your
valued nest eggs are completely
wiped out. Some Americans even
lose their homes.
Why are Seniors
targeted?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Seniors are more likely to be at home to answer the phone or
door.
Seniors tend to be more trusting and less likely to suspect a
person of being a con-artist.
Seniors are often lonely and susceptible to a friendly sales pitch.
Seniors may be physically incapable of making their own home
repairs, exposing them to cons from workers who knock on their
door. Many con-artists offer to do the work for cheap and expect
the money up-front, before the repairs begin. Then, once they
receive the money the con-artist makes an excuse to leave before
the job is completed – never to return!
Seniors may be on fixed incomes, making them vulnerable to the
promises of high investment returns or even savings on medical
care.
Most Common Scams:
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FOREIGN LOTTERIES –
You
receive a call or e-mail advising that
you have a large amount of money
in the Canadian or other foreign
lottery, but you must send money
up-front to pay the taxes and fees.
Such lotteries are illegal!
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HOME REPAIR or IMPROVEMENT
SCAMS – Criminals show up
uninvited at your door offering to
make repairs and then do shoddy
work at an exorbitant rate. They may
also arrange financing through
predatory lenders who charge high
fees and rates with monthly
payments you cannot afford.
Scams:
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PHISHING –
You receive an e-mail advising
there is a problem with your
account and are instructed to
follow a hyperlink to another
site to provide verification of personal information, such as your Social
Security Number or your PIN (Personal Identification Number).
The e-mail and website look legitimate, often containing the company’s logo,
but the information provided is then used to STEAL YOUR IDENTITY.
Financial institutions and other legitimate companies would never request
confidential information in this manner.
*GPCE Credit Union will never ask members to update personal information via the Internet. If you ever had a
question regarding a possible Phishing Scam, please call us immediately at (850) 430-1961.
Scams:
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TELEMARKING SCHEMES –
You receive a call offering a great
deal on a product but need to “act
now” to receive the benefits. The
caller asks for personal information
that will then be used to loot your
bank account or the con-artist will
run up unauthorized charges to your
credit card.
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PHONEY CHARITIES – You receive
a phone call or personal visit from
someone soliciting money or what
sounds like a legitimate charity, but
is really a scam. Often they appear
to be associated with the police or
fire departments.
Scams:
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INVESTMENT or HEALTH
CARE SCAMS –
You receive a call, letter, or
e-mail offering above market
returns on investments or
great savings on medical
care. The solicitor is often
reluctant to provide details
about the company he or she
represents, such as the
address, phone number, or
fails to provide any written
documentation.
Protect yourself at ALL times!
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Statistics indicate that scams are occurring more frequently. Identity
theft is the fastest growing crime, according to the Federal Trade
Commission. Experts estimate that about 10 million people become
victims each year. That means every minute, 19 people become new
victims of identity fraud!
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What can you do to protect yourself, your good name, and your
valuable credit score? Although we cannot prevent every type of fraud
from occurring, we can provide you with the information needed to keep
your personal account information safer. Staying alert to any possible
threat, verifying your financial statements, and guarding your personal
information at all times is the best line-of-defense you can have!
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Use these following steps:
15 Steps to Prevent ID Theft
1. Register your phone number with the NATIONAL DO-NOT-CALL
REGISTRY at 1-888-382-1222 or via the Internet at
www.donotcall.gov. This step should stop many phone
solicitations and it good for home and cell phone numbers.
Although, companies you have done business with before and
some charities can still call. Once you have registered with the
Do-Not-Call Registry, other companies that call can be fined if
they continue to call or harass you by phone.
2. Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) before dealing with
any company or charity that you are not familiar with. Also,
discuss your choices with family members, neighbors, or close
friends. These people care about you and will have your best
interests at heart to insure a fair and honest deal.
3. Do not conduct business with someone who just shows up
at your door.
4. Do not give personal or financial information to an unknown
caller. Do not provide such information in response to unsolicited
e-mail / Internet messages.
5. Check with the BBB, family members, neighbors, or friends before
dealing with any charity or company that you are not personally
familiar.
6. If you need to hire a contractor or
repairman, you can ask the
BBB for a list of members in
that industry.
- Make certain the contractor
is properly licensed. -
7. You are entitled to a “free” credit report once a year. Free credit
reports can be obtained at www.annualcreditreport.com.
GPCE Credit Union recommends requesting a credit report to
verify the accuracy of your personal information, review & correct
any discrepancies, and protect your good credit.
8. Do not yield to high-pressure or emotional sales tactics! If you feel
uncomfortable, simply stop the conversation or hang-up the phone. Read
all contracts thoroughly and seek advice if you don’t understand them.
9. Never pay money to win a
prize or to enter a
sweepstakes! These
tactics are usually scams.
10. Never pay the entire cost
of a repair job up-front.
Try not to pay more than
a third (1/3) of the total
costs to get the work
started.
11. Have your Social Security or pension benefit checks directly
deposited into your account to reduce the possibility of
stolen checks and ID theft. Be careful not to leave outgoing
bill payments in an unsecured mailbox.
12. Keep careful records of your transactions such as a bank or credit
card statement. Check them for accuracy and shred documents
thoroughly before throwing them away.
* GPCE Credit Union strongly
advises members to invest in a
document shredder to prevent the
chance of identity theft from occurring.
Also, watch for GPCE Credit Union’s
annual free “Member Spring Shred
Day” - offered each year during the first
week of Spring. Members are invited
to bring up to 50 lbs. of paper and
documents to be shredded through the
trusted service of Gilmore Services.
