Shopping Tips For Online Security
Black Friday is just four days away – are you ready? Are your finances?
In addition to staying within your budget this holiday season and finding the perfect gift for your mom, be sure your holiday spending is safe and secure with a few important tips from our partners at Kasasa.
We like to find just the right thing for everyone on our list, but sometimes that items we are eyeing online is coming from a website or vendor overseas. As part of the security of Dakota West Card Services, we watch for purchases from online stores based overseas, but it is also a good idea to know the retailer from which you are making your gift purchases.
Avoid purchasing from ads embedded into social media websites, such as Facebook or Twitter. Instead, search for the item on a known website such as Amazon, or even through a local seller. In addition to protecting your finances, it may also be protecting your identity.
Scams and frauds also increase during the holidays, so be certain where you are sending donations. Lastly, never purchase gift cards or eCards for someone you don’t know – they may be trying to take advantage of your being on Santa’s “Nice” list.
As always, if an offer or a deal or a website sound too good to be true, call your local branch and we will be willing to help you make the best choices to keep you, and your finances, safe this holiday season.
Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Dakota West Credit Union!
Prepare For Your Holidays With Travel Alerts
What are your plans for the holidays? It may still be a little early to finalize where you’ll be sitting down to your Thanksgiving dinner or where you’ll be unwrapping presents this Christmas, but there is one way to make sure your holidays are not filled with unwanted surprises: call your local branch and set up travel alerts for your Dakota West Mastercard® Debit and Credit cards.
While we monitor your usage for charges that may be unexpected, we also want to be sure your card is fully accessible if you are going to be visiting family across the state, or back home from your current work location. By providing specifics of where you will be during this increased travel season, we can be sure your cards are always available when you need them.
Of course, because there is often more activity on your card, the risk of a fraudulent or unapproved transactions can be prevented when card controls and travel alerts are in place. In addition to notifying us before you hit the road, you can also take advantage of the MY Cards mobile app to set locations based on your travel, transaction alerts, and even turn your debit or credit card on and off in real time.
While many of our members may decide not to travel far this season, It's still a good idea to take control of your Dakota West cards with an extra layer of protection this holiday season. Even if you are just traveling to Fargo to see your new grandbaby or headed to Deadwood for New Year’s Eve, as soon as your plans are final, give us a call before you go. Let us help keep your cards, and your money, safe.
If you’ve been a member of Dakota West for a spell, you’ve probably spoken with Sandy Bakke, the voice of our Card Services department. She’s been a fixture in our Watford City branch for more than a quarter of a century joining us at just the right time in her life.
“I was babysitting for someone who knew I was ready to not be babysitting anymore,” she recalls when she began at McKenzie County Credit Union. She started in the lobby of the former location across the street, which her current office now overlooks. Today she monitors the activity of all Dakota West debit and credit cards, tackles fraudulent alerts like a ninja, and shares her knowledge about the ways in which the credit union has grown into a modern financial institution.
Most of her time away from the branch is spent with family, whether close by, or across the state. When asked what she might be doing if she were not spending her days at Dakota West, she admits that not something she’s thought about for years. “Although, retirement is an option.”
Often she protects our members in ways they do not even recognize, such as identifying online transactions a member is attempting are actually originating abroad, which is automatically declined for the member’s protection. “They usually thank me for having that feature, because websites don’t always reveal when they operate overseas.” She values any time she receives words of gratitude.
For the experience and expertise she shares with our staff, and the effort she focuses every day on every card for every member, we thank you, Sandy!
Not a week goes by that we hear a news story about a security breach or a new scam. To protect yourself and your money, Dakota West is rolling out a new tool allow you to keep tabs on your debit and credit cards.
Introducing Dakota West MY Cards – a new app that gives you control over a variety of card features. You now have the ability to turn your card on and off to secure your card whenever you choose. You can set spending limits on your card, or simply add alerts when card-related transactions over a certain amount are completed. You can even disable specific retail services, such as online purchases or alcohol sales.
Having control over your cards gives you more ability to manage your spending and be aware of transactions on all your cards. Whether your cards are snug in your wallet or away at college with your student, you can keep tabs on where your dollars flow.
To learn more about the features of the Dakota West MY Cards app, visit our website. From your phone, click on the App Store or Google Play apps to search for “Dakota West Credit Union MY Cards” and download the app to your mobile device. You’ll create your own logon to keep your data secure, and have the ability to manage your cards from anywhere you go.
Dakota West MY Cards Mobile App
