Powerco Federal Credit Union
Privacy Policy & Patriot Act Notification
PRIVACY POLICY
Powerco Federal Credit Union is committed to making available financial products and services that will enable you to meet your financial needs and reach your financial goals. The Credit Union recognizes the importance of our members' privacy. In an effort to protect the personal and financial information you have entrusted to Powerco Federal Credit Union, we have adopted the following Privacy Policy, in order to better serve you, our valued member.
Security Standards & How We Protect Your Information
Your privacy and security concerning your personal and financial information is of the utmost importance to the Credit Union. Under no circumstance does the Credit Union provide account or personal information to non-affiliated companies for the purpose of independent telemarketing or direct mail services of those companies. The Credit Union continually updates and improves the security standards and procedures to help us protect against anyone gaining unauthorized access to your confidential information, including information used while conducting business through the Internet, ATM networks, wire services, telephone, the U.S. Mail, and other means of communication. The Credit Union will maintain strong security controls to ensure that member information in our files and computers is protected. These procedures are tested and audited to ensure their integrity.
We educate our employees to understand the vital importance of confidentiality and member privacy. Only those individuals who need to do so as part of their job responsibilities are authorized to have access to your information. The Credit Union regularly trains all employees on privacy and information security, and on their obligations to protect such confidential information. Member information is considered private and privileged and is to be used solely for the purpose of providing you with the finest service available.
What You Can Do to Help Protect Your Privacy
You can also help safeguard your personal information by taking a few simple precautions. Members can help by following these guidelines:
- Protect your account information, member number, card numbers, personal identification numbers (PINs) and passwords. Never keep your PIN with your debit, ATM or credit card, which can provide free access to your accounts if your card is lost or stolen.
- Use caution when disclosing your account numbers, Social Security Number, etc. to other persons. If someone contacts you by telephone or email on behalf of the credit union and asks for your account number or account information, you should beware and do not release the information. Official credit union staff will have access to your records and will not need to ask for account information. The Credit Union will never request account information by email. Never disclose confidential information to unknown callers.
- Keep your contact information with us current. It is important that we have current information on how to reach you. If we detect potentially fraudulent or unauthorized activity on your account, we will attempt to contact you immediately. If your address or phone number changes, please let us know.
- When utilizing the PC Banking services, which are only available under a secure browser, use current virus detection software, and never open email from unknown sources.
For a more detailed description of our PC Banking information, please click here. For a more detailed description of our Internet Security Policies, please click here.
Usage, Collection and Retention of Information
When you open an account, fill out an application, or other forms, we may ask for personal information that can include your employment, income, monthly expenses, assets, your financial goals, and other similar information. We use this information when evaluating your eligibility for loans and other services and to help identify the products and services that may be of interest to you. The Credit Union may also obtain other information about you when verifying the information you provide on an application or other forms. This may be obtained from your current or past employers or from other institutions where you conduct financial transactions. The Credit Union may also obtain other information about you from third-party sources such as consumer reporting agencies and other creditors when you apply for credit or other products and when we review and monitor accounts for collection. When you use the PC Banking products and services, the Credit Union will collect, use and retain only the personal information that we believe is necessary to help provide our products, services and other opportunities to you. For a more detailed description of our PC Banking information and security policies, visit our website at www.powerco.org.
Disclosure of Member Information
In order to improve the efficiency of our products and services, the Credit Union may outsource some of our process work to specialists. That means that sometimes we select third-party processors, companies and/or affiliates to provide operational support for us or to work on our behalf to provide different services. We only work with companies that agree to maintain strong confidentiality protections and to limit the use of information we provide. We may disclose all of the information we collect, as described above, to companies that perform marketing services on our behalf or to other financial institutions with which we have joint marketing agreements, or as required by law.
To protect our members' privacy, the Credit Union will control carefully the way any information about members is shared with third-party processors, companies, and/or affiliates. We require them to comply with strict standards of security and confidentiality, and they are not permitted to release, use, transfer, or sell any member information to any other party for their own purposes.
In order to conduct the business of the Credit Union, we may also disclose nonpublic personal information about you under other circumstances as permitted or required by law. These disclosures typically include information to process transactions on your behalf, to conduct the operations of the Credit Union, and to follow your instructions as you authorize, or to protect the security of our financial records.
If you terminate your membership with Powerco Federal Credit Union, we will not share information we have collected about you, except as permitted or required by law.
