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Coupon:  CA Academy of Sciences

Coupons:  California’s Great America & Gilroy Gardens

Coupon: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Beware of SMiShing Attacks

Serving All East Contra Costa County

Safe, Secure & Strong Savings
Member Survey Details:  Personal Service is Tops
Where Dow CU Excels
Valuable Insights

Discount Coupon for California Academy of Sciences 

• Virtual Branch and the new Mobile Money, electronic services that allow you to check balances, and transfer funds
• Account Alerts, email or text messages that you pre-set to alert you when your balance falls below a certain point

Overdraft Protection Fees1
Dow Credit Union	Credit Union Average	Bank Average
$22	$25	$35

Beware of SMiShing Attacks

The latest high-tech crime wave involves sending fraudulent text messages to cell phones of unsuspecting consumers. The scheme is known as "smishing"—an acronym for short message services.

These SMiShing text messages appear to come from the consumer’s financial institution and may indicate a debit card has been inactivated. The consumer is instructed to contact a number and provide their PIN to reactivate the card. Remember, Dow Credit Union does not send such messages by text or by email. If you ever have a question, contact us directly at our main branch number as provided here and on official credit union correspondence and statements: (925) 331-1010 option 4.

When you contact us, we may ask for personal information to confirm identity for your protection, such as your name, date of birth, and/or last four digits of a social security number, but we will never ask you for your PIN. We urge you to be vigilant in guarding your personal information.

FREE Access to 28,000+ ATMs

Members of Dow Credit Union have access to surcharge-free ATMs owned by other credit unions participating in the CO-OP Network of ATMs. Just look for the CO-OP Network logo. As a member of Dow Credit Union, you may use these ATMs with no charge from the ATM owner or from Dow Credit Union.

There are more than 28,000 CO-OP Network ATMs with 5,500 located at 7-Eleven stores. You can easily find a CO-OP Network ATM near your home or place of business by using the Locator provided at www.co-opfs.org.  Just select the Locators tab from the home page and then click on the red CO-OP Network logo, or just click here.

Dow Credit Union:  Here to Serve Everyone in East Contra Costa County

Now everyone who lives, regularly works, worships or attends school in any of the nine East County communities may become a member.  These communities include Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Bethel Island, Byron, Pittsburg, Bay Point, Knightsen, and Discovery Bay.  Dow Credit Union is the only financial institution headquartered in East County that serves all of East County.  We'll do more for you!

Safe, Insured Savings at Dow Credit Union

Your savings accounts with Dow Credit Union are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), an agency of the federal government, up to at least $250,000. Contact us should you have any questions at  925-331-1010.  Also, the NCUA provides a toll free telephone number for consumers with questions related to their deposit insurance.  You may reach the NCUA by calling 1-800-755-1030 between 8 a.m and 6 p.m. Eastern.

Federal insurance protects your money at Dow Credit Union in share savings, share draft/checking, money market, share certificate, trust fund, and retirement accounts.

Accounts owned by two or more individuals are insured separately from funds in single ownership accounts.  NCUA also separately insures, up to $250,000 for each beneficiary, accounts where the depositor indicates that upon his or her death, funds will be owned by one or more qualified beneficiary/ies.

It's important to understand that, depending on the type and ownership of accounts, you can have more than $250,000 in share insurance coverage, according to the NCUA.  For a free brochure detailing this information, stop by or call us.

Other Safeguards
Your credit union operates with a safety net of capital that exceeds our peer group and the amount required by our regulators.  We also enjoy ample liquidity should the need arise.  And, while the 'full faith and credit' of the U.S. Treasury protects your savings in each federally insured financial institution up to the federal insurance limits, not one cent of insured credit union savings has ever been lost or required a taxpayer-paid rescue.

Members Say Personal Service is Tops at Dow Credit Union

More Survey Details

Thank you to the many members who replied to our recent survey to share their opinions on Dow Credit Union. We love hearing from you! And, your input is essential to our ongoing training and strategic planning. We shared summary information in our recent newsletter, and as promised, here are more details than space allowed in the newsletter.

Where Dow CU Excels

Across nearly all age groups, members responded consistently:

#1: quality personal service
#2: better rates
#3: convenient locations
#4convenient loan products

Valuable Insights

Some survey comments indicate a few key points we wish to clarify:

Independent Oversight–While Dow Credit Union was formed originally to serve the employees of Dow Chemical Company’s west coast facilities, the credit union’s oversight is completely independent of Dow Chemical Company.  Our members elect a volunteer Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee from the membership.  Both groups are made up of members who volunteer many hours of time each year.  Together with the credit union’s management team, the business of the credit union is handled, ensuring the institution’s continued soundness and stability.  Only authorized loan officers review loan applications. Government regulations, strict privacy policies and stringent internal controls protect member account information.

By having a volunteer unpaid board of directors, unlike banks, we are able to return more value—by providing better rates and lower fees—to members.

Today we continue to serve members employed by Dow at west coast facilities, but in addition we may serve everyone who lives, works, regularly attends school or worships in all of east Contra Costa County.

• Membership eligibility–Dow retirees may join the credit union any time regardless of where they live. Relatives of members may become members as well, regardless of where they live.  Also, remember the credit union now has a community charter, so that it may serve anyone who lives or works in any of the nine east Contra Costa County cities.

 

• Online Banking–Dow Credit Union does offer members home banking and an online bill pay feature.  The service is known as Virtual Branch and is protected by the highest level of secured encryption available today.  Members with a checking account have free access to home banking where they can check balances, transfer funds and more.  With an aggregate loan or deposit balance of $2,500, Bill Pay is free too.

Just logon to Virtual Branch on our home page, and follow the Getting Started prompts.  Then you can logon at your convenience any time of day to do your banking.  Call us with any questions you may have; we’re happy to assist you.

 

• Free ATMs–Members have access to more FREE ATMs than even major banks provide their customers.  These 28,000 CO-OP Network ATMs are FREE to members – meaning NO fee from Dow Credit Union and NO fee from the ATM owner.  You’ll find them at 7-Eleven stores, other participating credit unions, and other locations. Just look for the CO-OP logo. Many accept deposits.  Use the locator at www.co-opfs.com to find an ATM near you.  This convenient ATM network is another cost-efficient solution in the tradition of the cooperative movement that benefits you. 

 

• After Hours Deposits–Members may make deposits after hours by using the drop box at the Antioch or Pittsburg branch, or one of the deposit-taking CO-OP Network ATMs.  Locate a deposit-taking ATM near you by using the locator at www.co-opfs.org

 

• Fees–Yes, we do have fees, but far fewer and less costly than a bank charges.  Dow Credit Union protects members’ assets by leveling fair fees for services provided or account activity that impacts the cooperative in a negative way.

 

• Rates, Other Services and Web site–Dow CU offers free and interest checking, free VISA debit card, convenient online tools, such as calculators, check re-ordering, loan applications, and auto purchasing tools.  Members can find just about all the information they might need on products, services, events and more online at our Web site.  We proudly provide our rates online too, something many banks have stopped posting.

 

Thank you again for sharing your opinions with us and for the opportunity to serve you.