Security Awareness-Tips To Keep Your Accounts Safe

Keep Yourself Safe

Recent Alerts:

Some members have recently received phone calls with the caller ID showing Kennedy Space Center Federal Credit Union, asking for personal information. Launch will never call and ask for personal identifying information by phone. If you receive a phone call requesting information regarding your credit card, do not provide any personal information. Please treat it as suspicious and call our Contact Center at 321-455-9400. Be vigilant at monitoring your credit card for any suspicious activity. We always strive to protect our members from fraudsters.

Card Controls at Your Fingertips

Managing your Launch CU debit and credit cards has never been easier!

Within Digital Banking, you can do the following:

Change your debit/credit card PIN with ease using Card Controls.
Set Alerts to notify you of purchases on your registered card. You can set preferences for alerts based on type of transaction or merchant category.
Manage Card Controls to restrict the use of your registered card based on preferences you select.
Add Travel Notices to your registered card and travel with confidence.
Set Dollar Limits on your registered card and stick to your budget.

NOTE: Card controls work in real time. Any changes you make will be effective immediately.

For credit cards with a joint owner or authorized user, only the primary will have access to Card controls or Alerts.

Man and woman looking at a phone on the couch

Card Control FAQs

1. How do alerts work?

Alerts notify you of authorizations done by the card you registered and will depend on the type of transaction or merchant category selected. You may elect to receive alerts via text, e-mail, or push alerts on your mobile device.

NOTE: SMS text messaging will need to be enabled prior to setting up transaction alerts or controls if you choose to receive the notification by text.

2. What is the difference between an alert and a control?

An alert is a notification of a transaction that takes place with a specific card, based on the preferences you defined.

A control restricts the use of the card based on the preferences you specified.

3. How do I customize my debit and/or credit card alerts and specify alert types?

Select Alerts and Controls, then Manage Card Alerts.

Set your preferences by limits, transaction types or Merchant types.

4. What types of controls can I place on my debit and/or credit card?

You can block your card for in store, online, and international purchases, ATM transactions, set dollar limits, and enable or disable your cards.

5. If I use Card Controls to turn my debit/credit card off, will that close the card and start the process for re-issuing a new card?

No. If a replacement card with a new card number is needed, please either visit a branch or call the Credit Union to report lost or stolen at 855-341-4650.

6. If I turn my debit/credit card off, will my recurring transactions be blocked?

In most cases, transactions that are coded as recurring will continue until you contact the merchant and cancel the recurring payment.

7. Can I manage Card Controls and Alerts on more than 1 Debit and/or Credit Card?

Yes. From the main Card Controls and Alerts screen, select the Debit/Credit Card from the list of cards on your Launch Credit Union account(s).

8. Can Travel Notices be added?

Yes, and your travel notice will be effective immediately. It is recommended not to add a travel notice until the day of, or the day before, you travel.

Real-Time Alerts for Your Convenience

Launch CU offers real time fraud alerts. With fraud text alerts, you can help prevent fraudulent transactions from occurring on your DEBIT and CREDIT cards. Launch CU does not charge you for this service; however you may incur messaging charges from your wireless carrier.

What is Identity Theft?

Someone willfully steals your personal information, such as checking and savings account numbers, credit card account numbers, driver’s license number or your social security number.
Your data is used to assume your identity or to access your accounts.
Your checking and savings accounts can be drained; your credit cards used to their maximum limits; loans taken out in your name—all without your knowledge.

TIPS from STOP.THINK.CONNECT.™

Scammers will go to any length to obtain your account information or to steal your identity. Be aware, stay prepared, and you’ll lessen the chances of falling victim to identity theft.

Launch CU has partnered with STOP. THINK. CONNECT., the global cybersecurity education and awareness campaign. As a partner, Launch CU will promote the importance of online safety and help our community stay safer and more secure online.

Online safety and security are shared responsibilities; together we can make a positive impact in our digital world. Stop.Think.Connect provides great tips to help you protect your personal and financial information. Follow STOP.THINK.CONNECT. on Facebook and Twitter.

