Visa Credit Card

Summer 2008 Visa Credit Card: It’s the Pick of the Litter ith all the headlines lately covering the economy and spending, you might be worried about using a credit card at all. But if you have the right credit card, you can still enjoy its convenience and stay out of the doghouse. A First Financial Visa credit card is the pick of the litter, offering the best in the marketplace without any fine print. Here’s why our card is a breed apart: W • • • • • • 9 o. e 1I.ntr%RAaPtR* Inside • Benefits of 5-Star Status • Credit Rebuilder Program • Annual Meeting Recap • Scholarship Winners • Fast Auto Financing No annual or balance transfer fees Full month grace period Earn 1/2% CASH rebate on purchases 1/2% of all member purchases donated to KidsFirst Fund Auto rental insurance (Classic & Gold cardholders) Warranty manager & travel emergency assistance (Gold cardholders) • Intro. rate of 1.9% APR* • Prevailing rates from 7.9% APR* While you’re on the run this summer, use your First Financial credit card instead of carrying cash. Even if you pay your balance in full, the cash rebate that you earn is still yours to keep. Plus, using a First Financial Visa credit card can fetch you 5-Star member status. (See page 2 for details). To apply for your Visa credit card 24 hours a day, visit firstfinancial.org or call 410-321-6060, Option 4. Don’t forget: if you have other high rate credit cards, take advantage of the introductory rate and no balance transfer fees. The money you save will be a real treat! *APR means annual percentage rate. Rates quoted for qualified members. 2 INFORMATION YOU CAN USE Sparky says: Credit Rebuilder Program “I Want You!” The Right Path to Repairing Your Credit ur new Credit Rebuilder package offers services designed to help you rebuild your credit or reestablish a checking account. J • • • • oin the ranks of other 5-Star members who receive the following benefits: O 1/2% additional checking account dividend 1/2% rebate on signaturebased debit card transactions 1/2% discount on select loans FREE EZ-Pay bill payer service Loan Services Your credit problems didn’t happen overnight; re-establishing your credit will take time as well. But with patience and a commitment to change, you can rebuild your credit and begin a whole new way of managing your money. We have developed two loan products to meet your needs, including a share secured loan and a special auto refinance program. Both require direct deposit of your net pay into a First Financial account. A First Financial loan representative can review the details of these programs and help you determine which is right for you. To earn 5-Star status for yourself, simply use the following First Financial services: • Checking with a Visa debit card • Direct Deposit • Active Visa credit card • OnLine Teller • eStatements For more information, visit firstfinancial.org or call Member Services at 410-321-6060, ext. 780. Account Services Our rebuilder checking account, which also requires direct deposit of your net pay, will help you better manage your day to day finances. By using this checking account, you can avoid those high cost ‘alternative banking’ services including check cashers, payday lenders and convenience stores for money orders and travelers checks. Rebuilder checking offers many benefits including: A Visa debit card No minimum balance requirements No per check charges A low monthly fee of just $5 A $100 overdraft line of credit For more details, contact us at 410-321-6060, option 4 or visit us online at firstfinancial.org. To contact us Toll Free Access: 800-90-FFFCU Touch Tone Teller: 410-427-8950 800-970-3329 Internet: firstfinancial.org 2 Chatterbox / firstfinancial.org Annual Meeting Recap irst Financial’s 55th Annual Meeting was held on April 17, 2008 at The Maryland School for the Blind. The turnout was excellent and those members in attendance were treated to an outstanding performance by The Blue Duffs, the school’s student jazz ensemble. Our special thanks to The Maryland School for the Blind for hosting our meeting, and to our business partners for their generous door prize donations. F The Annual Meeting also marked the end of an era as J. Wesley Bone concluded his 37 years of service as Chairman of the Board. ‘Although it was a difficult decision, the time has come to take a step back and prepare for the next phase of life’ stated Mr. Bone. Rolland