Southeast Financial Credit Union

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Credit & Debit Cards

Fraud Alerts

How does it work?

A text message and/or pre-recorded voice call may be sent to your mobile device when there is a suspicious transaction(s) identified. Simply reply to the text to confirm whether you recognize the transaction(s). If you do not recognize the transaction(s), you will receive a text asking you to call 888-918-7313 for further assistance. There will be a block placed on your card to protect you from further fraud until you call us. If you reply to the text that you recognize the transaction(s), your card will remain available for use.

If you do not reply to the text within 30 minutes, a pre-recorded voice call may be attempted to your mobile device and home number listed on your account. If you receive a pre-recorded call, please listen to the prompts provided to review and respond to the validity of each transaction that is presented during the call. An email will also be sent to the address on file to confirm transactions on the account. You can also call us at any time to validate the transactions or if you have any concerns about the message you received.

What is an SMS text?

SMS stands for Short Message Service and is also commonly referred to as a “text message.” With an SMS, you can send a message of up to 160 characters to another device. Longer messages will automatically be split up into several parts. Most mobile phones support this type of text messaging.

How do I register?

There’s no cost to use the automated fraud alerts service. Southeast Financial pays for all costs associated with sending and delivering the SMS fraud alert messages to your mobile device. This service is provided to you free of charge.

Is this service safe and secure?

Yes! Your security is our priority! Our fraud alert messages will simply ask you to reply Y or N to confirm charges. We will never ask for your account number, card number, PIN number, or any other personal information via

text message. If you ever receive a text message asking for any personal or identifying information, please do not respond. Call Southeast Financial at 800-521-9653 immediately to report the fraudulent text message.

What if I do not have text messaging?
You will still receive automated fraud alerts via phone and email. A text messaging plan is not required but is a great way to receive fraud alerts about your Southeast Financial account.
What number will the fraud alert come from?
SMS fraud alerts will come from 919-37. You may want to save this number in your contacts with a name you will recognize for future alerts. We recommend ‘CU Fraud Alerts’. Fraud alert messages sent from this number will also be labeled with the Southeast Financial or SFCU.
If my mobile number changes, what do I do?
Please update your contact information as soon as possible so that alerts will be sent to the proper number on file. You will still receive alerts on your home phone number or email, if that information is on file. Accurate contact information is important so that we can reach you in the event we identify suspicious transactions on your account.
Why do I receive multiple messages with Pg 1/2, Pg 2/2?
Most SMS messages have a maximum length of 160 characters per message. Some alerts may require multiple messages to provide you with all the necessary information. All SMS messages are paid by Southeast Financial and you will not be charged for any text message alerts.
How do I opt-out of text alerts?
To opt-out of text alerts, simply reply STOP to any text alert. You will no longer receive fraud alerts via SMS message. You may also opt-out by calling the number provided on the back of your card and asking to be opted out of Automated Fraud Alerts messages.
What happens if the transaction in question in the fraud alert is legitimate?
If you recognize all the transactions present in the fraud alert. Simply reply “Y”, to confirm the activity as valid. Your card will automatically be unblocked, and no further action is required. You may now complete any purchases that may have been declined.
Are the text commands case-sensitive?
No. Commands can be sent as upper-case, lower-case or a mixture of both.

Falcon Credit & Debit Card Fraud Monitoring

Do I have to enroll with Falcon to have my card monitored?

No. Falcon monitors all Southeast Financial credit and debit cards for fraudulent activity. No enrollment is required.

Is there a cost for the Falcon monitoring service?

No. All Southeast Financial credit and debit cards are covered by this service at no cost to the cardholder.

