Convenience Services

Shared Branches

CECU is a member of C U Service Center Shared Branching Network. What this means to you is you now have more locations to conduct CECU business. More locations mean more convenience for our members. You can do almost anything in shared branches that you can do at CECU branches, except make a loan. You can make deposits, withdrawals, loan payments, transfers and at some locations purchase money orders. We do not recommend you use them for check cashing or any cash back transactions. Shared Branching is nationwide so you can use them when you travel.

In order to do business at a Shared Branch you must know your CECU account number and have a current drivers license with photo ID. Just go in and tell them that you’re a member of City Employees Credit Union and conduct your transaction. The transaction will be sent straight to us and posted on your account. Any type of Trust accounts, POA accounts, or Estate account cannot use a shared branch.

Visa Debit/ATM Card

CECU’s Visa Check Card allows you to either access money in your CECU account using an ATM or you can make purchases where ever Visa is accepted. It allows you the convenience of not carrying a lot of cash and not having to write a check. You can also avoid ATM surcharges by using the card at any CECU ATMS, Easystreet ATMS, and MoneyTower ATMs in Walgreens.

Please be aware that, in order to protect member accounts from fraudulent activity, a daily limit has been set on CECU debit cards. If you have large dollar purchase items, you should consider using a credit card, because it is easier to dispute transactions accessing borrowed funds (credit card) as opposed to the hassle of disputing transactions to recoup the money that you live on day to day.Contact any of our offices and ask to speak to a Member Services Representative.

If your card is lost or stolen you now need to call (888) 918-7889. Please record this phone number at home or work or in your phone in case your card is lost or stolen.

Debit/ATM Tips

When using your ATM/Debit Check Card at a merchant, you should always push CREDIT and sign for the transaction. This is the only true way for you to have charge-back rights.

Many of our members use the check card to get cash back at the point of sale. In order to do this, you must do the transaction as a debit and input your PIN. This is not safe and you give up any charge-back rights for this transaction. In addition, you put yourself at the mercy of the employees of the merchant. A tremendous amount of fraud is taking place with PIN base debit fraud. Merchant employees are stealing the card information along with the PIN and selling it on the black market. Bogus cards are made and if they have your PIN, you lose. Only use your PIN at an ATM.

Also, try to avoid letting your card leave your sight. Try to pay with cash or use a Credit Card at restaurants. Examine your statement and report fraud immediately. When making purchases on the internet, you are safer using our Visa Credit Card. Remember, with debit push credit and sign.

More ATM and Debit Card Safety Tips

• Treat your card like cash. Keep it in a safe place.
• Keep your personal identification number (PIN) a secret.
• Do not disclose card information over the phone to anyone. No one needs to know your PIN, not even your financial institution.
• Never disclose information about your card in response to an unsolicited e-mail or request.
• Make certain your Internet shopping sites are secure.
• Protect your card’s magnetic stripe. Do not expose your card’s magnetic stripe to magnetic objects.
• Report a lost or stolen card at once.
• Carefully review your account statements.
• Sign up for new Visa Alerts to set email notifications for out of country transactions, online purchases, and transactions over a certain amount. Start the process here: Visa.com/purchasealerts

ATM Safety

• Observe the ATM surroundings before approaching a walk-up ATM. If anyone or anything appears to be suspicious, cancel your transaction and leave the area at once.
• If an ATM is obstructed from view or poorly lit, go to another ATM. It is a good idea to take along a companion when using an ATM, especially at night.
• Minimize time spent at the ATM by having your card out and ready to use. Do not let anyone see how much money you withdrew, and never count your money at the ATM.
• Never allow a stranger to assist you in conducting an ATM transaction, even if you have trouble or if your card is stuck.
• Stand between the ATM and anyone waiting to use the terminal so that others cannot see your PIN or transaction amount.
• Look for possible fraudulent devices attached to the ATM. If the ATM looks different or appears to have any alterations or attachments to the card slot or PIN pad, do not use it.

Drive-Up ATM Safety

• Keep the doors locked, windows up and engine running at all times when waiting in line.
• Leave enough room between cars to allow for a quick exit should it become necessary.
• Before lowering the window to use a drive-up ATM, observe the entire surrounding area. If anyone or anything appears to be suspicious, cancel your transaction and drive away at once.
• Minimize time spent at the ATM by having your card out and ready to use. Once your transaction is complete, take your money, card and receipt and immediately drive away from the terminal.
• If anyone follows you after you have completed your ATM transaction, go immediately to a crowded, well-lit area and call the police.

PIN Debit Safety

• Never allow the cashier or anyone else to enter your PIN for you, even if they are assisting you with the transaction.
• Block the view of others when using a POS terminal.
• Be sure the transaction is complete and you have received a receipt before leaving.
• If you received cash back, put it away before leaving the terminal.
• When using an outdoor POS terminal such as at a gas station, observe your surroundings before making a transaction. If anything looks suspicious, leave the area at once.
• It is a good idea to take someone with you when using an outdoor POS terminal at night.
• If anyone follows you after you have completed your POS transaction, go immediately to a crowded, well-lit area and call the police.

10 places and situations where you should avoid using your debit card

1. Online
Do not use a debit card online. You have potential vulnerability since the debit card links directly to a checking account. If you have problems with a purchase or the card number gets hijacked, a debit card is vulnerable because it happens to be linked to an account. You should also include phone orders in this category. The Federal Reserve’s Regulation E (Reg E), covers debit card transfers. It sets a consumer’s liability for fraudulent purchases at $50, provided they notify the financial institution within two days of discovering that their card or card number has been stolen. However, this protection does not relieve you of the hassle of trying to get money put back into their bank account. In addition you have the problems that a lower-than-expected balance can cause in terms of fees and refused checks or payments. When shopping online, reach first for credit cards.