Maintaining Your Privacy in Third-Party Business Relationships
Sometimes we select other third-party companies to provide products and services only as an enhancement to our services. When we do this, we make available only the information they need to offer and administer these products. We are extremely selective in choosing these companies and we require them to maintain controls designed to protect our members' privacy. These companies are not permitted to use this information or to contact our members for any other reason than providing the specific products or service intended. Powerco Federal Credit Union does not sell or otherwise provide member names or other information to third-parties for purposes inconsistent with the Credit Union's Privacy Policy.
The Credit Union also exchanges certain information about our members with selected credit reporting agencies to prevent fraud, and/or to comply with a legally permitted inquiry by a government agency or regulator. The information Powerco Federal Credit Union provides to credit reporting agencies is protected by federal law and its use is strictly governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Access to Third-Party Sites / Email
Links to other websites and/or email addresses are provided solely as a convenience to our members and other customers. Powerco Federal Credit Union has no control over these sites/addresses, and the Credit Union shall have no responsibility or liability relating to any access to such sites or communications between you and such third-parties. In addition, third-parties are not covered by Powerco Federal Credit Union's privacy policies; and the Credit Union is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of third-party sites. Powerco's website may also contain links to other websites owned, operated by, or affiliated with the Credit Union ("affiliated sites"). Affiliated sites are also not governed by Powerco Federal Credit Union's privacy policies; and you are advised to review the privacy statement applicable to each affiliated site you visit.
Products / Services Offered By Third-Parties / Affiliates
Any financial, investment, warranty, credit insurance, products or services ("products") which are provided by third-parties or any affiliates are not products of Powerco Federal Credit Union. If the purchase of same is facilitated by or through Credit Union financing, such is merely a convenience to the borrower(s) and in no way creates any contractual or other relationship between the borrower(s) and the Credit Union with regard to any such products. Any rights, obligations or claims with regard to such products shall be solely and exclusively by and between the parties providing such products as may be set forth in any applicable contracts, agreements or otherwise, and Powerco Federal Credit Union shall have no obligations, responsibilities, duties, or liabilities whatsoever regarding same.
Third-Party Business Relationship "Opt-Out"
By making member information available to other third-party processors and by carefully selecting the third-party business relationships, the credit union is able to provide better service that we believe you will value. In fact, some products and services are available only if you allow the credit union to share the necessary information. If requested, members may be excluded from receiving marketing materials from Powerco Federal Credit Union's third-party business relationship companies. You must submit your request in writing to:
Powerco Federal Credit Union
Attn: Member Privacy Director
241 Ralph McGill Blvd.
Atlanta, Georgia 30308
Maintaining Accurate Member Information
We have established procedures and continually strive to ensure that your financial information is complete and accurate on all of your accounts. Should you have reason to believe that our records contain inaccurate or incomplete information about you, please notify the Credit Union immediately. We will promptly investigate your concerns and correct any inaccuracies.
Protecting your privacy is an ongoing process. The Credit Union will continue to review the measures we take to safeguard your personal and financial information. These reviews will result in new measures to protect member records, as the Credit Union makes changes to its information security practices and other internal control systems to take advantage of new technology and to provide optimal security.
POWERCO FEDERAL CREDIT UNION'S PRIVACY POLICY IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. NO PROVISIONS CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL BE DETERMINED TO CHANGE OR ALTER ANY OTHER CONTRACTS OR POLICIES BETWEEN POWERCO FEDERAL CREDIT UNION AND ITS MEMBERS.
Your trust is extremely important to the Credit Union. We are committed to protecting your privacy, whether you do business with us through the Internet, in person, by telephone or by mail. If you have questions, concerns, or comments about our Privacy Policy or the way your information is maintained and used, we would like to hear from you. Please contact us by telephone at 404-506-3750 or 1-800-633-5217.
USA PATRIOT ACT
The USA Patriot Act requires credit unions to take extra security precautions to help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities.
On October 26, 2001, President Bush signed into law the USA Patriot Act. The purpose of this law is to help protect you, your family and our country from terrorism by preventing terrorist financing. We want you to know that Section 326 of the Act requires Powerco Federal Credit Union to verify the identity of members and nonmembers added as signatories to have access to new or existing deposit accounts and loans. We must also retain copies of documents used to verify your identity.
If you are and existing member who joined the credit union before the USA Patriot Act rules became effective, we may also need to verify and retain copies of any documents used to verify your identity when you request a new deposit account, apply for a loan or are added as a signatory to a new or existing deposit or loan account.
We ask for your understanding as we work to support these efforts to maintain the security of your funds and our country. Please speak with a Powerco Federal Credit Union staff member if you have any questions or concerns about our identity verification procedures.
Powerco Federal Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
Your savings federally insured to at least $100,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.
Equal Housing Lender. We do business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.