What types of transactions are considered suspicious or fraudulent?
Falcon monitors and analyzes transactions and assigns a rating to the transaction. Based on your normal spending patterns, if a questionable transaction is detected on your Southeast Financial debit or credit card, Falcon will contact you to verify the transaction. In some cases, the transaction may be declined at the point of purchase if the fraud rating is high.
How will I be notified if a transaction is considered suspicious or fraudulent?
If fraudulent activity is detected, Falcon will contact you using the primary telephone number we have on file. If there is no answer, a representative from Falcon will leave you a message requesting a call back to verify the suspected transaction. If you miss the phone call, you can contact the Falcon call center at 1-888-918-7313, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
How does Falcon verify that they are speaking with the card owner?
Falcon may ask you for information to verify your identity. For example, the last four digits of your Social Security number may be requested. They may also compare the phone number that you call from to see if it matches the phone number that is on file. You'll never be asked for information they already have, like your full account number, PIN or 3-digit code.
Falcon called my home number, but I wasn't there. Why didn't they call my cellphone or work number?
Falcon will contact you using the primary telephone number we have on file. Therefore, it is extremely important that your contact information is up to date. Contact us or visit any branch to verify your current contact information and make any necessary changes.
Can I reply back to the credit union instead of Falcon if I receive a phone call to verify a transaction?
To avoid delays with card usage or confirming potential fraud, we strongly recommend contacting the Falcon Fraud Monitoring Department directly. The staff at Falcon is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to quickly verify transactions and take appropriate action if fraud occurs on your account.
I missed the message from Falcon and now my card is blocked. What should I do?
If Falcon doesn’t hear back from you within 48 hours of calling, your card will be blocked from use as a precautionary measure. If Falcon has blocked your card, you can contact them to un-block it at 1-888-918-7313. They are available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Do I still need to monitor my account on my own, since the Falcon service is in place? What is Falcon Fraud Monitoring?
With Falcon Fraud Protection service, your Southeast Financial credit and debit card transaction activity is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week to better detect fraudulent card use. Our goal is to protect members from the risk associated with fraud and identity theft. Please remember to frequently review your account activity and never hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns. To report fraudulent activity on your Southeast Financial credit or debit card during weekend or evening hours, please call the Falcon Fraud Protection Center at 1-888-918-7313.
Who do I call if I need to report fraudulent activity on my credit or debit card after business hours?

To report fraudulent activity on your Southeast Financial credit or debit card during weekend or evening hours, please call the Falcon Fraud Protection Center at 1-888-918-7313.

Visa Purchase Alerts

What are Purchase Alerts?
Purchase Alerts are messages sent to your email or mobile phone to help you manage and track your signature-based Visa® credit and/or debit card transactions. Alerts provide near real-time notification of transaction activity based on your alert settings. You select from preset alerts and specify the settings for the alerts you want to receive (for example, the option to be notified when a transaction exceeds a specific value). Information in the alert includes the amount of the transaction, the merchant name and location (if available), and the last 4 digits of the Visa card used. Alerts can be sent to an e-mail address or to a mobile phone as an SMS text message
What are the benefits of Purchase Alerts?

The advantages of Purchase Alerts are that they:

  • Let you monitor your card's signature-based purchase transactions in near-real-time
  • Offer you peace of mind by providing timely information that helps you monitor your Visa card for suspicious activity.
  • Give you a tool to help you manage your money.
What type of cards can I enroll in Purchase Alerts?
You can enroll most Visa credit and debit cards. For debit cards, Purchase Alerts are not available for purchases that require you enter a PIN number. You can enroll your card if you’re sharing an account; the primary account holder on the card designates the Purchase Alert settings. Purchase Alerts are available for business credit cards as well.
Can multiple Visa credit cards on one account receive Purchase Alerts? Can two debit cards on the same checking account receive Purchase Alerts? Can I have different Purchase Alerts settings for different cards or will all my cards be enrolled with the same alert selection settings?

Each card can be set up with unique alert settings.

Is there a charge to enroll in Purchase Alerts?

You can enroll in Purchase Alerts at no charge from Southeast Financial. Standard mobile text and data charges apply for SMS alerts.

How quickly after I enroll in Purchase Alerts will I begin receiving alerts?

