Conducting Transactions Online

As internet usage continues to expand worldwide, financial institutions are enhancing communications with consumers using the Web to offer products and services. With this new technology and convenience of online banking comes threats and scams. The number of identity fraud incidents increased 13% in 2011 to a total 11.6 million adult victims, according to a new survey published by CUNA.

BrightStar would like members to make safe decisions when banking online which involve making good choices that will help you avoid problems. To secure your online information please consider the following guidelines:

1. For your security, BrightStar Credit Union will never email, call or otherwise request you to provide your user name, password or other electronic banking credentials. If you are unsure of the origination of any message, please contact us before responding.
2. Choose a strong password that is easily remembered. It is suggested that your password include the following: a combination of lower case letters, upper case letters and numbers. Do not use birthdays, family names or other easily obtainable information.
3. Changing your password periodically can help protect you.
4. Do not give out your passwords or member number to anyone. Keep these types of information in a safe and secure place.
5. It is recommended to install a security system for the computer that you will be using for online banking.
6. Always log off your online banking after completing transactions. (Just clicking on the “x” does not log you off)
7. Always monitor your account activity.

Business Account members should periodically perform audits on all their accounts. Business members should also be aware of the potential risk related to online transactions at their company.

1. Make sure passwords are kept in a safe and secure place, not left out in the open.
2. Make sure the passwords are new, changing them periodically, about every 90 days.
3. Protect your business from the possibility of internal theft or fraud.
4. As soon as an employee is terminated their online rights should be as well.
5. Having dual control over individual access to online transaction capabilities helps protect the company.

Suggested evaluation controls that your organization may use:

1. Install firewalls to protect against hacking of your system.
2. Conduct audits within your organization periodically, using a third party company.
3. Conduct background checks on all employees.

If you become aware of suspicious account activity, you should immediately contact us at 954-486-BSCU (2728) or toll free 800.637.BSCU (2728).

Federal regulations provide consumers with some protections for electronic fund transfers. These regulations generally apply to accounts with Internet access. These laws outline steps you should take to protect your financial assets if an error were to occur. You must act quickly in order to take advantage of these protections. Notify BrightStar Credit Union immediately if you believe your information has been stolen or compromised. Also, review your account activity and on a regular basis and report any errors or unauthorized transactions. Please refer to the Accounts disclosures that were provided at account opening for more information on these types of protections. These disclosures are also available online or by calling BrightStar Credit Union.

To view our privacy notice and account disclosures, click here »

To learn more in our online Fraud Center, click here »

To browse financial topics and improve your money skills, visit BrightStar University »