RAPIDES GENERAL HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

Messages sent and received by E-mail may not be secure, may be intercepted by third parties and may not be immediately received by the intended recipient. Confidential information or information we require in writing should be sent to: 211 Fourth Street Alexandria, LA 71301-8421. Or call (318) 473-3330 

ABOUT SECURITY

Your online security is very important to us. We take several precautions to ensure your information is secure.

To access our secure area, you must enter your Logon ID and Security Code. As a security precaution, we store your Security Code in our database in an encrypted format that even we cannot decode.

In addition, Enhanced Authentication provides extra protection for your online data and helps guard against phishing scams and identity theft by recognizing your computer and usage patterns. If a questionable logon attempt is detected, the system will require additional identity verification before allowing access. 

The system also displays a secret image and phrase combination that you choose. This secret image and phrase is displayed each time you log on to reassure you that you are logging on to your actual Internet banking or bill payment site. If you do not see your image and phrase, you should not enter your Security Code. 

    * Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to ensure that your connection and any information transmitted is protected.

    * 128-bit encryption to make your information unreadable as it passes over the Internet.

    * Automatic time out that occurs if you are inactive in the secure area of our site for more than 10 minutes. 

If your browser doesn't support SSL or 128-bit encryption, you will need to upgrade your browser. 

While we continue to evaluate and implement the latest improvements in Internet security technology, users of the system also have responsibility for the security of their information and should always follow the recommendations listed below: 

    * Utilize current versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Netscape browsers.

    * Keep your Security Code confidential.

    * Be sure others are not watching you enter information on the keyboard when using the system.

    * Never leave your computer unattended while logged on to the system. Others may approach your computer

       and gain access to your account information if you walk away.

    * Exit the system when you are finished to properly end your session. Once a session has ended, no further transactions can be processed until you log on to the system again.

    * Close your browser when you are finished, so that others cannot view any account information displayed on  your computer.

    * Keep your computer free of viruses. Use virus protection software to routinely check for a virus on your computer. Never allow a virus to remain on your computer while accessing the system. 

How Safe is Your Identity & Financial Information?

We've compiled some information and resources to help you be aware of the rise in threats to your personal and financial information.

Be Aware of Scam Artists!

Identity theft and the fraudulent activity associated with it is on the rise in our area and across the country. Scam artists are posing as governmental officials, tax collectors, and financial institutions to trick you into revealing your personal information. Please be advised that some of these scam artists may already have a portion of your member number, account number, social security number, or credit card number and may ask you to complete the information. 

"Phishing" is the attempt by scam artists to acquire personal and financial information such as passwords, social security numbers, account or credit card information, by posing as a trustworthy person or business. Most are sent via email or instant message nowadays, but may also come by mail, fax, or telephone. Don't fall victim to a "Phishing" trap! 

Remember: RGHEFCU will never contact you and ask you to reveal account or personal information. Do not give your member number or personal information to anyone unless you were the one who initially contacted them

Tips on Keeping your Personal & Financial Safe and Secure

Never disclose any personal information via the telephone, including social security numbers, your mother's maiden name, or account number if you did not initiate the call.

Do not open any email attachments from people or companies that you do not know or are unfamiliar with.

If you receive emails or messages requesting personal or financial information, even if it says it’s from a company you've heard of, do not reply or click to follow any of the links. Instead, try to call the company directly to see if it was really them or type in their website address manually in your web browser. Email is not a secure method of transmitting sensitive and personal information, and scam artists can put fake links to legitimate-looking websites in emails to try to fool you into disclosing your information.

Be suspicious of entering personal information into a pop-up window, even if it may look official.

Review all statements in a timely fashion to check for any unauthorized charges. Contact us if you suspect your RGHEFCU account has fraudulent activity.

Be aware of the privacy policies with any companies or institutions you do business or are associated with to understand how they store and use the personal information they collect from you.

If you suspect the IRS may be trying to contact you, call them at 1-800-829-1040. If you receive something that is supposedly from the IRS requesting more personal information in order for you to receive your tax refund, this is an identity theft attempt. Please visit http://www.ic3.gov to file a complaint.

There have been multiple e-mail fraud attempts that target credit union members all across the country. The email message claims to be originating from a national credit union organization, like CUNA or NCUA, and directs the recipient to click on a link to verify their credit union account registration. The member is then directed to a false website where they are asked for their credit union account number and PIN, along with other personal information. If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from Rapides General Hospital Employees Federal Union, do not respond to that email. Instead call us at (318)473-3330 and forward the message to info@rghefcu.com.

RGHEFCU will never ask our members to provide any account information without providing a way to directly contact an RGHEFCU representative. Never send personal information such as PIN’s, passwords, account numbers or social security numbers via email.

For more information about the national credit union organizations mentioned, please visit http://www.cuna.org or http://www.ncua.gov.

Another common scam sent via email is one from someone unfamiliar to you explaining a company is selling art in other countries and needs assistance in cashing checks drawn on U.S. financial institutions or that some rich person in another country has passed died tragically and has no heirs so they would like your help in cashing a check to settle the estate. The scam works like this: a person receives a check in the mail, deposits or cashes the item, keeps a percentage (usually 10% as payment for their assistance), and wires the balance out of the country to an unfamiliar company or person. By the time the items are returned fraudulent or counterfeit, the money is out of the country, the deposit item is reversed from the defrauded individual's account, and they now are out all of the money including their percentage. Since the item is fraudulent and the company which provided the items is unknown, there is no way to pursue collections. If you receive an email with this request delete it immediately and do not respond to it.

Never accept money orders or cashiers checks from individuals that you do not know personally and cannot personally pursue for your funds if the deposit is reversed. There is a significant amount of fraudulent transactions occurring that involve forged documents. These items look just like the real thing though they are not. Please be aware that the risk of loss is to the individual that signs the item. Be sure to read the disclosure on the back of the item above the signature line.

*Please take care when contacting us via email. Email is not a secure method of contact and should not be used to send sensitive information such as your member number, Social Security number, or PIN.

Tips for Recognizing and Avoiding Fake Check Scams

 If someone you don’t know wants to pay you by check but wants you to wire some of the money back, beware! It’s a scam that could cost you thousands of dollars. 

• There are many variations of the fake check scam. It could start with someone offering to buy something you advertised, pay you to do work at home, give you an “advance” on a sweepstakes you’ve supposedly won, or pay the first installment on the millions that you’ll receive for agreeing to have money in a foreign country transferred to your bank account for safekeeping. Whatever the pitch, the person may sound quite believable.

• Fake check scammers hunt for victims. They scan newspaper and online advertisements for people listing items for sale, and check postings on online job sites from people seeking employment. They place their own ads with phone numbers or email addresses for people to contact them. And they call or send emails or faxes to people randomly, knowing that some will take the bait.

• They often claim to be in another country. The scammers say it’s too difficult and complicated to send you the money directly from their country, so they’ll arrange for someone in the U.S. to send you a check.

• They tell you to wire money to them after you’ve deposited the check. If you’re selling something, they say they’ll pay you by having someone in the U.S. who owes them money send you a check. It will be for more than the sale price; you deposit the check, keep what you’re owed, and wire the rest to them. If it’s part of a work-at-home scheme, they may claim that you’ll be processing checks from their “clients.” You deposit the checks and then wire them the money minus your “pay.” Or they may send you a check for more than your pay “by mistake” and ask you to wire them the excess. In the sweepstakes and foreign money offer variations of the scam, they tell you to wire them money for taxes, customs, bonding, processing, legal fees, or other expenses that must be paid before you can get the rest of the money.

• The checks are fake but they look real. In fact, they look so real that even bank tellers may be fooled. Some are phony cashiers checks, others look like they’re from legitimate business accounts. The companies whose names appear may be real, but someone has dummied up the checks without their knowledge.

• You don’t have to wait long to use the money, but that doesn’t mean the check is good. Under federal law, banks have to make the funds you deposit available quickly – usually within one to five days, depending on the type of check. But just because you can withdraw the money doesn’t mean the check is good, even if it’s a cashier’s check. It can take weeks for the forgery to be discovered and the check to bounce. 

• You are responsible for the checks you deposit. That’s because you’re in the best position to determine the risk – you’re the one dealing directly with the person who is arranging for the check to be sent to you. When a check bounces, the bank deducts the amount that was originally credited to your account. If there isn’t enough to cover it, the bank may be able to take money from other accounts you have at that institution, or sue you to recover the funds. In some cases, law enforcement authorities could bring charges against the victims because it may look like they were involved in the scam and knew the check was counterfeit.

• There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you money to ask you to wire money back. If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashiers check for the exact amount, preferably from a local bank or a bank that has a branch in your area.

• Don’t deposit it – report it! Report fake check scams to NCL's Fraud Center, at www.fraud.org. That information will be transmitted to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.