MEMBER NEWS

EST. 1952 BY REDWOOD CITY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

530 EL CAMINO REAL · P.O. BOX 5413 · REDWOOD CITY, CA 94063-0413 · (650) 366-7777 · FAX (650) 366-0748 · www.sequoiafcu.org

FALL 2019

Be wary of Dealer financing and add-ons!

Have you ever been enticed by an auto dealer’s really low APR*

financing on an auto purchase? Received the big sales pitch on how

great that rate is, how low that monthly payment is, and how well

their add-on warranties and security packages will protect you? It is

very possible that you are actually losing money!

Dealers will alter the financing terms, trade-in value of your old

auto, cash incentives, rebates and costs of these add-on products to

guarantee their profits. They are well trained in their sales practices

to make it all sound like a huge benefit to you.

Check your credit union for a fair comparison and see if we can help

you save money. Our low rate financing and discounted costs on

Mechanical Breakdown Protection (MBP) and Guaranteed Asset

Protection (GAP) policies can save you thousands of dollars.

Actual comparison of a member’s recent purchase :

Dealer extended warranty: $2,995 for 36 months/36,000 miles of

coverage with a high deductible.

SFCU Mechanical Breakdown Protection (MBP): $1,470 for 60

months/100,000 miles of coverage + special electronics protection

with a $0 deductible. MBP can be purchased as a stand alone item,

you do not need to finance your vehicle with SFCU to qualify.

Dealer GAP: $895 for loan balance protection only.

SFCU GAP: $410 for loan balance protection which includes a

$1,000 benefit towards your next auto purchase financed at SFCU

after a total loss + Auto Deductible Reimbursement that can repay

up to $500 of your auto insurance deductibles.

Our member saved over $2,000 and received superior options, too!

* APR = Annual Percentage Rate

Fraud Prevention and the Credit Union

We are experiencing a high volume of VISA credit card and debit

card fraud at this time. We ask your assistance to monitor activity

and keep a log of charges. Gas stations are notorious for having

skimming devices placed at the pump collecting data from

customers. If you suspect a device at the pump has been

tampered with, notify authorities.

Sequoia Federal Credit Union contracts with a servicing company

to monitor fraud on our card programs. If you make a purchase

that is out of the ordinary or with high amounts, the card may be

temporarily blocked until our Fraud Department can contact you

by phone to verify the transaction. If you have not made this

purchase, please say this is fraudulent. Once you accept the

charge, we cannot request that the charge be returned.

As always, with the onslaught of identification fraud, be aware of

who you give your personal information to. Our fraud department

will not ask for your personal information and you should not

give it. See the following page for just a few examples of scams.

Call us if you suspect your accounts have been compromised.

Get-Away-Today

Looking for the perfect getaway? There is a lot going on at the

Disneyland Resort this year, which makes it the perfect choice!

We’re so excited about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Mickey’s

PhilharMagic, the Oogie Boogie Bash - A Disney Halloween

Party and the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. With these new

attractions and more, there’s never been a better time to travel to

the parks.

Sequoia Federal Credit Union is happy to partner with Get Away

Today to help you stay in the know with discounts, travel tips

and insider info for all things Disneyland. Whether you choose to

save with their Extra Day Free ticket special, Extra Nights Free

at select hotels near Disneyland or by taking advantage of their

interest-free Layaway Plan, Get Away Today is there for you

every step of the way.

When you book with Get Away Today, be sure to let them know

Sequoia Federal Credit Union sent you. Find all vacation

packages at www.getawaytoday.com, or speak directly to a travel

agent at 855-GET-AWAY.

Check Reorders

Did you know that you can reorder checks on line at our

website? If you have the reorder coupon in your book of checks

and your personal information has NOT changed, ordering on

line is as simple as 1, 2, 3!

On our website at www.sequoiafcu.org use the quick links drop

down menu and click on Order Checks Online. Follow the

instructions where to find the ABA number, account number and

control number to submit the order. Have questions or problems

ordering, please call us at 650-366-7777.

Please Stay In Touch!

