Home | About YNCU | Contact us | Find us | Jobs | Rates

Privacy matters

Home > About YNCU > Privacy > Security

ALERT!!
Credit Union Central of Canada warns that an organization calling itself Central Credit Union Capital Financial, or variations of that name, said to be operating out of 800 Decarie Boulevard, Montreal, has no connection with Canadian Central.

Emails from the bogus group appear to be an organized international scam set up to defraud innocent victims of cash and confidential personal information. If you receive an email from this organization or are contacted by someone from this organization advising them that there are funds on deposit for you, but you must first establish your identity to have the funds released, DO NOT RESPOND.

Members should not send any personal or account information, passport or driver's licence information. Report such contacts to your local police. If you have already provided personal information please report this to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Ontario Provincial Police via their website at www.recol.ca/ or call 1-888-495-8501.

Read more about E-mail scams and Phishing

Identity Theft & Security

With every advance in technology that makes banking and shopping easier and more convenient for you, unscrupulous individuals devise more and more sophisticated ways to cheat and steal. These days, that includes your identity and credit rating, not just your money.

You can fight back and protect yourself... be smart, be safe.
DOWNLOAD INFORMATION BOOKLET (pdf)

How can I protect myself?

You can take some simple steps to protect yourself from identity thieves:

  • Change your PIN and passwords frequently - at least every 3 months.
  • Always protect your PIN when paying by debit card or using an ATM. Don't write down your PIN or keep it with your debit cards, in case you lose your wallet.
  • If a merchant has an old credit card 'slider' machine that uses slips with a carbon copy, ask for the carbon and destroy it; to be safer, try to use another form of payment.
  • Buy a shredder - A great deal of personal information can be gathered from bills and statements sitting in your blue box; shred them before you recycle. Similarly, pre-approved credit cards and offers from financial institutions and other lenders can be misused if they fall into the wrong hands; shred them (and destroy the cards) before you recycle.
  • Review your statements - Always review the charges and debits that have been made to your accounts, and report anything suspicious immediately.
  • Cancel your paper statements - Viewing your statement online in a password-protected secure site is safe and secure (look for the padlock icon in the bottom right corner of your screen), and means you are the only one who can view your information. An added benefit is that the information is current up-to-the-minute.
  • Check your credit rating annually - You can learn about your credit history (the information credit unions, banks and other lenders use to determine your credit worthiness) from credit reporting agencies like Equifax and TransUnion. It is a good idea to request a report from both organizations to get a complete picture of your credit rating, as different companies may report to only one agency.
  • Speak with someone at your credit union - Make an appointment to speak with your Branch Manager to talk about your credit history, and ask for advice on how to improve your credit rating. We can offer helpful information and simple steps that will improve your ability to borrow.
  • Protect yourself from unwanted solicitations from outside sources by keeping your signature and personal information PRIVATE. Despite the temptation and allure of a "FREE" ballot draw at a home show or other venue, consider the possibilities: All you have to do is give your name and address and sign the reverse of the ballot to be entered into a draw for a fantastic door prize. However, often, in all the fine print where you sign your name, you have given a major credit card company signed authorization to do a credit check.
    Once the credit check is done, the company sends letters of Pre-Approved Credit to the qualifying entrants.
    And the mailing list they generate may be sold many times over to other marketers.
  • Be careful.... keep your signature private!

Phishing emails

Technology has created a new kind of criminal activity.
Phishing is the practice of sending emails using well-known company names, asking people to verify personal and account information, and provide passwords, by clicking on the link in the email. If you follow the link, you see what appears to be a genuine website, but it is, in fact, a replica for the sole purpose of collecting personal data. The email asks that you respond immediately because there has been unusual activity in your account, or because they are updating their security measures; they say if you do not respond, your account will be closed or access to service will be terminated.

These emails look genuine: they often include logos; the URL (web address) in the links and the sender's email address include the real company's name (eg. www.microsoftcustomersecurity.com, or securityofficer@mastercard.com).

Your Neighbourhood Credit Union will NEVER send an email asking you to verify personal or account information by email. If we need to contact you about anything, someone will call you or send a letter.

If you receive such an email that appears to be from YNCU, please forward it to info@yncu.com, and we will investigate.
Do NOT respond to the sender, and do NOT provide your personal information.