2. Big-Ticket Items
With a big ticket item, a credit card is safer. A credit card offers dispute rights if something goes wrong with the merchandise or the purchase. With a debit card, you have fewer protections. In addition, some credit cards will also offer extended warrantees. And in some situations, such as buying electronics or renting a car, some credit cards also offer additional property insurance to cover the item. Also, when using store credit cards, try to avoid ones that have deferred interest.
In addition, in order to protect member accounts from fraudulent activity, a daily limit has been set on CECU debit cards. If you have large dollar purchase items, you should consider using a credit card, because it is easier to dispute transactions accessing borrowed funds (credit card) as opposed to the hassle of disputing transactions to recoup the money that you live on day to day.

3. Deposit Required
If you rent equipment at a big-box store or a rental store, they require a sizable deposit. This is where you want to use a credit card instead of a debit. That way, the store has its security deposit, and you still have access to all of the money in your bank account. With any luck, you’ll never actually have to part with a dollar.

4. Restaurants
Restaurants are dangerous for many reasons. First, you have so many people around. In a large number of cases of credit or debit information being stolen, as often as not, it’s in a restaurant. The danger: Restaurants are one of the few places where you have to let cards leave your sight when you use them. Employees at restaurants have been caught carrying small skimmers that allow them to skim the information off the card. The other problem with using a debit card at restaurants is some establishments will approve the card for more than your purchase amount because they presume you intend to leave a tip. So the amount of money frozen for the transaction could be quite a bit more than the amount of your tab. And it could be a few days before you get the cash back in your account.

5. You’re a New Customer
Either online or in the real world, if you’re a first-time customer in a store, skip the debit card the first couple of times you buy. This allows you to get a feel for how the business is run, how you’re treated and the quality of the merchandise before you hand over a card that links to your checking account.

6. Buy Now, Take Delivery Later
Buying now but taking delivery days or weeks from now? A credit card offers dispute rights that a debit card typically does not. It may be an outfit you’re familiar with and trust, but something might go wrong and you need protection. But be aware that some cards will limit the protection to a specific time period, so settle any problems as soon as possible.

7. Recurring Payments
You can have a difficult time with services like a gym or cable company that won’t stop billing a card after you cancel the service. Now imagine the charges aren’t going onto your card, but instead coming right out of your account. Another reason not to use the debit card for recurring charges: your own memory and math skills. Forget to deduct that automatic bill payment from your checkbook one month, and you could either face fees or embarrassment. So if you don’t keep a cash buffer in your account, “to protect yourself from over-limit fees, you may want to think about using a credit card.

8. Future Travel
Book your travel with a check card, and they debit it immediately. So if you’re buying travel that you won’t use for six months or making a reservation for a few weeks from now, you’ll be out the money immediately. In addition, hotels aren’t immune to hackers and data breaches, and several name-brand establishments have suffered the problem recently. You do not want your debit card information to sit, in their system for four months, waiting for you to arrive.

9. Gas Stations and Hotels
This one depends on the individual business. Some gas stations and hotels will place holds to cover customers who may leave without settling the entire bill. That means that even though you only bought $10 in gas, you could have a temporary bank hold for $50 to $100. Ditto hotels, where there are sometimes holds or deposits in the hundreds to make sure you don’t run up a long distance bill, empty the mini bar or trash the room. The practice is almost unnoticeable if you’re using credit, but can be problematic if you’re using a debit card and have just enough in the account to cover what you need. At hotels, ask about deposits and holds before you present your card. At the pump, use a credit card or pay inside and they should debit only the amount you’ve actually spent.

10. Checkouts or ATMs That Look ‘Off’
Criminals are getting better with skimmers and planting them in places you’d never suspect like ATM machines on bank property. So take a good look at the machine or card reader the next time you use an ATM or self-check lane. Does the machine fit together well or does something look off, different or like it doesn’t quite belong? If it looks like it’s been tampered with, go somewhere else.

Skip A Payment

Now you have the option to skip a loan payment without impacting your credit rating. The Skip-A-Payment program gives you the option to defer a monthly payment on any eligible CECU loan. If your loans are paid through payroll deduction, the payment stays in your account, making it available for you when you need it. We advance your payment due date and your maturity date (for example on a 36 month loan, if one monthly payment is skipped, you make 36 payments over 37 months).

Example:
If you have a $250 loan payment for November, you could pay the $20 fee and the loan would become due for December, freeing up $230 to spend for Christmas.

The skip is based on the loan payment frequency:
• One monthly payment
• Two consecutive bi-weekly or semi-monthly loan payments
• Four weekly payments

Rules:
1. You must complete one authorization form per eligible loan.
2. You may skip on the following types of loans: Auto Loan, RV Loans, Line of Credit, Personal Signature Loan, and Share Secured Loans (non-PYF).
3. Business Loans, First-Mortgage Loans, Home Equity Loans, Home Equity Lines of Credit,  Credit Card, and type of Salary Advanced Loans are not eligible for the Skip-A-Payment service.
4. This program is not available on loans during the first twelve (12) months of the loan agreement.
5. You may only exercise one (1) Skip-A-Payment per 12 months/per loan with a maximum of three (3) skipped payments per loan term.
6. There is a $20 service fee to skip each payment on each loan.
7. Finance charges will continue to accrue on a daily basis.
8. Loans must be current at the time of the skip request and can not have a past due history (15 days or more late) in the last 12 months.