Financial Education



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SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
In an ongoing effort to serve our member’s needs, we offer free seminars and workshops covering relevant financial topics.

CONSUMER FINANCIAL EDUCATION
  • Workshops are offered during the year to help educate our membership of all ages in financial literacy.
  • Each summer a Financial Literacy Boot Camp is offered to the youth from Middle School to College age. We have offered the boot camps since July 2006 and we were featured in the July 17, 2009, article entitled “Common Sense” of the Virginian Pilot News Paper.
  • Sandra Parker from WVEC Channel 13 News attended our 4th Annual Financial Literacy Boot Camp held on July 14, 2010. Her article entitled “Tweens and Teens Learn About Money” provides a glimpse into the experiences of our campers.
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM ONLINE FRAUD AND PHISHING
Informational video: Your Security, Our Priority

If you receive any suspicious e-mail or link to a website that appears to be from Guardian Federal Credit Union, report it to security@guardianfcu.org. The act of obtaining personal information by use of e-mail scams and/or fraudulent websites is called PHISHING. A phishing scam can be very difficult to detect since the bad guys will dress up their e-mail and/or website to look like it is coming from Guardian Federal Credit Union or another real business or financial institution. These e-mails and/or websites take many forms, such as a survey, questionnaire, or Notice of Expiring Service. Many even offer the chance to receive money or gifts for filling out a survey or questionnaire. To help prevent you from becoming a victim, Guardian offers you these tips and precautions to identify a phishing Scam.

Never Give Out Personal Information
Guardian Federal Credit Union will NEVER send you an e-mail to obtain or verify your name, address, social security number, phone number, account number, PIN or credit/debit card number. As a member you have already given us that information so there is no need for us to ask you for it again! Subject to verification, we do accept changes of name, address, phone number, or e-mail address in person at any of our branch locations or in writing with your signature and a phone number for us to contact you at and confirm your request.

Be Cautious of Fake Surveys
From time to time, Guardian Federal Credit Union may ask members to fill out a survey. These surveys are anonymous and we DO NOT ask for your address, social security number, phone number, account number, PIN or credit/debit card number. If you receive an e-mail or link to a website that asks for any of this information, do not answer any of the questions and report the e-mail or link to Guardian Federal Credit Union at security@guardianfcu.org by forwarding a copy of the e-mail or link.

Information on Expiring Services
Guardian Federal Credit Union offers account access via MY ACCOUNTS, CALL24, and bill payment via WEBPAY. These services never expire; we will never contact you to renew them.

Temporarily Suspended Account or Service
Some phishing scams will send bogus e-mails disguising themselves as a financial institution or other entity that has suspended your account or other service due to a billing error or failure to update your account information. These bogus e-mails will take you to a link that asks for information like your name, address, social security number, phone numbers, account number, PIN or credit/debit card number. On occasion when we may need to suspend a member’s access to a service a Guardian Federal Credit Union staff member will contact you by mail and /or phone. Should you receive such a notice from Guardian, call us at our published phone numbers to verify the authenticity of the notice. Guardian Federal Credit Union will never contact you via e-mail regarding the status of your account or to update your personal information.

If you receive any suspicious e-mail or link to a website that appears to be from Guardian Federal Credit Union, report it to security@guardianfcu.org, forward us a copy of the e-mail or link if possible.


YOUR CREDIT SCORE
  • What is your credit score and what does it mean to concern your borrowing power?
  • Your interest rate and the amount you are able to borrow depend on your credit score.
CREDIT UNION DIRECT LENDING (CUDL) AUTOSMART
  • Smart online auto resources with the latest auto buying tools to help you research the purchase of a new or used vehicle and determine the value of your trade-in.
  • Shop at a participating dealership and you could be approved for your vehicle right there through GFCU!
  • Go to our website. It will help you build your own vehicle and help you to find the right one to fit your budget.
NCUSIF (National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund)

Informational video about NCUA Insurance

The National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) is the federal fund created by Congress in 1970 to insure member's deposits in federally insured credit unions. The insurance limit was temporarily increased from $100,000 to $250,000 per individual depositor on October 3, 2008.