“Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than losing your wallet or running out of funds, so plan ahead and talk to your community banker about how you can protect your money while traveling both domestically and abroad,” said Sal Marranca, ICBA chairman “Since community banks are relationship bankers who work one-on-one with their customers, they can help customers be better prepared for travel emergencies. And in the event that something unfortunate does happen, they are ready and willing to help.”

Financial professionals agree that the safest and most convenient way to travel with your money is to take a small amount of cash with you.  It’s also a good idea to carry a debit, credit or ATM card. These cards are convenient while traveling because they are easy to carry, easy to use and often offer the lowest fees and the best exchange rates.

However, travelers still need to plan ahead to be prepared.  To help, ICBA and First Savings offer these tips to consumers about what they need to take care of before they take off:

• Let your community bank know when and where you will be traveling so that you will avoid any potential for fraud alerts when out-of-the-ordinary transactions are posted.
• Call or stop by your community bank to find out what ATM or debit card fees you may be subject to in this country and abroad.
• If you’re traveling overseas, keep in mind that ATMs in many countries only accept four-digit personal identification numbers (PINs) and some countries have keyboards with numbers only, while others do not acknowledge zeros. Ask your community bank if you should create a new PIN for your account before you take your trip.
• Carry a back-up card that you keep in a separate place. Families or couples may get even greater back-up coverage if each person takes a different card.
• Make copies of all the cards you’ll be carrying. Be sure to copy the front and back of the card. Take a copy with you and give a copy to someone you trust back home. Be sure to also include the security code for the card and the customer-service phone number.
• Bring a list of emergency phone numbers, but remember, 800 numbers can only be used in the United States and Canada. Be sure to get a number for your bank that you can call if you’re out of the country.
• Many credit cards provide travel accident insurance and traveler’s assistance. Ask your community bank what special services are available through your card.
• Check your balance before you leave. Know the limits on how much you can withdraw. Save all your receipts.

“Whether your destination is overseas or closer to home, it really is better to be safe than sorry,” Todd Hurley, Exec. VP, Chief Retail Officer of First Savings said. First Savings is here to help you prepare.”

For more information about what to do if you your card is lost or stolen or if you need additional help, visit http://usa.visa.com/personal/using_visa/travel_with_visa.html or http://www.mastercard.us/support/lost-card.html. 

About ICBA

The Independent Community Bankers of America, the nation’s voice for community banks, represents nearly 5,000 community banks of all sizes and charter types throughout the United States and is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and the communities and customers we serve. For more information, visit www.icba.org.

This short update on the Epsilon breach was published April 5, 2010 by CNET, a respected online technology review site.  It contains good basic information on the breach and some good suggested precautions for consumers who feel they may have been impacted.

The list of customers affected by the Epsilon database breach continues to grow.

The breach, which took place last week but was announced over the weekend, compromised the e-mail addresses and some names belonging to the customers of many major U.S. companies that outsource their marketing and e-mail communications to Epsilon.

The company said Monday that 2 percent of the companies it counts as clients are affected by the security breach. There is no official list of affected companies that’s available, and a company spokesperson said Epsilon cannot release the names of its clients. Epsilon is in the midst of conducting an investigation of what led to the security breach.

The list of Epsilon clients whose customer e-mail addresses were stolen is not complete, and is likely to grow. But so far Target, Kroger, TiVo, US Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Capital One, Citi, Home Shopping Network, Ameriprise Financial, LL Bean Visa Card, McKinsey & Company, Ritz-Carlton Rewards, Marriott Rewards, New York & Company, Brookstone, Walgreens, The College Board, Disney Destinations, and Best Buy have notified their own customers about the breach. Hilton Hotels and Ethan Allen are also said to be affected.

Here are some tips on what to do if you did receive an e-mail from one of the companies above or if you believe one of them does have your e-mail or name, and what could happen next.

How do you know if you’re affected?
If you’ve ever given your e-mail address to any of the above companies, you probably are.

What will happen?
Most of the companies that are talking about it say the information that was stolen is limited to e-mail addresses and possibly names. Credit card companies and banks like Chase and Capital One say they do not believe any financial information was compromised.

