As you know, there is a small fee to make a withdrawal at the service center. This fee will remain the same; however effective December 1, 2008, we will begin to process this fee differently on your account.

Previously, this fee was posted to your savings account on a monthly basis. Beginning in December fees will be posted to your savings account on a daily basis. This fee will always be deducted from your savings account the next business day regardless of the account type from which the withdrawal was made, such as a checking or money market account. If you make multiple withdrawals in one day, you will see a fee for each withdrawal posted to your account. For example, if you make two withdrawals at a service center in one day, you will have two fees of $1.50 each deducted from your savings account the next business day.

If you have questions regarding service center fees or need additional information, please call Extra Credit Union at (586) 276-3000 or 1-877-638-7628.

In order to prevent this financial crisis in the future, many are asking, Should a high school personal finance class count toward graduation requirements? To most its a no brainer. Of course it should count. But unfortunately, it has been quite the debate among Michigan educators. Adding a new class means finding qualified instructors or adding more to an already overloaded teacher.

Click here to read more about this topic and how some educators are fighting to make personal finance a mandatory course.

The message indicates the members card has been deactivated. In order to activate the card, the message asks the member to call the provided Card Activation Line phone number and enter their 16-digit card number, expiration date and PIN.

To view a sample of this fraudulent email click here.

Please remember that Extra Credit Union will NEVER e-mail or call you seeking account numbers or passwords. Your financial institution already has your information on file and will only ask for it to verify your identity when you initiate a call or e-mail us. If you receive an e-mail asking you to visit a special Web site to enter personal information, we urge you not to respond.

Feel free to contact us at (586) 276-3000 for any questions.

Lets talk about debt. Every year your debt is increasing, and every year you fail to pay it down. In 2009, you can make up for it by controlling your credit card debt.

1. Evaluate your habits
Instead of charging everything, cut your credit card up and start using cash. Or pay more than the minimum payment every month on your card. Paying the minimum each month can keep you deep in debt.

If youre using your debit card, you will only be spending what you have available. A credit card gives you too much room to spend more on what you cant afford. Always try to pay them off, or at least more than the minimum.

3. Prioritize!
Prioritizing your debts is extremely important. Payoff the highest interest rate credit card first!

Challenge yourself and you will be amazed at what you achieve! The feeling you will have after youve realized youre in control of your finances is much greater than the feeling you get after buying a flat screen TV with money you did not have!

Need Help?

Extra Credit Union has partnered with Accel Members Financial Management. Accel is a FREE financial management program that has been helping people like you for more than 40 years. Beginning February 1, 2009, certified financial counselors will be available Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (EST), Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To use this new service, simply call 1-877-33ACCEL (332-2235).

This is an important step towards improving the financial awareness of Michigan residents. With the auto-makers struggling, foreclosure rates at an all time high, and Michigan facing a horrific financial crisis, it has never been a better time to enforce how important financial education is. Now, our youth will have an opportunity to learn about money management and save themselves from unwise decisions about credit cards and accumulating debt.

To read more about Senate Bill 834, click here.

Protect yourself!

• Monitor your credit report
• Protect your personal information
• Watch out for scams
  

• Stolen wallets and credit cards
• Mail theft
• Dumpster diving (Retrieving un-shredded information from a trash can)
• Information stolen by friends or relatives
• Phishing and Vishing

By staying aware and alert you can help protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft.

Please remember that Extra Credit Union will NEVER e-mail, text or call you seeking account numbers or passwords. Your financial institution already has your information on file and will only ask for it to verify your identity when you initiate a call or e-mail us. If you receive an e-mail asking you to visit a special Web site to enter personal information, we urge you not to respond.

In any e-mail you receive from Extra Credit Union, there will be an authentication code located at the end of the last sentence, prior to the closing salutation. The authentication code will be the last four digits of your home contact number that we have on file. For example, if your phone number is (123) 456-7891, then your e-mail will read as follows:

Authentication Code: 7891

It is important to contact Extra Credit Union at (586) 276-3000 if any of the following applies to you:

• If you dont recognize the 4-digit authentication code number.
• If the 4-digit number reflects another number of yours, but is not your home phone number.
• If the 4-digit number is 0000, this means we do not have your home phone number on file.

If you receive an e-mail from us without the authentication code, we encourage you to call us at (586) 276-3000. Our Call Center Representatives can verify if the e-mail is authentic.

To read more about phishing, and other scams, please click here.

The appropriate steps are being taken, including contacting Apple, in an effort to shut the application down.