Kiracofe, former Vice Chairman of the Board, was elected Chairman. During J. Wesley Bone’s tenure, First Financial FCU has grown from $2 million in assets and 4,000 members to its current size of more than $650 million and over 55,000 members. In addition to his time served as Chairman, he has been a Director for 39 years and a member of the Credit Union for 48 years. In addition to the numerous product and service enhancements introduced under his leadership as well as the development of an extensive branch network, other notable accomplishments during his service include: - First Financial FCU named Credit Union of the Year by the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) in 1988. - In 1997 Mr. Bone received the NAFCU Volunteer of the Year award. - In 2000 he was the first volunteer appointed to the Board of Directors of the Maryland and DC Credit Union Association. He was elected as Chairman of the Board in 2007 and continues in that position to date. - In 2004 he received the National Association of Credit Union Chairmen’s Eugene Ball Award. This award is given in recognition of commitment to Country, Credit Union and the National Association of Credit Union Chairmen. - The development of the KidsFirst Fund for charitable giving. Through this fund, financial support is provided to programs benefiting children in our local community. Since the KidsFirst Fund’s inception, over $1 million has been donated to our community. Rolland Kiracofe Chairman J. Wesley Bone Mr. Bone will continue to serve on First Financial’s Board as a Director until his term expires in 2011. For his years of dedicated service and commitment to First Financial FCU and the credit union movement, we are eternally grateful. Let Us Know Before You Go REMINDER: International Visa Card Transactions - Due to fraudulent acts made with counterfeit credit and debit cards, First Financial has the following security procedure in place concerning international transactions. At this time, your Visa Credit and Debit cards will only work in foreign countries if you notify First Financial of your travel plans. We will then “activate” your card(s) for use in the specific countries you will be traveling during your trip abroad, and “deactivate” your card at the conclusion of your trip. To avoid any inconvenience, we recommend that you call before you leave, but your card can be “activated” at any time during your trip when you call Member Services during our business hours. For questions or to “activate” your card during your international travel, call Member Services at 410-321-6060, ext. 780. Chatterbox / firstfinancial.org 3 4 Fraud Update Beware the Vishers! hey are at it again. The scammers are trying to take advantage of you by using the telephone with a technique called Vishing. Similar to phishing emails, Vishing uses Voice over Internet Protocol phone technology to try to obtain credit and debit card information from unsuspecting victims. How does it work? You receive a PRERECORDED MESSAGE on your home or cell phone instructing you to enter your card information, card number, expiration date, 3-digit code from the back of the card, and sometimes your PIN. In some cases you may be directed to call a specific number which has recorded prompts asking you to enter this information. Once you have entered your card information using your phone, you have given the fraudsters the information they need to steal money from your accounts. T Congrats to our Scholarship Winners! $30,000 Awarded C ongratulations are in order for this year’s First Financial scholarship winners. Our six award recipients were selected from an outstanding pool of applicants based on academic excellence and commitment to school and community. Ryan Cordell – Calvert Hall College High School Sara Haddock – Loch Raven High School Britt Hundley – Towson High School Brittany King – Oldfields School Michael Lackey – Calvert Hall College High School Chelsea Stewart – Liberty High School Beware the various tactics used to persuade victims to enter card information into the phone: The urgent message says that your personal bank accounts have been frozen and you need to enter your card information to reactivate your account. You are informed that there has been fraudulent card activity on your account and you need to call immediately and confirm your card information. The recording may include some