Another year is flying by and we haven’t seen or heard from so

many of our members. Please remember to deposit at least $5 a

year to remain active and not fall into a dormant status.

Sequoia Federal Credit Union has many offers which may be of

interest to you. Here are just a few:

Low interest rate VISA Credit Cards

HELOC’s on owner-occupied homes

Auto Loans, GAP option, Mechanical Breakdown Protection

Consolidation loans & Emergency loans

Mobile Home loans

Discounted Living Trust planning

Holiday Skip-a-Pay

We value all of our members and want to extend an invitation to

you to discuss your financial needs.

As the holidays rapidly approach us, we wish each of you a very

Happy Thanksgiving!

Board of Directors 2019

President J. Arthur White Vice-President Virginia Padron Secretary Giulia Solari Treasurer Rochelle Kirchner Member Dottress Rollin Member Kevin Sugar Member Alma Ontiveros

Holiday Schedule

We will be closed on the following days:

Oct 14 Mon Columbus Day Nov 11 Mon Veteran’s Day Nov 28 Thurs Thanksgiving Nov 29 Fri Thanksgiving Dec 24 Tue Christmas Eve Dec 25 Wed Christmas Dec 31 Tue New Years Eve Jan 1 Wed New Years

MEMBER NEWS FALL 2019

Your Path to a Better Future!

Did You Know?

There are many scams targeting seniors, but here are the top ones to look for!

By taking advantage of technology, scammers frequently modify their ploys

to get the most money and information without a lot of work. There are many

scams targeting seniors, but here are the top ones to look for!

Free DNA Kits from Medicare

The scam: Callers claiming to be from Medicare are offering DNA testing kits. They

state that they need your Medicare number, social security number, insurance

information, and other personal information in order to provide the kit. The

scammers will then use the information to commit Medicare or insurance

fraud. A twist to this is that scammers claim Medicare will cover the cost of

DNA testing.

Why it's a scam: Medicare does not provide DNA testing kits and will only pay for DNA

testing in limited cases of patients with advanced cancer.

What should you do: Hang up. Don't give out your social security and Medicare numbers. Don't

provide your insurance information.

Social Security Spoofing Calls

The scam: Callers claiming to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA) are

using a variety of false scenarios or threats to obtain personal information or

money (paid by gift or prepaid debit cards). Scammers typically spoof the

caller ID phone number. They have used the numbers of the Social Security

Advisory Board, the SSA's national customer service phone number, and the

SSA Fraud Hotline number.

Why it's a scam: Social Security Administration and SSA Office of the Inspector General

employees will only contact you by phone if you have ongoing business with

them. They use US mail to initiate contact with you. They never threaten you

with arrest or legal action if you don't provide the information or money.

What you should do: Hang up. Don't give out any personal or financial information. Report the

details to SSA using the information on https://oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/scam-

awareness. If you need to contact the SSA, use the contact information on

www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/.

Grandparent Scam

The scam: This scam has been around for years, but continues to evolve. The caller

poses as a grandchild or other young relative who needs money immediately

to solve a financial problem. They request the money be sent by Western

Union, MoneyGram, wire transfer, or gift card. The new twist is requesting

that the cash be sent by mail. In some instances very specific instructions are

given about how to send the cash. The cash is to be put in several envelopes

and placed between the pages of a magazine. Then the magazine is to be sent

using various carriers including UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service.

What you should do: Take your time to check such calls out. Call the grandchild or relative back

using their correct phone number and verify where they are. If you can't reach

them, call their parents (even if they asked you not to) or another relative and

find out where they are.

Originally published by FoolProofMe

Need more cash for the holidays? Sequoia FCU invites you to Skip-A-Payment on your New/Used Auto, Motorcycle, RV, Boat, Signature and/or Share Secured loan (Lifeline, Workouts and Loan Extensions are not eligible). Members can skip their loan payments for the month of December and/or January. The non-refundable fee is only $25 per loan request.

Please call for full details and apply today.

EQUAL

HOUSING

LENDER

Skip-A-Payment