Please remember that, as a member, you are able to locate CO-OP Network Surcharge Free ATMs by sending a text message including the address, intersection or zip code to 692667 (MYCOOP) from any mobile phone. There is no fee for this service; however, standard text messaging rates apply.

Borrowers will have the opportunity to ask a group of twenty merchants about any questions they might have about their mortgages. This is a great time to get all your questions answered, especially if you are facing foreclosure.

Please check back later for more information on locations and times.

Current Bill Payment Members:
You will be unable to access your bill payment account from March 17-19
There will be no interruption to previously scheduled payments during this downtime
Schedule any payments that need to be processed during the downtime before March 17th
The look and feel of the site will be changing to make navigation more user-friendly

Non Bill Payment Members:
Bill Payment registration will be disabled from March 16th until the live date**
If you would like to register for this exciting new product, please be sure to sign up after March 19th!

To learn more about how Bill Payment and Presentment works and everything it has to offer, please view our interactive demo!**

Click here to see a comparison of the current bill payment product and the all NEW Bill Payment and Presentment.

If you have questions, or want more information about Bill Payment and Presentment, please call (586) 276-3000 or (877) 638-7628.

Dealing with a Financial Emergency: Short Term Financial Planning

Monday, April 20, 2009 45 p.m.

Extra Credit Union, Walsh College, MI Council on Economic Education, and Cygnet Institute are pleased to sponsor this event. If your family income has been drastically reduced, your expenses keep adding up, and your savings has deteriorated, then this seminar can help you.

How to Choose a Mortgage

Monday, April 20, 2009 23 p.m. & Wednesday, April 22, 2009 56 p.m

Designed to help adults understand how and when to choose the best mortgage. Extra Credit Union mortgage experts will answer the mortgage questions everyone should be asking. Refreshments provided.

Surviving Financially Through the Unemployment Crunch

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 34 p.m.

Receive hands-on tools and learn practical tips on how to stay afloat and cut expenses during times of job loss. Refreshments provided.

Coffee with the Financial Coach

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 11 a.m.12 p.m.

Well answer your basic finance questions and give you the right tools for debt reduction and help you learn to manage your money.

Mad City Money

Friday, April 24, 2009 46 p.m.

Learn what its like to live in the real world. Well give you a job, a spouse, some kids and all your basic expenses. Its your job to make it to the end of the game with money left in your pocket. *Open to all high school students; you do not need to be a member to participate

You must RSVP by April 9, 2009. Please call (586) 276-3651 to reserve your spot!

First Annual Money Smart Week Saving is Cool Rap Contest
Elementary students at our partner schools located in Macomb County are eligible to participate in our Saving is Cool Rap contest and win $100 cash!

• Rap Contest Poster
• Rap Contest Official Rules and Entry Form
• Extra Credit Union General Contest Rules

Brand new or new to you its all the same to us!

Finance your new or pre-owned vehicle or refinance an existing loan all for the same low rate!* For more information, please click here.

*APR is annual percentage rate. Offer valid on all vehicle loans beginning June 1, 2009. New vehicle terms available to 72 months for 20082009 model year. Pre-owned vehicle terms available up to 66 months. New money only. Subject to credit approval. Some restrictions may apply. Rates subject to change without notification. Cannot be combined with any other discount.

For more information, please visit the Make it in Michigan web site.

Extra Credit Union does not necessarily endorse or support any of the views expressed within this article.

Job seekerstypically college students looking for summer workare told they will provide mail forwarding services for expatriates, international travelers, and seasonal workers around the world. They are asked to perform simple tasks:

1. Receive mail at home.
2. Scan the front of each envelope received.
3. E-mail scanned images to the company.
4. Ship accumulated mail biweekly, using prepaid UPS or FedEx postage labels provided via e-mail.

After two weeks on the job, assistants get an e-mail promising an $800 paycheck, plus an extra $200 bonus. But to test their "integrity," theyre told theyll get a check for $2,800and must mail a check back to return the extra money.

The $2,800 check may look legitimate butbig surpriseits bogus. So instead of getting paid, the college student now has to pay the bank the full amount. Worse, the scammer now has access to the students checking account. And the student is committing a criminal violation by scanning victims mail.

The Postal Inspection Service is working to quickly shut down this scheme by attacking the problem from several angles. If you have information on this or similar scams report it online at https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ or call 1-877-876-2455, option 3.

Article provided by U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

To view all of our holiday hours and closings, please click here.

*Standard text messaging rates do apply.

To view all of our holiday hours and closings, please click here.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

Extra Credit Union is partnering with Warren Goodfellows to collect mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves for children in our area. Donations will be accepted throughout December.