accurate information about your card such as the last four digits of your card number or they may know the name of your financial institution, but don’t be fooled by this ploy! Caller ID may even indicate the call is from a number or business you know – but did you know that with VoIP technology, what you see on caller ID can be faked? Since the fraudsters know that people have become more suspicious of phishing emails that provide a link to click on, you may receive an e-mail asking you to call a phone number instead. This might seem safe enough, but it’s not! If you believe that you have received a VISHING call, do not respond to the call or number provided. Instead, call a reliable phone number such as the one provided on your account statement or on the back of your card to verify if there is truly a problem. Chatterbox / firstfinancial.org 4 5 WORKING FOR YOU Fast Auto Financing f you’re planning on buying a car, First Financial’s Autodraft service can get you on the road in no time – without ever coming into a branch! By using our Autodraft to purchase your vehicle, you can shop at any dealership in MD or PA that sells new and used vehicles, and finance at First Financial’s low rates. Rates are currently as low as 5.4% APR* (4.9% APR* for 5-Star members). Here is the simple Autodraft process: I • • • • • Get pre-approved up to a certain dollar amount We’ll mail a blank check to you Write the check at the dealership for your final loan amount** The dealer endorses the check & faxes us the purchase order We’ll mail you your receipt when the check clears We know you’re busy, so why not enjoy the convenience of First Financial’s Autodraft service? Not only is it hassle-free, but it will leave more gas in your tank by saving you a trip to the branch. For more information or to apply for your Autodraft, call 410-321-6060, Option 4 or visit firstfinancial.org. *APR means annual percentage rate. Rates quoted for qualified members. **Check amount cannot exceed the NADA value for used cars and the retail value in the New Car Cost Guide for new cars. For more information contact Member Services 410-321-6060, ext. 780 Teens & Money A Lesson before College f you have a teenage son or daughter, a new chapter of life called college may be just around the corner. In anticipation, you’ve probably been preparing for months; buying supplies and essentials to ensure a smooth transition from home life to dorm life. But before they head out the door, make sure you’ve armed them with one of the most important ‘necessities’ of all…the tools to make smart decisions about money. If you need a little assistance getting started, First Financial is here to help. I Teen Scene, found at firstfinancial.org, is our free online resource designed to teach young adults smart ways to save, borrow and spend money. It offers online courses on personal finance basics such as how to manage a checking account & use a debit card, how to budget, how to save and even manage your first credit card. When they complete each course they will have a better understanding of money management and they’ll also receive free eMusic downloads. If your teen is going away to college, make sure they take us along. They can begin their membership with a $5 deposit to a savings account. For the complete package, add our free checking account, online banking and ATM/Debit card services. Plus we provide nationwide surcharge-free ATM access through the Allpoint Network and CO-OP network (7-Eleven stores). For complete details call us at 410-321-6060, ext. 780 or visit firstfinancial.org. 5 Chatterbox / firstfinancial.org 6 HERE FOR YOU A.P.Y. Savings & Club Accounts From $0 to $1,999.99 $2,000 and over Checking All Balances 5-Star Members Money Market (min. balance $5,000) 1.00% 1.50% .20% .70% 1.90% Money Manager (min. balance $20,000) IRA Shares From $0 to $1,999.99 $2,000 and over A.P.Y. 2.30%-3.50% 1.00% 1.90% www.firstfinancial.org Full Service Locations Mon- Fri 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Thr 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Lutherville Drive thru: Mon- Fri 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Thr 8:00 am to 7:00 pm Office Hours: 24-hour ATM Lutherville Main Office 1215 York Road Lutherville, MD 21093 410-321-6060 Catonsville Westpark Shopping Center 6400 Baltimore Nat’l Pike Catonsville, MD 21228 Eldersburg Princess Shopping Center 