13. Consider establishing a P.O. Box with your local Post Master
Office. Identity thieves will go through your home mailbox to
steal you account information. If you suddenly stop receiving
mail, contact your Post Master to verify any unauthorized change
of address requests. Identity thieves will try to send your mail to
a different address in order to review & collect even more personal
information about you.
14. When making purchases via the Internet, be sure
it’s a secured site indicated by a “locked”
padlock symbol or site address beginning with
https: The “s” means to internet site is secure.
Also, be sure to change your passwords from
time-to-time. Do not use words or phrases that
are easy to figure out, such as your name, birth
date, or address. ID Thieves can figure out these
passwords.
15. Stop receiving “junk mail”…This can prevent you from
becoming a victim of ID Theft and cut down on junk mail.
Log on to www.optoutprescreen.com to register.
Additional Protection:
GPCE Credit Union suggest members sign up for our online
Bill Pay Services. This credit union service is at no cost and offers
unlimited monthly payments through the convenience of your own
personal computer 24/7.
GPCE Credit Union also offers ID Theft protection through CUNA
(Credit Union National Association). ALERTME is a monthly service
offered to members for a low cost of $4.25 per month. Members can
sign up for the service online at www.gpcecu.com .
While placing a GPCECU check re-order online, consider another form of ID
theft protection through Deluxe Check Printers. Deluxe ID TheftBlock®
offers members basic service that covers consumer identity theft recovery
support. The enhanced service provides proactive protection plus recovery.
Members can choose from four levels of service to best match their level of
risk. Costs vary based on level of protection.
“We’re Here For You!”
Resources +
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We hope the information provided in our new Senior Interests page
has been helpful. If you need additional information, please call us
at (850) 430-1961 or contact any of the following agencies.
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The following links, phone numbers, and web addresses are
available to you in an effort to provide even more information
regarding consumer protection.
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Pages include information from the Better Business Bureau (BBB),
the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Action Handbook,
the FBI, Social Security, and the three major credit reporting
agencies.
Click to next slide.
BBB of NW FL
Phone #: (850) 429-0002
Toll free #: (800) 729-9266
www.nwfl.bbb.org (Organization Specifics)
The Better Business Bureau of Northwest Florida offers a reliable information
base which provides no-cost resources for your needs such as telephone,
online, general, government and national organizations. Information
provided includes business names, phone numbers and/or
e-mail
addresses.
BBB Vision:
An ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other.
BBB Mission:
BBB’s mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust.
The Federal Trade
Commission (FTC)
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580
Phone # (202) 326-2222
www.ftc.gov
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The FTC was created in 1914, its purpose was to prevent unfair methods of
competition in commerce as part of the battle to “bust the trusts.” Over the years,
Congress passed additional laws giving the agency greater authority to police
anticompetitive practices.
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The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. It is the
only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in
broad sectors of the economy.
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The FTC’s work is performed by the Bureaus of Consumer Protection, Competition
and Economics.
* Check out the newest ID Theft video provided by the FTC on our site, located under our News
page. Simply click on Identity Theft and Other Scary Stuff.
Consumer Action Handbook
Phone #: (800) 878-3256
www.consumeraction.gov
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The Consumer Action Handbook is an
everyday guide to being a smarter shopper!
It’s full of helpful tips about preventing
identity theft, understanding credit, filing a
consumer complaint, and so much more.
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In the 2009 edition, you'll find updated
information about filing for bankruptcy,
finding a lawyer, and planning a funeral,
along with many other useful topics.
Federal Bureau of
Investigations (FBI)
http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/seniorsfam.htm
FRAUD TARGET: SENIOR CITIZENS
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The Common Fraud Schemes webpage provides tips on how you
can protect you and your family from fraud. Senior Citizens
especially should be aware of fraud schemes.
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Receive information regarding common fraud scams, investment
related schemes, Internet scams, funeral & cemetery fraud,
fraudulent “Anti-Aging” product products, counterfeit prescription
drugs, and so much more!
Social Security Administration
http://www.ssa.gov/
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Learn more about retirement
options, Medicare, Disability &
SSI, and widow & widower
issues.
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You can request copies of your
Social Security statements,
report fraud, waste, and abuse.
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Use the handy online
retirement estimator.
It’s safe and secure!
3 Major Credit Reporting
Agencies
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Check your credit reports once a year! You can obtain a “free”
credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Credit Reporting Agencies
Equifax:
Phone number: 1 (800) 685-1111 Web address: www.equifax.com
Experian:
Phone number: 1 (888) 397-3742 Web address: www.experian.com
TransUnion:
Phone number: 1 (800) 888-4213 Web address: www.tuc.com
Ahhh, the Golden Years!
Time to enjoy the benefits available to you now.
We may not be able to offer all the benefits of senior entitlement.
However, GPCE Credit Union can offer our seniors and
retirees age 60+ other financial services just right for their
financial needs!
SENIOR ACCOUNT Services:
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No Cost Checking (one free box of checks per year, pre-selected style)
No Cost Internet Virtual Branch
No Cost (active) Bill Pay Service
No Cost Telephone Teller Service 24/7
No Cost Notary (available at all office locations)
Free Certified Checks (1 per day)
Free ATM / Debit Card (GPCECU does not charge you to use your
ATM/Debit Card. You may incur a fee for ATM withdrawals from other
institutions.)
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Free $1,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
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(additional coverage available)
Reverse Mortgages (May benefit you. Call for details.)
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Traveler’s Checks
Wire Transfers
Safe Deposit Boxes
Discount tickets to the ZOO in Gulf Breeze, FL
Sam’s Club discounts
Five office locations. Plus, over 3,500 Shared Branching
Service Centers Nationwide.
Contact the Main Office location at (850) 430-1961 for more details on our
SENIOR ACCOUNT services.