If you would like to donate, please bring any of the above listed items to any Extra Credit Union branch or place them on the Giving Tree at our Main Office located at 6611 Chicago Road, Warren, MI 48092 beginning November 27.

Thank you for your generous donations.

For more information regarding our community donations, please click here.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

To view all of our holiday hours and closings, please click here.

For a petition and further instructions, contact Executive Secretary Kerry Hitchcock at (586) 276-3000.

The signed petitions must be mailed to:
Extra Credit Union
Attn: Kerry Hitchcock
6611 Chicago Road
Warren, MI 48092

According the Extra Credit Unions bylaws, if only one person is nominated for each director position, no ballots will be mailed and no nominations will be accepted from the floor at the Annual Meeting. In that case, the nominees will be elected by acclamation. If more than three candidates are nominated and an election is required, official ballots will be mailed to all members in January 2010.

Click here for more information and enter to win METs 2010 free semester of college drawing.

To view all of our holiday hours and closings, please click here.

Online Banking same great features, new look and feel!

You will notice a new website address at the top of your browser window

 

o Old website address

 

https://www.metroconnect.org/onlineserv/HB/Signon.cgi

 

o New website address-

 

https://www.extracreditunionhb.org/onlineserv/HB/Signon.cgi

 

o Please note if you previously had this page bookmarked you will need to update your links.

Enhanced Login Security Reset

o As a result of the name change ALL Online Banking Members must re-enroll in Enhanced Login Security.

 

o After the updates are made to the site on August 7, the first time you log into your account you will be prompted to add the extra security.

 

o You have up to three times to add the extra protection, after that you will be required to add the extra protection before accessing your account.

 

o No need to re-select your challenge question and the answer to your question will remain the same. If you have additional questions or need more information, please call us at (586) 276-3000.

Warren, Mich. July 7, 2008- Extra Credit Unions Financial Education department teamed up with a local summer school program for an exciting event designed to teach high school students the right way to budget Mad City Money. The event was held at Fitzgerald High School and a remarkable 130 students attended.

Mad City Money is a reality simulation city where students are given a monthly income, spouse, children, and various monthly credit obligations ranging from student loans, mortgages and rent, to car loans and credit card debt. They are required to visit each "store" to purchase their necessities like housing, transportation, clothing, food, personal needs, furniture and child care. They are also required to visit the credit union where they are encouraged to save for their retirement. Extra Credit Union Financial Education Representatives and school staff run each store attempting to convince students to spend, spend, spend. The students have to make the best choices based on their income, write out a check correctly, and balance their check register. When all is said and done the student must have at least $100.00 left, if not they must go back and select what is reasonable for them and their budget. It is an excellent way to put kids in a real life scenario and understand the importance of making wise financial decisions.

Mad City Money is a perfect program for these students, comments Denise van der Ster, VP of Operations. The students are learning the importance of budgeting and having fun doing it!

Extra Credit Union is celebrating summer by kicking off their fifth annual Tools for Schools fundraiser. Tools for Schools supports seven area schools districts in partnership with Extra Credit Union by providing school supplies for children in need.

All donations will be delivered to Center Line, Chippewa Valley, Clintondale, Fitzgerald, Van Dyke, Warren Consolidated and Warren Woods public schools at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. The wish list includes items such as new book bags, crayons, binders, pencils, and any other items students need to do well in a classroom.

The fundraiser runs from May 1st, 2008 to July 31st, 2008. Collections will help prepare students for the upcoming school year. Drop boxes are available at all Extra Credit Union locations, including school branches. Monetary donations can also be mailed to Extra Credit Union, Attn: Tools for Schools.

Our mission is to support local schools and their students, says Deidra Williams, President/CEO of Extra Credit Union. Tools for Schools is a wonderful way to make a difference in someone elses life. Having the tools to succeed in the classroom is vital to the education of our youth!

• Thursday, November 27th, 2008
• Friday, November 28th, 2008 (Open until 5 p.m.)
• Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
• Thursday, December 25th, 2008
• Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 (Open until 2 p.m.)

• Deposit accounts at Extra Credit Union are federally insured by a fund that, like the FDIC, is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
• As the FDIC does for banks, the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) insures a person's savings up to at least $250,000*. There is also separate insurance coverage of up to $250,000 for individual retirement accounts.
• The NCUA Insurance Call Center, operating from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (EDT) Monday through Friday, has insurance experts available to answer questions about the coverage provided by NCUA share insurance. The toll-free Insurance Call Center number is 1-800-755-1030, extension 1.
• To better understand how your shares are covered, click here to use the NCUA Share insurance estimator. This tool can estimate your coverage based on the types of accounts you have at Extra Credit Union.

