Safeguarding Member Information

At BVSCU, we work hard behind the scenes to protect your personal and financial information. Keeping your online personal and financial information secure and confidential remains a top priority.

We do not store member information on publicly accessed Web servers. All account information is housed on servers that are behind our firewall (protected area).

All Digital Banking sessions are authenticated and encrypted. The authentication of a Digital Banking session is handled through your User ID and Password combination, which is required at login. The encryption is accomplished by establishing a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) connection between the Browser and the Web server. You can only access Digital Banking with an SSL-compliant browser.

Passwords

It is important to verify that only authorized persons log in to Digital Banking. This is achieved by verifying your Password. An incorrect Password can be entered for a limited number of times; too many incorrect Passwords will result in the locking of your Digital Banking account until you call us to reinitialize the account. You play a crucial role in preventing others from logging in to your account by:

Creating a strong Password with a combination of upper and lower case, numbers, and symbols.
Changing your Password frequently.
Do not share your Password with anyone.

Security

BVSCU will NEVER call, email, or otherwise contact you and ask for your User ID, Password or other Digital Banking credentials.

BVSCU will NEVER contact you and ask for your credit or debit card number, PIN or 3-digit security code.

Keeping Yourself Safe

Web pages with "https" addresses indicate online security. You can also verify a secure page by looking for the lock located in your Browser window. You can always log in safely from the homepage on this website.

MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) is necessary to keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and remain in compliance with Federal regulations. It provides an added layer of security and helps further protect members from online fraud and identity theft.

BVSCU’s Digital Banking occasionally requires multi-factor authentication by email or text message. The verification code used to authenticate your identity will be sent to the phone number or email address we currently have on file for you. If you choose the email option, please check your spam folder.

These security measures are put into place to ensure you are accessing the official BVSCU website and Digital Banking product; as well as confirming your identity when logging in from an uncommon device.

One of the best ways to avoid fraud is to become an educated consumer. Enrolling in eStatements can reduce your risk of mail fraud. Also, monitor your account activity regularly online or by reviewing your statements and report any unauthorized transactions right away. Alerts can be setup in Digital Banking to receive a text or email when transactions occur on your accounts.

Digital Banking App Security

When you use a mobile device (cellular phone, tablet, smartwatch, or other devices) for browser or text-based account access, keep these tips in mind:

Keep your device software updated.
Don’t open suspicious emails or click on suspicious links.
Use your data connection instead of public Wi-Fi, especially when accessing your Digital Banking.
Never disclose via text message any personal information (account numbers, Password, or any combination of sensitive information like your Social Security number or birth date that could be used in ID theft).
Use biometrics or Password lock function on your device when it is not in use. These functions protect your device so that nobody else can use it or view your information.
Be sure to delete text messages sent from BVSCU before loaning, discarding, donating or selling your device.
Use anti-virus/anti-malware on your device for added security.

Report Fraud or Suspicious Activity

If you feel there is fraud or suspicious activity on your account, please report it to BVSCU immediately. We can be reached at 281-391-2149 during normal business hours or via email at info@bvscu.org.

If you receive a suspicious email, text, or other online communications, please report it to BVSCU Digital Services immediately. We can be reached at 281-391-2149 during normal business hours or via email at digitalservices@bvscu.org.

Online Security Tips

An important part of online safety is knowledge. The more you know, the safer you will be.

Set strong Passwords. A good Password is a combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers and one that is not easily guessed. Do not use Social Security numbers as User ID or Password. Try to use “special character” such as pound (#) and at (@) signs. Change your Password frequently. Don't write it down or share it with others.
Protect your answers to security questions. Select questions and provide answers that are easy for you to remember, but hard for anyone else to guess. Remember, with today’s social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter, some of these answers would be easy for a determined fraudster. So avoid using questions that would be easy for them to find. Avoid using the same questions that you used for other websites.
Use secure websites for transactions and shopping. Shop with merchants you know and trust. Make sure Internet purchases are secured with encryption to protect your account information. Look for “secure transaction” symbols like a lock symbol in the lower right-hand corner of your Web Browser window, or https://... in the address bar of the website. The “s” indicates “secured” and means the webpage uses encryption.
Conduct Digital Banking activities on secure computers only. Public computers (at Internet cafes, copy centers, etc.) should be used with caution, due to shared use and possible tampering. Digital Banking activities and viewing or downloading documents (Statements, etc.) should only be conducted on a computer you know to be safe and secure.
Don't reveal personal information via email. Emails and text messages can be masked to look like they are coming from a trusted sender when they are actually from someone else. Play it safe. Do not send your personal information, such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, Passwords etc. via email or text.
Don't download that file! Opening files attached to emails can be dangerous, especially when they are from someone you don't know, as they can allow harmful malware or viruses to be downloaded onto your computer. Make sure you have a good antivirus program on your computer that is up-to-date, and don't open attachments you aren't expecting. They can be bad news.
Links aren't always what they seem. Never log in from a link that is embedded in an email message. Criminals can use fake email addresses and make fake Web pages that mimic the page you would expect. To avoid falling into their trap, type in the URL address directly and then log in.
Log out of sites when you are done. When you are ready to leave a site you have logged into, log out rather than just closing the page.
Close your Browser when you’re not using the Internet.
Turn it off! Your computer should be completely turned off when you are finished using it; don’t leave it in sleep mode.
Install, run and keep anti-virus software updated.