Community First Credit Union

Join us at the CFCU annual meeting on November 13

Posted 1 month ago

Join fellow members, staff, and directors for Community First’s 69th Annual Meeting at Edgewood Senior High School on Blake Rd. in Ashtabula on Monday, November 13, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.

We will conduct a short business meeting and discuss plans for 2024. You can enjoy refreshments and register for valuable prizes in our drawings.

Call for Nominations: Members will elect two board directors at this year’s Annual Meeting.

The director seats held currently by Mary Zappitelli and Connie Peet expire. Both are running for re-election.

Any member in good standing who wishes to run for the board may pick up an application at the credit union office. It must be completed and returned no later than Monday, October 23, 2023. No nominations will be accepted from the floor at the Annual Meeting.

Board directors represent the membership; provide overall direction by creating policies for the staff to follow; and hire, direct and hold accountable the CEO.

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Your Deposits at Community First are Safe And Insured

Posted 6 months ago

Did you know?

Your Community First Credit Union deposit accounts are insured up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and an additional $250,000 by Excess Share Insurance. That means your CFCU deposits are insured up to $500,000.

Credit union members have never lost even a penny of insured savings at a federally insured credit union. Community First Credit Union is closely regulated by the NCUA and the administration's regulators carefully audit our credit union each year to verify that we are operating a safe and sound financial institution for our members.

The National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund was created by Congress in 1970 to insure members' deposits in federally insured credit unions. Administered by the NCUA, the Share Insurance Fund insures individual accounts up to $250,000.

Additionally, a member’s interest in all joint accounts combined is insured up to $250,000. The Share Insurance Fund also separately protects members’ IRA and KEOGH retirement accounts up to $250,000 and provides additional coverage for members’ trust accounts. The Share Insurance Fund has the backing of the full faith and credit of the United States.

No federal tax dollars have ever been placed in the Fund, and no member has ever lost money insured by the NCUSIF.

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WARNING – Recent Wave of Gift Card Imposter Scams

Posted 1 year ago

There has been a recent wave locally of Imposter Scams. Paying with a gift card or wiring money is like sending cash. Do NOT send money to people you do not know.

• Do NOT give out your personal information to people you do not know.

• Do NOT give access to your computer to people you do not know.

How do I spot an imposter scam?

Most imposter scams look like this:

• Someone asks you to put money on a gift card or to wire money

A scammer might use different ways to convince you to send money. They might say:

• You have a problem with your computer, and you must pay to fix it

• You owe taxes to the IRS

• You won a prize, or inherited money, but you must pay fees first

• You won the lottery, but you must pay some taxes first

• A friend or family member is in trouble and needs you to send money to help

• You got a check or deposit for too much money and need to return the extra

These are all tricks. When you hear these stories, you’ve spotted an imposter scam.

How do I avoid an imposter scam?

Scammers are good at being friendly. They are also good at fooling people. Here is how you can stop a scammer:

• Never send money to someone you do not know. This includes Gift Cards.

• Never send money because someone contacted you: Even if you feel like you know the person... Even if the person says he is your friend or related to you.

What if I already sent money to someone I don’t know?

If you sent money to someone who contacted you, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

• Call the FTC at 1-877-382-4357

• Go online: ReportFraud.ftc.gov

The FTC uses complaints to build cases against scammers. Any information you can give helps investigators.

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Call Abby, our phone banking system, has an updated number

Posted 1 year ago

We have updated our CALL ABBY telephone banking number. To access your Community First Credit Union accounts with our touch-tone banking system, please dial 800-285-2866.

CALL ABBY was previously also available via a local number. That number has been discontinued as of January 4, 2022.

If you have questions, you can call our Ashtabula office at 440-997-5919 or the Jefferson office at 440-624-2110.

You can also access your accounts using our free Online banking and Mobile App.

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We can help finance your education with affordable college loans

Posted 6 years ago

Community First can help you finance college or other education.

In partnership with Sallie Mae, we offer the The Smart Option Student Loan to members. This loan features three repayment options, competitive interest rates, and no origination fees.

Read More

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We are changing our office hours effective Oct. 3

Posted 1 year ago

Effective October 3, 2022, Community First will change our office hours to close on Thursdays at 5 p.m.

The new office hours in both our Ashtabula and Jefferson locations will be as follows:

Monday - Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

We extended the hours to be open later on Thursdays in April 2017. Since that time, Community First has added or enhanced many of our remote services and members have realized the benefit and convenience of these remote services.

Thank you for being a member. We look forward to serving you.

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Beware of online banking scams

Posted 2 years ago

Residents in Ashtabula County have recently reported increased scam and phishing activity to their financial institutions.

Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information. They can also exploit holes in your computer's security to install malware.

These scammers may try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, credit union or other accounts. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that people lost $57 million to phishing schemes in one year.

Scammers often update their tactics, but there are some signs that will help you recognize a phishing email or text message.

Phishing emails and text messages may look like they’re from a company you know or trust. They may look like they’re from a bank, a credit card company, a social networking site, an online payment website or app, or an online store.

Malware may display warnings on your browser and try to get you to click on dangerous links.

Phishing messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. They may:

Say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts

Claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information

Say you must confirm some personal information

Include a fake invoice

Want you to click on a link to make a payment

Say you’re eligible to register for a government refund

Offer a coupon for free stuff

Protect yourself from scams and malware:

Use the most recent operating system on your computer. Windows 10 is the latest OS for Windows computers.

Use the latest version of Internet browser. If you have use Internet Explorer, switch to Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox. Internet Explorer. Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer and it is vulnerable to hackers and malware. Hackers can attack your computer without you ever knowing.

Use a malware detection and removal software. Keep it updated to detect new malware.

Always go to your financial sites using an address that you know to be real. Do not click on links from email sent by sources that you do not recognize. Scammers can use fake websites that look legitimate to trick you.

You can access Community First Credit Union's website at www.cfcua.com.

We will NEVER contact you by phone, text or email to ask for your account number, social security number, or online banking login information. If someone asks you for this information, hang up and call Community First at a number you know to be accurate.

Beware of the check or account deposit scam

Scammers may send you a fake check or make a deposit into your account. Once the money is deposited, you are asked to send all or a part of it back. After you send the money, you find out that the check bounced or the deposit is fraudulent.

If you ever have questions about this type of activity, call Community First at a number you know to be accurate.

Read more tips

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New partnership with Electronic Merchant Systems helps businesses take payments

Posted 4 years ago

We are also proud to announce to our community that we have formed a new partnership with Electronic Merchant Systems, a Cleveland-based merchant services provider.

Established in 1988, Electronic Merchant Systems is a leading provider of payment processing and merchant services. EMS manages and safeguards many types of electronic payment transactions including all major credit cards, debit cards, electronic benefits transfer (EBT), stored-value, and electronic check services. No matter what type of small business you run, EMS can provide innovative solutions to help you securely accept payments.

Community First Credit Union members can enjoy the following benefits from this new partnership:

Local service backed by Electronic Merchant Systems

Innovative payment solutions

A dedicated relationship manager to help your business grow

Unmatched 24/7/365 live customer support

For more information on this new partnership or our services, please contact us.

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We are proud to serve members like Perry Schools Superintendent Jack Thompson

Posted 6 years ago

At Community First, you are not a number, you are a member!

Perry Schools Superintendent Jack Thompson is a member. He has pursued greater heights in his life and career. Over a career of 29 years spanning seven school districts, Jack has only needed one Credit Union – Community First Credit Union.

He obtained his loan digitally, never had to come in to sign, and he has always received great service – so why change? Thank you, Jack!

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