ATM Safety Tips

Here are a few tips:

Be alert: Observe the surroundings for any suspicious persons, vehicles or circumstances. Make sure the ATM is in a visible spot and that it’s well-lit if you’re using it at night.
Be prepared: Have everything you need out and ready. Your transaction will be faster and safer.
Be courteous: If the ATM is in use, don’t stand directly behind the person using the machine.
Better safe than sorry: Never begin your transaction if a stranger has a clear view of the ATM keyboard or if you see a suspicious person or vehicle loitering. In either case, leave the area immediately and consider contacting law enforcement.
Leave quickly: Once you’ve successfully completed your ATM transaction, leave. Do not count or otherwise visually expose any cash.
Be Mindful of ATM Skimmers: Review our blog post to learn how to identify and avoid ATM skimmers.

If you have any questions about keeping yourself safe from identity theft, online attacks or ATM safety, please give us a call at 321-455-9400 (inside Brevard) or 800-662-5257 (outside Brevard) or come visit us at any one of our convenient branch offices.

Security Training Modules

Interested in testing your knowledge of phishing, viruses and more? Visit our Security TEAM website where you can take online courses to learn valuable information about online fraud, social media dangers, viruses, firewalls, old computer disposal, home computer tips and much more. Test your knowledge at the end of the course and print a completion certificate.

Launch CU will never ask for your personal information by phone, text or email.

Please be aware of a recent texting scam that says your debit card is being deactivated, and to call a phone number to provide personal information. If you receive such a text, do not call the phone number. If you provided the information to the phone number listed, please visit any branch to be reissued a new debit card, or call our Contact Center at 321-455-9400 or 1-800-662-5257 to have a new card ordered.

Members should also be aware of an online malware (virus) threat named the Citadel banking Trojan. This is a browser malware that launches fake pop-ups during online banking transactions in an attempt to trick the user into re-entering log-on credentials. Do not click on the pop-up and enter any personal information.

This virus originates from the internet browser, not from Launch CU Online Banking.

The Launch CU Online Banking is safe and secure, and your accounts are not compromised by this popup. However, it, and other scams, viruses, and malware, are attempts by outside individuals to obtain personal information. Launch CU urges you to exercise caution and not respond to any unfamiliar pop-ups when accessing Online Banking.

As a reminder:

Never click suspicious links.
Avoid using out-of-date software versions.
Run full system scans at least once a week.

To learn more about online threats visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber.

Additional Resources:

Recent alerts from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Common caregiver scams
Common scams and fraud information from USA.gov
Information regarding the NCUA's Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week
Video regarding common scams targeting seniors

How to prevent Identity Theft:

Check our website often. Any time there's a security breach or an active scam that may adversely affect our members, we'll post a prominent Alert on the home page.
This Alert will also let you know what to do if you've been affected by the breach or scam.
Access and review your credit report at least once per year to make sure that there is no unusual or unauthorized activity.
Do not give your personal information to anyone, including any individual who contacts you by phone (Vishing) or Email (Phishing) claiming to work for Launch CU or any other financial institution or governmental agency.
Destroy all financial solicitations (such as pre-approved credit card offers) immediately.
Safeguard your ATM PIN.
Shred financial statements, credit and debit card transaction receipts and any other information containing sensitive personal data regularly.
Report lost or stolen checks immediately.

NOTE: Call us at 321-455-9400 option 2 to report debit/credit card lost, stolen or fraud.

Contact Launch CU immediately to let us know. We'll help you through closing down your active Launch CU accounts and establishing new ones.
Close all credit card and financial institution accounts that you believe may have been accessed, used or opened fraudulently.
Place a fraud alert on your credit reports with the credit reporting agencies.
Review your credit reports frequently until you're certain that the theft threat has been dealt with.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
File a report with local police or the police department in the community where the identity theft took place.
IdentityTheft.gov is a good resource that makes it easier for victims to report and recover from identity theft.

For additional information about identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission's site and/or call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline at 877-ID-THEFT (877-438-4338).

If you have any questions about the security of your accounts, how to protect your identity from theft or about keeping yourself safe in public when using an ATM, please give us a call at 321-455-9400 (inside Brevard) or 800-662-5257 (outside Brevard) or come visit us at any one of our convenient branch offices.

Security Center