Financial Resources
BALANCE Financial Fitness Program
BALANCE CAN HELP YOU REACH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS
With so many financial issues, money management can feel overwhelming. That’s why Marion Community Credit Union has partnered with BALANCE, a financial fitness program that makes it easy for you to get on top of your situation. Whether you’re saving for your child’s education, or trying to get out of debt, BALANCE counselors are here for you.
As a benefit of your credit union membership, you now have free access to the following confidential services:
InfoLine: Certified counselors are available to answer your questions about money management and other personal finance topics.
Money Management Counseling: If you’d like to get out of debt, improve your credit or avoid bankruptcy, a counselor can help you design a realistic spending and savings plan.
Debt Management Plan: Consolidate your credit card payments, lower payment amounts, and even reduce or eliminate interest and fees to get out of debt.
Credit Report Review: Creditors, employers and others often use credit reports to assess a person’s financial fitness. A counselor will review your credit report with you, making sure you know your rights. BALANCE can even provide a low-cost credit report.
Phone: 888/456-2227 (toll-free)
Hours: (EST)
Monday -Thursday, 8am-11pm
Friday, 8am-8pm
Saturday, 11am-8pm
This service is provided for you free of charge as a benefit of membership in the Marion Community Credit Union.
Calculators
For calculators visit our helpful calculators page
Financial U
This section will be filled with information that will help manage your finances and avoid financial pit falls. If you have suggestions for articles that you would like to see here contact Glenn Coble at 740/389-9960 ext. 330.
Identity Fraud
Impersonation fraud occurs when someone assumes your identity to perform a fraud or other criminal act. Criminals can get the information they need to assume your identity from a variety of sources, such as the theft of your wallet, your trash, or from credit or bank information. They may approach you in person, by telephone, or on the Internet and ask you for the information.
The sources of information about you are so numerous that you cannot prevent the theft of your identity. But you can minimize your risk of loss by following a few simple hints.
Some Tips to Avoid Impersonation/Identity Fraud:
Never throw away ATM receipts, credit statements, credit cards, or bank statements in a usable form.
Never give your credit card number over the telephone unless you make the call.
Reconcile your bank account monthly and notify your bank of discrepancies immediately.
Keep a list of telephone numbers to call to report the loss or theft of your wallet, credit cards, etc.
Report unauthorized financial transactions to your bank, credit card company, and the police as soon as you detect them.
Review a copy of your credit report at least once each year. Notify the credit bureau in writing of any questionable entries and follow through until they are explained or removed.
If your identity has been assumed, ask the credit bureau to print a statement to that effect in your credit report.
If you know of anyone who receives mail from credit card companies or banks in the names of others, report it to local or federal law enforcement authorities.
Phishing is on the Rise
Phishing incidents increased dramatically in popularity in the past year. Phishers use the Internet to steal money and personal identities. Phishing is a type of deception designed to steal your identity. In phishing scams, scam artists try to get you to disclose valuable personal data—like credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information—by convincing you to provide it under false pretenses. Phishing schemes can be carried out in person or over the phone, and are delivered online through spam e-mail or pop-up windows
A recent study shows 52 million U.S. Internet users received phishing e-mail during the past 12 months. While consumers at credit unions and banks are prime targets, AOL, Paypal and eBay users also are victims of frequent attacks.
A phishing scam sent by e-mail may start with con artists who send millions of e-mail messages that appear to come from popular Web sites or sites that you trust, like the Marion Community Credit Union or a credit card company. The e-mail messages, pop-up windows, and the Web sites they link to appear official enough that they deceive many people into believing that they are legitimate. Unsuspecting people too often respond to these requests for their credit card numbers, passwords, account information, or other personal data.
As scam artists become more sophisticated, so do their phishing e-mail messages and pop-up windows. They often include official-looking logos from real organizations and other identifying information taken directly from legitimate Web sites.
Experts say it’s a good idea to change your online banking and shopping account passwords every three to six months. And to avoid being led to fraudulent Web sites, retype the Web address in your browser rather than click through e-mail links. These simple steps can protect you from serious hassles down the road.
The following are just a few phrases to watch for if you think an e-mail message is a phishing scam. If an e-mail message looks suspicious, that probably means that it is.
“Verify your account.” Businesses should not ask you to send passwords, login names, Social Security numbers, or other personal information through e-mail.
“If you don’t respond within 48 hours, your account will be closed.” Phishing e-mail may threaten to close or suspend your account or may even say your response is required because your account may have been compromised.
“Dear Valued Customer.” Phishing e-mail messages are usually sent out in bulk and do not contain your first or last name. Although, it is possible that con artists have this information.
“Click the link below to gain access to your account.” HTML-formatted messages can contain links or forms that you can fill out just as you’d fill out a form on a Web site.
The Marion Community Credit Union will never send you an email asking for your password, login name or other personal information. If you receive any questionable correspondence from MCCU contact us immediately.
FoolProof Financial Information Site
FoolProof is a free financial information resource for our members. Visit the site by clicking on the button on our home page or click here to visit now.
Kids Club
The Marion Community Credit Union currently has three age appropriate web sites linked. The Kirby Kangaroo Club is for youngsters up to age 12.
Teen Club
The Marion Community Credit Union currently has three age appropriate web sites linked. CU Succeed is designed especially for our members in their teens.
Young Adult Site
The Marion Community Credit Union currently has three age appropriate web sites linked. CreditUnionsRock.com is for our young adults up to age 25 (“Gen Y”).