After you enroll, you will immediately begin receiving alert messages.

What types of Purchase Alerts are available?
The following alerts are available:
  • Threshold transaction: An alert is sent if a purchase amount is greater than a preset dollar amount.
  • Card-not-present transaction: An alert is sent if a purchase is made without having to physically present the card at the point of sale, such as when a purchase is made online or by phone.
  • International transaction: An alert is sent if a purchase is made outside the country that issued the Visa card.
  • Gasoline transaction: An alert is sent if a purchase is made at a gas station (i.e., fuel, car wash)
  • Declined transaction: An alert is sent if a purchase is made and subsequently declined for any reason.

EMV Chip Cards

What is an EMV Chip card?
EMV chip cards incorporate micro-computer technology, providing increased security capabilities for both card transactions and your information, which is stored in the small metallic square on the front of the cards. EMV technology ensures that you have the most secure and seamless purchasing experience possible and is one of the most effective tools being using to prevent the spread of credit card fraud.
How do I get an EMV Chip card?

You don't need to do anything to upgrade to an EMV credit or debit card.

All non-chip debit cards were reissued with new debit cards containing the EMV chip in early 2016.

All non-chip credit cards will be replaced with credit cards containing the EMV chip as they expire.

If you have a Visa Credit Card, you may request a new card before your current card expires, but you'll need to pay a $10 reissue fee. Otherwise, you'll receive your new card shortly before your existing card expires.

What should I do when I get my new EMV Card?
When you receive your new EMV card, the card number will be different than the number on your old card. It's important that you contact any companies that take automatic payments using your card and ask that they update your account with this new number.


Because your new card will have a new card number, you'll need to call the PIN change line, 1-866-985-2273, to set up your PIN. You may use the same PIN as you used previously with your old card or pick a new one. The choice is yours, but it's important that you call to set it up in order to use your card when a PIN is required.

How do I use an EMV Chip card reader?

Using your EMV Chip card takes 3 simple steps:

  1. Insert your card into the bottom of the card reader.
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete your transaction.
  3. Remove your card from the card reader when prompted.
Why is it more secure to use EMV credit and debit cards for payment transactions?

EMV cards store payment information in a secure chip rather than on a magnetic stripe, and the personalization of EMV cards is done using issuer-specific keys. Unlike a magnetic stripe card, it is virtually impossible to create a counterfeit EMV card that can be used to conduct an EMV payment transaction successfully.

What type of information is stored on EMV Chip Cards?
The microchip embedded in the card stores information required to authenticate, authorize and process transactions. This is the same type of information already stored in the magnetic stripe. No personal information about your account is stored on the chip card.
What are the benefits of EMV Chip Cards?
The biggest benefit of EMV chip cards lies in the powerful fraud prevention technology inherent in the chip. Because the EMV chip is essentially a small, secure computer, EMV cards are nearly impossible to counterfeit. By replacing the current unencrypted magnetic stripe with a chip embedded in the card, smartcard technology adds dynamic data to the transaction process, making it far less vulnerable to fraudsters.
Will magnetic stripes be discontinued on credit and debit cards?
No, magnetic stripes will continue to be used on cards so they can be used at terminals in countries that have not yet converted to chip technology, including the United States. Many major retailers have already made the conversion to EMV chip card readers. When you complete your transaction with these merchants, your chip card will be used for payment at the checkout. When paying a merchant who has not yet made the transition to EMV chip card readers, your card will be run through a magnetic stripe reader.
Where has EMV been adopted?

EMV has been implemented in more than 80 countries around the world, with approximately 1.5 billion EMV cards issued globally and 21.9 million POS terminals accepting EMV cards at the end of 2011. The U.S. payments infrastructure is now moving to EMV with incentives and requirements for issuers, acquirers/processors and merchants to adopt EMV.

The United States is one of the last countries to migrate to EMV. In 2011 and 2012, American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa all announced their plans for moving to an EMV-based payments infrastructure in the U.S.

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