But a bunch of e-mail addresses in the wrong hands means what’s likely to result is a rise in phishing scams. “Phishing” is an attempt to use e-mail to try to get you to reveal more personal information about yourself. This can include usernames, passwords, Social Security numbers, or account numbers.

Many times phishers are simply guessing and will pick a company that a broad group of people does business with, like PayPal, or a government entity, like the IRS. The threat in the Epsilon case is now whoever gets access to these lists of e-mail addresses knows exactly what companies count you as a customer. That means phishing attempts can be much more targeted and therefore potentially harder to spot because they can masquerade as being from a bank or company such as the ones listed above.

What should you do about it?
Do not open e-mail from someone you don’t know. That’s pretty simple. But you’ll also need to be extra vigilant now that phishers may know specifically where you shop, what airline you fly, or where you bank. Look at the e-mail address–if it’s purportedly from one of the companies above but ends in something other than .com, especially an international domain like .uk, that’s a good indication it’s a scam since most phishing attempts originate outside the U.S. Also be on the lookout for spelling errors in the e-mail address, URL, or body of the e-mail, or e-mails whose tone sounds particularly urgent.

If you do open the e-mail, don’t click any links. A common phishing practice is to ask people to click a link to update their personal information.

If in doubt, call the company
If you get an e-mail from one of the companies listed above asking for any information, and you’re unsure if it’s legitimate, you can always call them. Many retailers affected by the Epsilon breach are notifying their customers now that they would never ask for sensitive information via e-mail.

Read more: 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20050555-260.html#ixzz1IeXIHmfN

The FDIC suggests nine ways to eliminate clutter, organize accounts and streamline how you manage your money!  Follow this link to learn more:

http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnwin1011/strategies.html

The new & improved First Savings Branch Office at Poole's Corner!

Pooles’ Corner before the transformation by First Savings

“First Savings is very excited to announce that our tenth branch office is now open at the corner of Route 202 and Route 313 in Buckingham Township,” said Fed Schea, First Savings President and Chief Executive Officer.   Located just outside of Doylestown, the new office is situated on a parcel of property that has been known as Poole’s Corner since the mid 1800’s.  “After a successful reclamation of the property, the longtime eyesore has been converted into a longtime community partner,” noted Schea. Unoccupied since 2001, the site had most recently served as a convenience store and gasoline station until it was closed.

To celebrate the new office, a “Very Green Grand Opening” is being held from September 23 through October 9.  As part of the celebration, the first 200 people to stop by will receive a tree sapling in conjunction with Heritage Conservancy, plus a tote bag made from recycled material.  In addition, there will be a drawing for a Cannondale Hybrid Bike from Cycle Sports of Doylestown, a digital book reader, an iPad Ò  and an iPod Ò Touch.  Of course, no purchase or transaction is necessary!  Hot dogs and beverages will also be served during business hours Friday & Saturday, Sept. 24, 25 and Oct. 1,2,8,9.

The new branch will feature a full line of traditional personal and business banking products as well as an ATM; however, the office features a non-traditional teller area where both the customers and the First Savings’ representative have seating available while conducting their transactions and business.

Grand Opening offers include up to $150 Cash Back and a Special CD Rate with the opening of a new personal checking account.  Offer details are available at the branch office.

“We’re thrilled to have a presence in the Central Bucks area and very happy to be involved with, and support, the Chamber of Commerce, the Michener Museum, the Mercer Museum, the Central Bucks Y as well as other non-profits and charitable groups in the Central and Upper Bucks area,” said Schea.   This branch marks the second location in the Central Bucks area joining the New Britain office that opened in 2008.  Preliminary work has also started on another branch in the Doylestown area located at the intersection of Cold Spring Creamery Road and Route 413 in Buckingham Township.  Expected completion date is the summer of 2011. 

Heading up the team at the Poole’s Corner Branch will be Kevin Banks, Market Manager; Mike Nagy, Customer Service Manager; Rachel Smith, Head Teller and Rachel Hunsberger.  The hours of operation remain the same as other branch locations: Mon. through Wed. 8:30 to 5:00, Thurs. 8:30 to 6:00, Fri. 8:30 to 7:00 and Sat. 8:30 to noon.  “We invite you all to visit our newest branch location during our Very Green Grand Opening!”