1213 Liberty Road Building 2, Unit H Eldersburg, MD 21784 Service Center Baltimore City Fallon Federal Building 31 Hopkins Plaza, Suite G400 Baltimore, MD 21201 Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 8 am - 4:30 pm In-office ATM Board of Directors Chairman Rolland Kiracofe Vice-Chairman Robert Brenneman Secretary Lois Peltzer Treasurer John Watkins Directors J. Wesley Bone Deborah Decker James Hackman Anthony Marchione Michael Powers Associate Director Madeleine Foltz Director Emeritus Matthew J. Tress President Robert M. Windsor Appeals Committee John Watkins Chairperson Supervisory Committee Anthony Marchione Chairperson Fullerton Putty Hill Plaza 7966 Belair Road Baltimore, MD 21236 Golden Ring 8665 Shopping Center 8665 Pulaski Highway, Suite 118 Baltimore, MD 21237 Owings Mills St. Thomas Shopping Center 9906 Reisterstown Road Owings Mills, MD 21117 Westminster Crossroads Square 625H Baltimore Blvd. Westminster, MD 21157 Loan Call Center - 24 Hour 410-321-6060, Option 4 Member Services Call Center 410-321-6060, ext. 780 Touch Tone Teller Banking By Phone 410-427-8950 1-800-970-3329 Toll Free Access Toll Free Access 1-800-90 FFFCU Lost/Stolen Cards To report a lost or stolen credit card, debit card or ATM card during non-business hours, call 410-321-6060, Option 3 Dividend Rates Share & IRA Certificates For current rates, visit www.firstfinancial.org or call 410-321-6060, ext. 780 First Financial's Board of Directors has announced Annual Percentage Yields (A.P.Y.) for the third quarter of 2008. Savings and Checking dividends are compounded daily and credited quarterly. All other account dividends are compounded daily and credited monthly. Rates are subject to change. Call 410-321-6060 for applicable fees and terms. The rates and information published herein are good as of June 30, 2008 and may be subject to change after that date. Dealership Locations Visit the following dealerships and receive First Financial financing onsite: Anderson Locations andersonautomotive.com Baltimore Pont./Buick/Chev./Olds. 115 W. 25th Street Honda 2507 N. Howard Street Cockeysville Pont./Buick/GMC/Hummer 10139 York Road Bill Kidds Location Cockeysville Toyota/Scion/Volvo 10401 York Road Boyle Buick Location boylebuickpontiac.com Abingdon Buick/Pontiac 3115 Emmorton Road Frankel Locations frankelauto.com Cockeysville Acura 10400 York Road Chesapeake Cadillac/Jaguar 10240 York Road Land Rover 10260 York Road Owings Mills Pontiac/GMC/Cadillac 11227 Reisterstown Road Hanover, PA Locations Hanover Honda 1226 Carlisle Street Hyundai 720 Carlisle Street Heritage Locations mileone.com Bel Air Cadillac/Jeep/Mazda 716 Belair Road Saturn 712 Belair Road Ellicott City Saturn 8431 Baltimore Nat'l Pike Glen Burnie Saturn 12 Holsum Way Towson Saturn 801 York Road Owings Mills Chevrolet/Buick 11234 Reisterstown Road Dodge/Jeep 11212 Reisterstown Road Saturn 11216 Reisterstown Road Mazda 11220 Reisterstown Road Subaru/VW 9808 Reisterstown Road Parkville Chrysler 9219 Harford Road Honda 9213 Harford Road Jeep/VW 9215 Harford Road Westminster Dodge/Honda/Nissan 580 Baltimore Blvd. Jones Location jonesjunction.com Bel Air Nissan/Subaru/Hyundai 1506 Belair Road Chry./Toy./GMC Truck 1510 Belair Road Norris Location norrisford.com Dundalk Ford 901 Merritt Blvd. Honda 925 Merritt Blvd. Schaefer & Strohminger Locations sandsauto.com Bel Air Dodge 1800 B Belair Road Honda 1800 A Belair Road Cambridge Chry./Dodge/Chev./Jeep 3132 Aireys Road, Spur Perry Hall GMC/Pontiac 8200 Belair Road Mazda 8115 Belair Road Towson Dodge/Mazda 1765 E. Joppa Road Hyundai 1751 E. Joppa Road White Marsh Dodge 10800 Philadelphia Road Thompson Locations thompsonautomotivegroup.com Dundalk Chry./Dodge/Jeep 124 N. Point Blvd. Hyundai 1307 Merritt Blvd. Lincoln/Mercury 1000 Merritt Blvd. Suzuki 900 Merritt Blvd. Edgewood Chry./Jeep 1102 Business Center Way Toyota/Scion 1101 Business Center Way Towson Automotive, Inc. Belair BMW 1705 Conowingo Road Towson BMW 700 Kenilworth Dr. Wheeler Location wheelerautomotive.com Westminster Kia 119 Railroad Ave. Used Car Sales Enterprise enterprise.com Glen Burnie 502 N. Crain Highway Westminster 609 Baltimore Blvd. White Marsh 10825 Pulaski Highway Holiday Closings July 4 Independence Day September 1 Labor Day All member accounts insured to at least $100,000 by National Credit Union Administration, a Federal Government agency. Equal Opportunity LENDER