When you are sick or hurt and can't work, you need Aflac!

Starting in May 2008, members will be able to get Aflac benefits at special rates through the credit union! Contact Aflac at 800-881-2208 x 222 or email at aflac.hdm@gmail.com to find out more and look for them at the annual meeting.

The short NBC Today Show news videos in the links below show, in a dramatic way, how easy it is to steal personal information. Make sure you follow the tips above and in these videos to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft.  

NBC Today: Public Computer Risk: A key logger is easy to install on a hotel computer and can capture personal data and passwords.

NBC Today: Fake ATM Scams. Is that free standing ATM a convenience or a scam?

NBC Today: Fake Credit Card Scams. Could you really get someone to sign up for a credit card from a fake bank?

Spending hard-earned cash on yourself is one thing: forfeiting it to escalating ATM fees is quite another. According to a recent Bankrate.com survey, ATM fees have reached an all-time high of $4 billion per year—a 44 percent increase since 1999. In fact, consumers who use an ATM at a bank where they do not have a checking account can expect to pay enough to finance a café latte at their favorite high-end coffee house every time they take out their money. Using the wrong bank ATM often means paying a surcharge both coming and going. Ninety-six percent of banks charge non-customers for the privilege of using their ATMs, according to Bankrate.com. The average fee for this “service” is $1.54. Additionally, a full 87 percent of banks charge their customers for using another bank’s ATM—on average, $1.37 per transaction. All told, the combined average cost of using “someone else’s” ATM is a hefty $2.91.

It’s even possible to pay a surcharge for not receiving money. At a few banks, ATM “denial fees” may accrue when you attempt to withdraw more cash than your daily limit or bank balance allows. Translation: You are charged for a transaction you could not complete.

We’re here to help. Because we are a member of CO-OP Network, you’ll never have to pay a surcharge when withdrawing cash or making deposits at any of the 25,000 CO-OP Network surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. By partnering with CO-OP Network, we want to make sure that you never have to pay outlandish fees to get your own money.

Saving money isn’t the only advantage, either. Saving money at the ATM is not cost-effective if you have to drive 300 miles to do it. Through CO-OP Network, ATM access is not only free, but also easy and convenient. With more than 25,000 locations, CO-OP Network is one of the largest ATM networks in the country. CO-OP Network ATMs are everywhere, with an emphasis on locations that are in well-lit areas and inside secure buildings. Partnerships with 7-Eleven stores and high-end grocery retailers around the country have enabled CO-OP Network to become a leader in providing convenient, in-store ATM access—at locations where you live, work, and shop.

It’s this simple: You shouldn’t have to spend your money to get your money. To find a CO-OP Network ATM in your area, visit www.co-opnetwork.org.

We are holding the Annual Membership Meeting Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 2:00pm at the Sarah Heinz House, 1 Heinz Street. There will be cash prizes at this meeting and a complementary gift will be given to each member attending.

Come and hear about the Credit Union's 2007 performance. Directors and Management will make annual reports and members will be voting for their favorite nominee for Director. A biography of eligible nominees will be available to members at the Credit Union Office before the meeting day.

Members who have IRA deposits made through payroll deductions(January 1, 2008 through April 15, 2008) will be reported as current year contributions for 2008 unless a contribution direct form is signed claiming the deposits for prior year 2007. Call or come into the credit union office for forms or details.

Currently a 1% fee is assessed only on international transactions when a currency conversion occurs. This fee is unchanged. Effective April 4, 2008, VISA will also impose a 0.8% fee on foreign transactions where a currency conversion is not performed.

Keeping the credit union informed of your current address is important. But, did you know it is also important to keep your telephone number up-to-date? There are many occasions when it is necessary to get in touch with you immediately and without your most recent telephone number this is not possible. With all of the fraud in our society today, contacting you can eliminate losses for us and you.

The Ten Commandments of Finances: