Do you feel your eyes starting to glaze over when people use terms like “equity,” “variable rate,” or “EMV?” Well, we’re about to change that!  Learning the meaning of common terms used in finance (including “equity” and “EMV”) will not only make it more exciting to be part of financial conversations, but also start you on the road toward your better financial future… today! Financial Terms Everyone Should Know Investment: This is an asset which has the potential to grow in value, such as real estate, stocks, certificates, and bonds. (Cars, unless antique and collectible, are not investments because they…

Members: We have been notified that a dark web carding market has released a massive dump of 1,221,551 credit cards, allowing anyone to download them for free to conduct financial fraud. The threat actors announced the credit card dump on Sunday to promote their new domains. The freely circulating file contains a mix of “fresh” cards expiring between 2023 and 2026 from around the world, but most entries appear to be from the United States. Analysts claim the cards mainly come from web skimmers, which are malicious scripts injected into checkout pages of hacked e-commerce sites.  Currently, we are working with…

Phishing is when criminals use fake emails to lure you into clicking on them and handing over your personal information, or installing malware on your device. When criminals go phishing, you don’t have to take the bait. It’s easy to avoid a scam (phishing) email when you know what to look for!  The signs can be subtle, but once you recognize a phishing attempt, you can avoid falling for it. Know the signs of a fake phishing email The offer inside is too good to be trueLanguage is urgent, alarming, or threateningWriting is poorly crafted, with misspellings and bad grammarGreetings…

One of the best ways to keep your information secure is also one of the easiest: Keep your software and apps updated!  When updates become available for your phone, computer, tablet, or other device, make them right away. We know how tempting it can be to click “remind me later,” but here’s why that’s not the best idea.  These updates are pushed out to fix general software problems and provide new security patches where criminals might get in. (Cyber criminals are always looking for new ways to steal your data through software, and updating your software is an easy way…

Over the years, we’ve gone from having just a couple of passwords to keep track of, to managing upwards of 100 passwords or more. If you’re like most people, you’re probably using the same password for most of your accounts—and that’s not safe. If that one password gets stolen because of a breach, it can be used to gain access to all your accounts… and any personal or financial information they contain. That’s why we recommend using a password manager! What is a password manager? A password manager is software designed to manage all your online credentials, like usernames and…

First things first: What is multi-factor authentication? Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security measure that requires anyone logging into an account to complete a two-step process to prove their identity.  In short, multi-factor authentication makes it twice as hard for criminals to access an online account! How does multi-factor authentication work? By requiring two steps instead of one to log in, multi-factor authentication greatly increases the security of any account. When MFA is activated, you’ll log in to your account with your username and password like normal, then complete an additional security step to finish the login process. Examples of…

Peer to Peer or Person to Person (P2P) payment services are an easy way to send funds directly from your account to another person. These services are available through several providers via websites and mobile apps.  Funds can be sent quickly often using only a phone number or email address. However, P2P transactions have risks and do not have the same consumer protections as other transactions. Unlike credit card and debit card transactions, there are no chargeback rights on P2P payment services. This means if you send someone money, even someone who has defrauded you, we may not refund your…

Summer is a popular time to travel, whether for a relaxing overnight or a week spent exploring a new destination. You’ll likely be taking along your smartphone or other device to assist with directions, locating or identifying points of interest, and capturing that special photo. Practicing good cyber hygiene before, during, and after your trip will help secure your devices and allow you to connect with confidence when you’re away from home! Before You Travel Update your devices. Updating devices will fix security flaws and help keep you protected. Whether it’s your computer, smartphone, or gaming device, be sure to…

Check out these great tips to improve your saving habits—and make smarter choices about your spending—today! Start with these simple wins:   Use bill pay. Sign up to Round Up and Save with your debit card.Use a card with rewards! (We have rewards on both debit and credit cards.)Open a Christmas Club or other special savings account. (With AirTeller, you can do this online.)In AirTeller, add tags to your transactions. This makes tracking your spending even easier. Zero out your money at the end of each day. For example, if you have $24 in cash at the end of the day, put…

Not even the best security measures will keep your data safe if someone (or something) guesses your password.  Here are our recommendations to make your passwords less vulnerable.  Let’s start with the “do’s” of a good password. DO use multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever available. DO increase the length to create stronger passwords. DO change your password whenever you think it may have been compromised. What are some password “don’ts”? DON’T use names or dates associated with you or your family. This includes the names of your pets and any information available on social media. DON’T reuse passwords across multiple systems or…