Frequently Asked Questions

What is Enhanced Home Banking Security?

Enhanced Home Banking Security is an added layer of protection on your account(s). It lets you know that you are at our real home banking site, and it lets us know that it's really you trying to access your account(s). By doing this, Enhanced Home Banking Security helps prevent unauthorized access to your accounts and your secure financial information.

How Enhanced Home Banking Security Lets You Know It's Really COPFCU
Enhanced Home Banking Security will help you distinguish our real website from a look-a-like. Upon registering for Enhanced Home Banking Security, you will be required to select a secret image and phrase. These are a shared secret between you and us. When you see your image and phrase displayed on the screen, you can be confident that you are at our real site and that it is safe to enter your password. It is important to make sure that you NEVER enter your password without seeing your personal image and phrase.

How Enhanced Home Banking Security Lets Us Know It's Really You
If we do not recognize the computer being used when you are logging on (because you may be signing in from a different computer), we will ask you to verify your identity by answering your security questions. You can choose to have the system remember your computer so that you will not have to answer your security questions in the future; however, you should NOT allow the system to remember your computer if you are using a public computer (i.e., a public computer at a library, an internet café, etc.) or a computer not owned by you.

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Why do I need Enhanced Home Banking Security?

Recently, there have been attempts by fraudsters to trick people into revealing their personal information, including account numbers and passwords, by creating fake websites that look very much like the sites of legitimate financial institutions. These fraudsters will send out emails with links to these fake websites claiming that you need to log in to your account. This phenomenon is called phishing (pronounced "fishing") because the individuals perpetrating this crime are fishing for your personal information.

We are committed to proactively protecting you and your accounts against such attacks. By making sure you always see your personal image and phrase BEFORE entering your password, you can ensure that your information is being entered into our legitimate home banking system.

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How does Enhanced Home Banking Security work?

When you register for Enhanced Home Banking Security, you will select a secret image and phrase known only to you. Whenever you log in to our home banking system, we will display this image and phrase so that you will know that you are accessing our secure, legitimate site and not an imposter site. Remember: Never enter your password without seeing your personal secret image and phrase.

When you log in, we also check the computer(s) or device(s) that you are using to access the website. Most people access our home banking system from one or two computers, usually their home and work computers. Enhanced Home Banking Security remembers your computer, so when you log in from a different computer, such as a public library computer or at an internet café, we will take an additional step to verify your identity by asking you to answer your security questions. Once the questions are answered correctly, you will be allowed access to your accounts.

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How do you recognize my computer?

When you register for Enhanced Home Banking Security, a secure cookie will be placed on your computer. This secure cookie is unique, and when used in combination with your login information, creates a unique way to identify you to the system. For every login attempt after you add extra security to one computer, this secure cookie is validated along with the login identification you normally enter. This secure cookie is only used by COPFCU to validate your identity and does not contain any personal information.

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How am I more secure with Enhanced Home Banking Security?

The new security system protects you from accidentally revealing your username and password to a fake site. In addition, if someone does get your username and password, he will still not be able to access your account because he is not at your registered computer.

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How do I sign up for Enhanced Home Banking Security?

Starting January 31, 2008, you will be prompted to choose your personal image and phrase as well as select three security questions for which you must provide answers. Once you have done this, you will have the added protection of Enhanced Home Banking Security.

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What keeps someone from stealing my secret image and phrase?

We only show your secret image and phrase if you log in from your own computer or after you have answered a security question. So, it is not possible for an unauthorized person to get access to your image and phrase. Remember: Never enter your password without seeing your personal secret image and phrase.

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Why am I being asked a question when I try to log in?

We ask you to answer one of your secret security questions when we detect that you are trying to log in from a new computer. This is to prevent someone with stolen passwords from logging in to your account. Since only you know the answer to the questions, we will know it's really you. Generally, you will be asked to answer a secret question only when you log in for the first time from a new computer.

After you answer the question, you will be asked whether we should remember this computer for future log-ins. If you are using a personal computer that you will normally use to access your accounts from now on (such as your home or work computer), you should answer yes and you will not be required to answer a security question going forward; however, if you are using a public computer (such as a computer at a public library or an internet café), you should answer no.

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Can I access my account(s) from multiple computers?

Yes, you can still access your credit union accounts from any number of computers. If you log in from a new computer or a public terminal, you will simply have to answer your security question before gaining access to your accounts. This helps protect you by keeping unauthorized people from accessing your valuable information. There is no limit on how many different computers you can use to log in to your account.

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I am not an Internet expert. How easy is it to use Enhanced Home Banking Security?

It is extremely simple for anyone to use. You don't need to memorize anything new-just use the site as usual and look for your secret image and phrase at log in.

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I share my computer with someone who has their own COPFCU account. Can both of us still log in from this machine?

Yes, you can both use the same computer to log in to your individual credit union accounts. There is no limit on how many people can log in to the credit union website from the same computer.

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What happens if someone steals my password? How will the new security system keep them from accessing my account?

When someone tries to log in using your stolen user name and password, we will recognize that they are logging in from a different computer and we will ask them a secret question. Since only you know the answers to your secret questions, they will not be able to give a correct answer. They will not be able to log in.

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Can I change my secret image and phrase?

Yes, you can change your secret image and phrase at any time. To make the change, go to the Account Maintenance link after you log in to your account.

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I am trying to log in from my own computer, but the credit union's website is not showing me my secret image and phrase. Instead, it is asking me a question. What is happening?

This might happen in rare cases if you have deleted all cookies on your computer. Before answering a secret question or entering your password, make sure that you are going to our legitimate COPFCU home banking website. This website is accessed from www.copfcu.com. We recommend that you open a new browser window and retype www.copfcu.com into the website address field.

Next, answer the security question and you should see your secret image and phrase next to the password field. If your secret image and phrase are there, you can be confident that you are at the legitimate COPFCU Home Banking site and you can enter your password. Remember: Never enter your password without seeing your personal secret image and phrase.

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I already have anti-virus and a personal firewall. Why do I need this?

We are glad to hear that you use antivirus software and a personal firewall. Be sure that you keep both of these software programs up to date for the best possible protection against viruses, Trojan Horses, and hackers. Enhanced Home Banking Security protects against other kinds of threats such as a stolen user name and password. It works with your other personal security programs, but does not replace them.

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