What's New

July 11, 2012:
Pima Federal Credit Union is looking for two fun, energetic and focused high school students to serve as Student Advisors to the IMPACT Team. This may be the perfect opportunity for a business-focused student, who is a leader and wants to reach out to the community. Click here for application.

 July 5, 2012:
We have something new for the iPhone 4 and 4s users!  Download the Sprig app through the AppStore for free and you'll be able to make photo deposits directly into your account.  Click here to learn more. 

March 19, 2012:
The official date has been set for our next shred party!  Stop by the Stone Financial Center on Saturday, May 5 between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm and bring the documents you want destroyed.  We will have food on hand in case you're hungry.  This event is a free service, but we ask for a donation to help support your local charities.

March 9, 2012:
We're experiencing some technical difficulties with home banking. We are working on a solution and hope to have this up and running very soon. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

March 5, 2012:
Pima Federal has once again teamed up with Turbo Tax to give you $30 off your tax preparation. Click here to redeem your discount.

February 15, 2012:
Scammers are starting to get more and more sophisticated these days. Please be aware of "too-good-to-be-true" phone calls that are requesting your account information. No one should ever need your pin number, credit card number or any other personal information.

There's a lot of trickery out there, so if you have any questions/concerns about anything along these lines - please give us a call (520.887.5010) and we'll walk you through it.

October 5, 2011:

As promised...here is our new debit card designs.  Click here to take a look!

October 3, 2011:

Facebook Contest: 

You like us...we know you do.
And we like you too.  So much so that we're giving away $1 for every "LIKE" we get on Facebook.* As soon as we reach 500 fans, we'll draw one lucky winner to receive $500.

Like that idea?

We'll do it all over again once we reach 1,000 fans with a $1,000 award.  Click here to view our Facebook page.

*Taxes are responsibility of the winners.  Must be 18 years or older to win.

When buying something, should I use my Personal Identification Number (PIN) or sign for it?

 
When you choose "credit" option as opposed to debit-you benefit yourself as well as the credit union. 

Credit options are more secure since there's no need for you to type in your PIN in front of anybody.  Because of this, there's less of a chance for Pima Federal to lose money on fraudulent charges.  If the need does arise for a member to dispute a transaction, there's a better chance of recovering the transaction amount from the merchant.  And if fraud does occur, and the credit union deems it fraud, the member will have no liability. 

Travel Tips to consider when traveling with your debit card.

Travel Tips:
• We do monitor your card activity and letting us know when/where you will be traveling will help prevent your cards from being blocked for "suspicious transactions".

• Pima does stay current with the common fraud trends and we may place strict limits in certain cities or types of merchants throughout the U.S. to counteract this activity. Please contact us for more information on restrictions that may be in place for your travel destination.

• Make sure we have the most current up-to-date contact information for you. Even though you have notified us of your travel plans, we may still have to contact you if there is suspect fraud on your account. If we are unable to verify those transactions with you, it may result in the temporary blocking of your card until you can be reached.

• We always recommend that you have an alternate source of funds, especially when traveling abroad. An alternate source of funds can include Traveler's Checks, cash, credit cards, etc...

Special Information When Traveling Abroad

"Chip & PIN":
Since 1996 Most of Asia, Canada, Europe, Mexico, and South America have begun the migration to EMV security, also known as "Chip & PIN". Many ATMs are only able to accept cards that have the chip embedded in the card. As of the first quarter of 2011, 89% of terminals in Western Europe (including Greenland and Iceland) have been upgraded to only accept "Chip & PIN" cards. What this means for you:

ATM
If an ATM has already been upgraded to this EMV technology, your standard issued "magnetic strip" card will not work.

Merchants
Even if a merchant has upgraded their equipment to support the "Chip & PIN" cards, VISA and MasterCard have both issued notices overseas reminding retail merchants that they are required to have the equipment to process "magnetic strip" cards. We are finding that most front-line employees (tellers, cashiers, waiters, etc...) are not aware their standard equipment will read "magnetic strips". In these instances, politely request to speak to the supervisor and/or manager. VISA offers a list of international toll free numbers for assistance that you can use if you have problems with a local merchant. Please visit their "Travel Preparation FAQ" section by clicking here for a current list.

Financial Institutions
If a Financial Institution ("local bank or credit union") accepts VISA cards, you may go inside that location and request a cash advance from your VISA Debit Card. The transaction will clear your checking account as usual. Please be aware that the "local bank or credit union" may charge fees related to this service as well as fees for currency exchange. This is on top of the 1% fee charged by VISA for all international transactions. We do not have any control over any of these fees. You can use VISA's Locator site by clicking here to help you find financial institutions that accept VISA.

Cards issued in the U.S. with "Chip & PIN" capability
Although there has been more discussion regarding this availability of this feature as more and more Americans are being denied overseas, many of the U.S. card processors for financial institutions are still several years away from offering this type of card. In the meantime, there are several companies that offer the capability to purchase pre-loaded VISA or MasterCard "travel cards" in either the British Pound or Euro currencies. Once such company has the option to have the EMV card sent to your home address (for a fee), pick it up at one of their store locations (if available in your area) or an option to pick up the card at one of their airport kiosks located throughout the U.S.

"Know Where You Are Going"
As you are probably aware, there is global unrest in many countries that can hamper travel and the safety of U.S. citizens. We highly suggest that you research any foreign countries you are visiting-checking for local U.S. Embassy offices in case of emergencies, unique laws you need to be aware of and of any crimes targeted at tourists. Common crimes range from country to country; pickpocketing is a problem across all European countries. Most countries also urge tourists to use additional caution at train stations or when traveling overnight by train.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs has the following website to assist you with up-to-date information regarding other countries, travel warnings and U.S. Embassy offices:

Click here for up-to-date information.

"Blocked Countries"
Our card processor does comply with any sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and restricts those countries accordingly. 

Pima Federal will continue to be a resource for you now and in the future. Please check our website periodically at www.pimafederal.org for more information or by phone at (520) 887-5010. Our phones and staff will be ready to receive your call should you have any questions.