For more information about First Savings’ new Poole’s Corner branch, call 215-257-5035 or visit www.FirstSavingsOnline.com.

Manage your finances in one place.
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See where you’re spending your money.
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so you can control spending more easily, stay on budget and save more.

Ensure bills are paid on time.
Track your bills in one place no matter how you pay them.

Know how much you really have to spend.
View your projected balance based on upcoming transactions and paycheck deposits.

Get organized and simplify tax time.
Tax Watch report automatically tracks many tax deductible expenses such as child care and charitable contributions.

Conduct Simple Small Business Accounting.
Track business income and expenses within your personal accounts. You can generate a simple income/expense report and simplify tax time.

To learn more and take a virtual tour of FinanceWorks, visit our website, www.FirstSavingsOnline.com.  Remember, FinanceWorks is FREE with our personal online banking!!

The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) and First Savings want consumers to be aware of new rules that will go into effect this summer governing overdraft coverage and fees.  These rules prohibit financial institutions from charging overdraft fees on ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases unless the consumer has opted into the overdraft coverage service. The new rules take effect July 1 for new accounts and Aug. 15 for existing accounts.

“Sometimes consumers need the convenience and protection that overdraft coverage offers.  Under these new rules, if community bank customers wish to continue to receive this service, all they have to do is let their bank know they want to keep on receiving overdraft coverage and are willing to pay the relevant fee,” said Jim MacPhee, ICBA chairman.

Under the new rules, consumers must be given an explanation of their bank’s overdraft payment services, including any relevant fees.  Customers will only receive overdraft coverage on ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases if they actively choose to opt in, and they are free to change their minds and opt out even after signing up for the service. Community banks still maintain the ability to pay or return items that create the need for an overdraft of the customer’s account and charge a fee for the returned item. 

It is also important for consumers to know that no community bank will discriminate against those customers who choose not to opt in for overdraft services.

Still, the best protection against unnecessary fees is to manage your account wisely.  ICBA and First Savings offer these tips to help consumers avoid overdraft situations:

• Keep an eye on your account balance prior to withdrawing cash or using your debit card. Prevention is your best medicine.
  • Review your transactions on an ongoing basis.
  • Use services, such as online banking, that we provide to help you keep up-to-date with your balance.
  • Remember to record and deduct checks, automatic recurring payments and debit card transactions and to add any deposits that have not yet been posted to your account.
  • Do not use your debit card as you would use a credit card. Your debit card is like an electronic check and the funds are automatically deducted from your account.

• Ask us about all of our overdraft services. First Savings offers other types of overdraft services, such as overdraft lines of credit and transfers or sweeps from a savings account or another checking account.
  • Overdraft lines of credit charge interest but provide a safety net. They may also have transaction and/or annual fees. If needed, disbursements can be repaid over a period of time.
  • Transfer or sweep arrangements from another account, such as a savings account, allow customers to cover overdrafts using their own funds for a small transaction fee.
  • We may also pay an overdrafted check or preauthorized debit to avoid consumers having the inconvenience of returned transactions, which include embarrassment, fees and hassles from merchants. While there is a fee for this service, it is also the same fee as if the item was not paid and the check is returned.
  • Talk to us about the best choice(s) for you.

“Community bankers are committed to providing our customers with the information they need to make well-informed decisions about managing their finances,” said Todd Hurley, First Savings Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. If you have any questions or if you can’t decide whether to opt in, the best person to talk to is your community banker, we’ll explain the new rules and how they will benefit you.”  

For more information about ICBA, visit www.icba.org. 

About ICBA

The Independent Community Bankers of America, the nation’s voice for community banks, represents nearly 5,000 community banks of all sizes and charter types throughout the United States and is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and the communities and customers we serve. For more information, visit www.icba.org.

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   http://www.paymentssource.com/news/consumers-embracing-online-banking-bill-pay-3001932-1.html

We’re wondering, “Where else our First Savings potholders may have shown up???”  Let us know where you’ve seen one of the potholders, or any other “potholder” story you may have.  If for some reason you don’t have one of our potholders, stop by any of our branch offices and we’ll be happy to give you one!