Security breach hits credit card processor
STCU outlines security measures for members
[January 21, 2009]
STCU was notified recently that Heartland Payment Systems -- a credit card transaction processing company -- experienced a debit and credit card security breach, affecting Visa® and MasterCard customers nationwide.
Although certain card account data may have been exposed, this does not necessarily mean that data related to your STCU account was taken or that fraud has occurred or will occur on your account. Please be assured that we are actively monitoring the activity on your account to protect you from fraud. You will be contacted if any action is required.
As always, we encourage you to review your monthly statement carefully and to call us immediately if you see any suspicious activity. In the rare event that fraud does occur, you, as a Visa cardholder, are protected with Visa's Zero Liability policy, which means you pay nothing for unauthorized purchases on your account.*
While STCU employs the latest systems and technology to monitor and prevent card fraud, and many merchants also take precautions to protect your card information, there are practical steps you too can take to protect yourself:
- Check your account statement regularly and immediately report any transactions that you don't recognize.
- Destroy all receipts before discarding them since some of them may have your card number printed on it.
- Guard your card. Don't use your card as collateral or give out your card number to someone on the phone unless you initiated the call for a purchase.
- Check your credit report at least annually to ensure its accuracy.
- Register your card to use Verified by Visa and shop online with merchants that participate in the Verified by Visa service. This provides additional protection against unauthorized use of your card online.
- Use passwords on your credit cards, bank accounts, and phone cards. Avoid using the obvious passwords -- your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security, or phone number.
- Match your credit card receipts against monthly bills to make sure there are no unauthorized charges.
- To avoid any disruption of access to your accounts, please call STCU before you travel with your STCU Visa credit card or CheckCard. Learn more.
*Visa's Zero Liability policy covers U.S.-issued cards only and does not apply to commercial credit cards, ATM transactions, or PIN transactions not processed by Visa. Cardholders must notify STCU promptly of any unauthorized use. Consult STCU for additional details or visit www.visa.com/security.
