Consumer Information

Auto Information | Home Mortgage and Equity Information | Credit Building and Money Management
Identity Theft Protection Information

Auto Information

NADA – This is your source for new and used car prices and information. They have the latest new car reviews and previews. You can also build your dream car with all the options, compare models side-by-side, get MSRP and invoice pricing, and find a local car dealer. It's fast, easy and free!

Car Fax – CARFAX Vehicle History Reports are your best protection against buying a used car with costly, hidden problems. CARFAX searches its nationwide database and provides a detailed report in seconds.

Anytime Adviser: New and Used Car Buying Coaches – These interactive guides offer you strategies for getting the best deal on a new car and strategies for finding and buying a quality used car.

MEMBERS Auto & Home Insurance
Get an auto insurance quote online in minutes.  As a credit union member, you qualify for group rates, which could save you money on your auto insurance and your rate is guaranteed for a full year.

Online Auto Loan Calculator - Unless you have the luxury of paying cash for a new vehicle, you’re probably going to need an auto loan. By using our online auto loan calculator, you’ll have an idea of what your monthly payments will be before you even apply for your loan.

Online Loan Application - If you’ve made your decision, you’re probably ready to get the ball rolling so that you can be riding around town on some new wheels. Use our online loan application and receive an instant decision!

Home Mortgage and Equity Information

Anytime Adviser: Home Buying Coach – This is an interactive guide which coaches you through the process of finding and buying a house.

HomeValueBot
Find out what your home is worth on your time, anytime. Visitors just enter the required data, and HomeValueBot calculates a value estimate on your home and delivers a custom report within seconds.

Home Equity Loan Application Checklist
Use this handy checklist to know which documents you should bring when coming in to apply for your home equity loan.

Home Equity Loan Application
Apply online to speed your application process.

Credit Building and Money Management

Anytime Adviser: Credit Management Coach – This interactive guide coaches you to manage credit wisely to achieve your goals.

Frequent Causes of Financial Problems:

• Credit abuse of overextension
• Lack of financial goals
• Unemployment or other income reduction
• Compulsive spending
• Separation or divorce
• Unrealistic financial expectations
• Lack of sound money management practices
• Uninsured medical expenses
• Lack of communication between spouses
• Financial illiteracy
• Lack of savings

Ways to Accelerate Debt Reduction:

• Increase monthly payment toward debt
• “Roll up” payments – as one debt is paid off, apply that payment to another debt
• Do not charge on that account if you’re committed to paying off the debt

Credit Reports – All U.S. consumers are now entitled to receive one free credit report per year. You may request your free credit report by phone (1-877-322-8228), online (www.annualcreditreport.com), or by mail (Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, Georgia 30348-5281.) Once received, there are three important pieces of information to check: identifying information (name, address, current employment, social security number, date of birth, and spouse’s name), debt (verify that it is yours and that all matters are correctly marked closed or resolved if applicable), and payments (be sure balances are accurate and payment history is correct).

Things That Make Your Credit Report Bad:

• Too many credit cards
• Many delinquencies in last two years
• Many maxed out credit cards
• Three new cards acquired within the last two years

Best Ways to Improve Credit:

• Pay bills on time
• Keep bills current and under the limit
• Keep balances low on credit cards
• Apply for new accounts only when needed
• Make sure the information on your credit report is correct
• Be ready to explain extenuating circumstances that have caused a problem, as well as what you’ve done to make things better
• Check credit report at least once a year, and notify the credit bureau immediately if any errors are found

If you still have questions about building or repairing your credit, call and ask to speak to a representative.

Financial Calculators
Sort through the financial clutter in your life and get a clear picture of where you are, where you want to go and how to get there. There are several calculators which cover topics including start taking control of your money, taking charge of your debt, evaluating your insurance coverage, planning your retirement, and paying for your child’s college education. You can get the information you need spending only as much time as you want to obtain it.

Financial Education Center
The Education Center provides you with a vast amount of information concerning your financial well-being.  There are over 100 articles on topics including college planning, credit management, managing your money, estate planning, retirement investing, retirement tips, IRAs, life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and more.

Sample Budget
Use this simple form to help with your monthly budget.

Identity Theft Protection Information

Anytime Adviser: ID Theft Coach - This guide coaches you to safeguard personal and financial records from fraud and identity theft.

Phishing Protection – If you have Internet access, you may be under attack – a phishing attack, that is. This high-tech scam involves three components:

• Spoofing is creating a replica of an existing website.
• Spamming is sending unsolicited or “junk” email.
• Phishing is the act of using spoofing and spamming to lure unsuspecting victims, hoping to deceive you into disclosing your social security number, credit card, and checking account numbers, passwords, or other sensitive information.

These scam artists do not stick to Internet channels only. You may also get calls saying that you need to give your information to them to protect yourself. Don’t do it!

Here are a few tips to protect yourself…

• Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited request.
• If you believe the contact may be legitimate, contact the Credit Union yourself.
• Never provide your password over the phone or in response to an unsolicited Internet request.
• Review account statements regularly to ensure all charges are correct.

For more information on protecting your personal information, please review this great brochure.

If you’ve been the victim of Identity Theft, the Federal Trade Commission has a website that’s a one-stop national resource.  It contains details to help you deter, detect, and defend against ID theft.

Click the link below to watch a ten-minute video which features advice from FTC leaders, law enforcement, and victims on how to deter, detect, and defend against identity theft.

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We do business in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Law and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.

Federally Insured by NCUA

SABINE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
1939 Strickland Drive
P.O. Box 3000
Orange, Texas 77630
409-988-1300 or 1-888-319-SFCU