*On October 3, the Economic Stabilization bill was signed by the President. This bill temporarily increased the federal share insurance coverage from $100,000 to $250,000 per deposit account. This increase remains in effect until December 31, 2009.

Click here to view our Sleep Soundly Insert.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning to all consumers to be wary of emails that look like they come from institutions that were recently acquired or taken over.

Click here to read the article.

Questions or Concerns?  Call (586)276-3000 to speak to a Credit Union Representative.

This may be why more than 2 million people join credit unions each year! If youre interested in learning more about how credit unions work, visit lovemycreditunion.org. Here you can find articles, videos and true testimonials on how credit unions operate!

For a petition and further instructions, contact Executive Secretary Kerry Hitchcock at (586) 276-3000. The signed petitions must be mailed to Extra Credit Union, Attn: Kerry Hitchcock, 6611 Chicago Road, Warren, MI 48092.

According the Extra Credit Unions bylaws, if only one person is nominated for each director position, no ballots will be mailed and no nominations will be accepted from the floor at the Annual Meeting. In that case, the nominees will be elected by acclamation. If more than three candidates are nominated and an election is required, official ballots will be mailed to all members in January 2009.

GM - December 1 - September 30, 2010 

Purchase offers: Supplier Pricing on top of most current incentiveswhen memberspurchase a new GM Vehicle!

Lease offers: GM is offering members of participating credit unions Supplier Pricing+ Lease Cash Back (up to $3,300) on select 2010 vehicles.

Drivers EDge Makes Car Buying Easy!

Now that youre all set to shop for a new vehicle with discounts from Michigan automakers, let us help you finance it. Take advantage of our Drivers EDge auto loan program. With our unique program, you are pre-approved up to a certain amount and given a check to take to the dealer. You simply negotiate the price of your car, fill out the check, and let us take care of the rest. Click here for more information about our Drivers Edge auto loan program.

AAA Michigan

AAA Michigan is already well known as the go-to company for roadside assistance and affordable auto insurance*, plus many other useful benefits. And theyve been serving their Michigan members for 100 years. Now theyre supporting Invest in America. Invest in America is a credit union member enhancement program that brings value and substantial discounts to credit union members from great U.S.-based companies like Chrysler and GM.

When credit union members in Michigan buy a new vehicle through the Invest in America program and sign up for a new AAA primary membership, they receive a free first-year upgrade to primary AAA Plus Membershipa savings of $28! Members receive these added benefits:

AAA Basic Membership
Fuel delivery to get you to the nearest station

Lockout service

Towing up to 5 miles

RVs and trailers excluded

Car travel interruption coverage up to $600

 

AAA Plus Membership

Paid fuel delivery to get you to the nearest station

Enhanced lockout service

Towing up to 100 miles

Coverage for RVs and trailers

Car travel interruption coverage up to $1,000

For more information, please visit our AAA Representatives right here at Extra Credit Union.

*Insurance underwritten by Auto Club Insurance Association family of companies.

*At press time, General Motors and Chrysler were currently participating in the Invest in America discount program. Invest in America discount program and participants are subject to change. For current and up to date information regarding Invest in America, please visit Love My Credit Union.

Extra Credit Union employees are aware of these scams and strongly urge you to be aware of who and what is going on around you. If you receive a text message you are unsure about asking you to provide personal information, the smartest thing to do is to not
respond. Please be aware that these are scams, and remember that Extra Credit Union will NEVER text you seeking account numbers or passwords.

For more questions call (586) 276- 3000 to speak to a Call Center Representative.

In recent weeks, news of a fake Dearborn-based credit union has surfaced. The web site was promising that their mortgage specialists were there to help you buy a home, refinance a mortgage, or consolidate debt. The only problemthere was no credit union! Consumers contacted state regulators to report the activity, and a cease-and-desist order was issued. The web site has since been shut down.

Scam artists are stealing consumer identities by getting Social Security numbers through fraudulent applications, then using your bank account information to access funds, meanwhile opening up credit cards in your name. A common scam being conducted widely is to contact you pretending to be your financial institution and request that you verify your personal information.

Remember that Extra Credit Union will NEVER e-mail or call you seeking account numbers or passwords. Your financial institution already has your information on file and will only ask for it to verify your identity when you initiate a call or e-mail us. If you receive an e-mail asking you to visit a special web site to enter personal information, we urge you not to respond.

