Blog - Family First CU

Empowering Communities through Financial Literacy: A Path to Prosperity

5/15/2023

In this blog post, we explored the importance of financial literacy for communities, as presented by a professional from Family First Credit Union. Financial literacy serves as the foundation for building strong financial foundations, fostering economic growth, breaking the cycle of debt, enhancing decision-making skills, and promoting financial independence. By equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed financial decisions, communities can empower their members to achieve financial stability, contribute to local economic growth, and become self-reliant. Prioritizing financial education is crucial for creating prosperous and resilient communities.

Motivation is what gets us out of bed.

1/13/2021

Start Each Day Refreshed and New!

Motivation is what gets us out of bed in the morning. We are motivated to work through the week for our families, homes we live in, cars we drive, and the fun vacations we look forward to. Motivation also drives us to do the impossible.

So why is it so hard to get motivated some days? Here are some quotes that might just help you through your day. Remember everyone is going through something, and maybe your motivation can help motivate them as well.

“People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” (Rob Siltanes)
“You learn more from failure than from success. Don’t let it stop you. Failure builds character." (Unknown)
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” (Albert Einstein)
“Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” (Helen Keller)
“One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.” (Michelle Obama)
“There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking.” (Brian Tracy)

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Smishing - PayPal Phishing: “Your Account is Limited”

1/12/2021

What is SMISHING?

“Smishing is the fraudulent practice of sending text messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.” It is a criminal’s way of using phishing and texting to gain personal data such as social security numbers and other private information.

How do you protect yourself against it?
First know who is sending a text message to you. If it is to good to be true then its not safe.

Be aware of urgent security alerts, and you-must-act-now coupon redemptions these are warning signs that someone is SMISHING.
A financial institution or merchant will not send a text message that asks to verify your account information, confirm an ATM pin number. If you get a text like this and you are unsure call your financial institution. It is not wise to reply, click on links or call the number in the text.
Beware of suspicious phone numbers. Phone numbers that look off and are not a mobile number or strange area codes like 473 which is not a US area code. Phone numbers ending in “5000” these numbers are linked to a scammers email and not their phone.
Never click a link or phone number in any message you unsure of.
Do not store credit card or banking information on a smart phone.
Do not respond or be tempted by these scammers.

There are layers of security:

Device protection – set up for remote data “wiping” if the phone is lost or stolen.
Data protection – stops the sensitive information from being transferred over different networks.
App-management security – the apps have their own information programed in and have there own built in security to ensure information within the apps are safe.

Report all smishing attacks to the FCC to try and protect others and yourself in the future.

https://www.fcc.gov/

PayPal Phishing: “Your Account is Limited”

Stu Sjouwerman

A PayPal smishing campaign is trying to trick users into handing over their credentials and personal information, BleepingComputer reports. The text messages state, “PayPal: We've permanently limited your account, please click link below to verify.” (Note, by the way, the poor command of English idiom. The message includes a comma splice and there’s some uncertainty about the use of articles.)

The link in the message leads to a phishing page that appears identical to PayPal’s login portal (although the URL is clearly different). If a user enters their credentials and clicks “Log In,” they’ll be taken to a second phishing page that asks them to enter their name, address, and bank account details. All of this information will be sent to the attacker.

BleepingComputer says users should be wary of any unsolicited text messages, especially if they contain a link. PayPal does limit accounts when it detects suspicious activity, but you can check the status of your account by going directly to paypal.com instead of clicking on a link in a text message.

“Smishing scams are becoming increasingly popular, so it is always important to treat any text messages containing links as suspicious,” BleepingComputer writes. “As with all phishing emails, never click on suspicious links, but instead go to the main site's domain to confirm if there is an issue with your account.

The publication also offers advice for people who may have fallen victim to this attack, urging them to be on the lookout for future social engineering attacks that incorporate their personal information.

“If you received this text and mistakenly logged into your PayPal account or provided other information, you should immediately go to Paypal.com and change your password,” BleepingComputer says. “If you use that same password at other sites, change them there as well. Finally, you should look out for other targeted phishing campaigns using the submitted data. BleepingComputer also suggests that you monitor your credit report to make sure fraudulent accounts are not created under your name.”

https://blog.knowbe4.com/paypal-phishing-your-account-is-limited

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Top 5 Tricks for Increasing the Value of Your Home

5/26/2020

Whether you're about to list your house for sale on the market or you've just moved in and plan to stay a while, you should make the most of the money you invest into your home in the form of upgrades, repairs and remodels. To be sure you see a return on these types of investments, you must spend your money wisely, making not just the upgrades that you would enjoy having in your home, but also those that will increase your home's value from the perspective of potential buyers and future appraisers. Consider the following tips before you decide which upgrades are worth it and which renovations can wait for the next owner's bank account.

Credit Score Education

2/25/2020

When it comes to credit score, there are several excellent sources of accurate information that you can use to learn how to establish, re-establish, and utilize your credit score. While there are many tips below for you to consider, we encourage all of our members to learn as much as they can about credit and how it can affect their lives.

Family First CU Blog