CALHOUN – Bowater Employees Credit Union member Chanda Phillips actively prevented fraud on her debit card by signing up for, and paying attention to, VISA Purchase Alerts.
Phillips was working from home with her phone in her hand when she saw a VISA Purchase Alert. She immediately opened the alert because, as Phillips said “I was not out and about making purchases – I was at home working.”
The alert was for a payment of $658 to a T-Mobile store in Illinois. Phillips immediately called Bowater Credit Union, who blocked the card. Within thirty minutes another charge, this time coming from a CVS in Illinois, tried to come through, but failed because the card was blocked.
“I signed up for the VISA Purchase Alerts as soon as I saw they were available,” stated Phillips. “I always knew what their purpose was,” said Phillips. “After what happened today, well I’m just so thankful I did sign up!”
VISA Purchase Alerts are a free service to any VISA cardholder. Bowater Credit Union members can register their debit card, as Phillips did, or their Classic VISA Credit Card. The cardholder can elect to receive a text, email, or both whenever a purchase is made. If the cardholder gets an alert for a purchase they didn’t make, they can immediately block their debit card and prevent further fraud, as Phillips did.
For more information about VISA Purchase Alerts, click here: VISA Purchase Alerts
Bowater Employees Credit Union is a federally insured credit union offering savings, checking, loans, and financial education to those who live, work, or go to school in the counties of Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, and Polk. They have five branches, over 17,000 members, and $148 million in assets. To learn more about Bowater Employees Credit Union and its services, call (423) 336-7268 or visit www.bowaterecu.org.