Feel free to contact us at (586)276-3000 for any questions.

Using the most up-to-date software and security tools will protect your system from the malware. You are most likely safe if you are using a legal copy of Microsoft Windows, but if you have loaded an illegal copy without the proper anti-virus software, you are the ideal target for these types of viruses.

It is estimated that about 10 million PCs have been hit with the worm, but their users are unaware. Running freeware antivirus software will not protect your computer against this type of self propagating virus. Owners who have PCs infected with Conflicker will not be aware until April 1.

It is estimated that the worm will most likely send out mass amounts of e-mails containing spam or additional malware. If you have updated the necessary patches on your computer released by Microsoft on October 23, 2008, you should be safe from the vulnerability.

Experts suggest that you scan your PCs for viruses prior to the release of the worm. It is also important that you run a scan every so often to search for worms or other viruses in an effort to keep your computer running efficiently.

If you have any additional questions or concerns about Conflicker, or any other virus, please contact your software company.

If you have any questions, please contact us during business hours at (586) 276-3000 or toll-free at (877) 638-7628.

The device can be difficult to spot. It usually fits snug over the front of the ATM, appearing as though it is part of the machine. In some cases, a small camera or other device has been placed over the ATM key-pad to get a pin number.

Members should monitor their accounts on a regular basis for any unauthorized activity and contact Extra Credit Union at (586) 276-3000 should they see anything suspicious.

Come support our Tools for Schools program Wednesday, September 23 from 58 p.m. Indulge in some creamy goodness with your friends and family and enjoy knowing that a portion of the proceeds will go towards supporting our local youth.

Cold Stone Creamery

35732 Van Dyke Ave, Sterling Heights, MI 48312

(Located on Van Dyke, just North of 15 Mile Road)

For more information regarding our Tools for Schools program or to make a donation, please click here or call us at (586) 276-3000.

On your menu bar go to Tools > Internet Options. Delete your cookies, history and temporary files.

Close out Internet Explorer and then re-open it.

If you continue to experience problems, please contact us at (586) 276-3000. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

It goes like this:
After our information is securely shredded, the processed materials are transported to paper mills for pulping. This destruction process provides both security and environmental benefits by reducing pollution, preserving landfill space and saving trees, water and oil resources.

In 2009, Extra Credit Union saved the following:

Recycled Paper (office grade paper) (Pounds) 19,292
Paper Material Weight (Tons) 10
Trees Saved (Trees) 164
Water Saved (Gallons) 67,522
Air Pollution Prevented (Pounds (of air)) 579
Landfill Reduction (Cubic Yards) 29
Electricity Saved (KW-hours) 39,549
Oil Saved (Gallons) 4,437

Sample Online Banking Platform

Never click more than you need to!
The major difference you will notice is that you will be able to log in directly on our homepage ExtraCreditUnion.org. This means faster, easier access to all of your Extra Credit Union accounts. Please note that any Online Banking downtime will now be an alert on the homepage (ExtraCreditUnion.org).

Sample Online Banking Login

You can see Account Detail by clicking on "Account Info" on the History page. See the example below.

Account Info Link/User Options/Masked Account Number

Your security is our top priority!
This update is still absolutely secure, but as a standard precaution, we will be enforcing new criteria in member password strength. If you do not meet the new criteria, you will be prompted to update your password upon login.

This criteria includes:
Password Length 6-8 characters
Special Characters Must have at least one (1)
Numbers Must have at least one (1)
Cannot contain leading or trailing blanks

Your account number will be masked within Online Banking for extra security.

Last, but not least!
For the purpose of efficient member communication, we will ask that you provide us with your e-mail address periodically. Rest assured, your e-mail address will be kept secure and will not be shared with any outside persons or companies. You also won't be bombarded with tons of e-mails from us!*

We hope you enjoy our beautifully updated online banking system and find that it meets all your banking needs while keeping your life as simple as possible. We remain dedicated to providing the best products and services to our members and look forward to a continued relationship (online and in person!) moving into the future.

More information will be updated as it becomes available. If you have any questions, please call us at (586) 276-3000.

*Your e-mail address will be used for the purpose of member e-mail communication. You will have the ability to opt-out by calling us at (586) 276-3000 or clicking on the opt-out link at the bottom of an Extra Credit Union e-mail.

Last updated: March 9, 2010

For a complete list Extra Credit Union ATMs or surcharge-free CO-OP ATMS, click here.

Please be patient with us. We will do our best to minimize the inconvenience to you.