From all of us at SESLOC, I hope this Fall is full of seasonal fun and traditions with friends and family. Whether you are a new member-owner or we have been serving your family for generations, we are grateful that we can be a partner in your financial journey.
Throughout the year, our teams have worked hard to improve your experience and provide fair and accessible financial services to our community. When you open an account with a credit union, your money doesn’t fund dividends for investors and private owners. It gets redistributed into our hometowns in the form of affordable loans for individuals and businesses, along with dividend returns.
One recent example is the launch of a new home loan option designed specifically for first-time buyers, with no down payment and no private mortgage insurance. Given the cost of living and the cost of housing in California, we are constantly on the lookout for ways to help ease the financial burden. This is what we mean when we say SESLOC is about “People Helping People.”
Every October, SESLOC reminds member-owners to be aware of digital scams during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Fraud attempts are increasing wildly and are becoming all too common on our phones, in our emails and on social media. Some of the top scams this time of year include:
- Medicare renewal scams: Scammers may pose as Medicare or insurance companies to steal your personal information or Medicare number to commit identity theft.
- Fake spending alerts: You may receive invoices or spending alerts from companies you don’t recognize with a phone number to cancel the purchase. When you call, they will try to steal your personal information and banking information.
- Delivery alert scams: You may get an email or text message about an incomplete delivery and need to visit a link to get more information. The link will lead to a fake login page to steal information or install a virus on your device.
Remember: SESLOC and other institutions will never call you to verify your account information, move money to “safeguard” your funds or ask for immediate payment in gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Our Fraud Center at sesloc.org is regularly updated with tips on trending scams. You can also check the front page of this newsletter for a list of cybersecurity learning opportunities
happening this month. If you notice suspicious activity, call us at (805) 543-1816 or send a Secure Message through Online Banking.
Finally, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge our partners in higher learning. When the Fall term opened in August and September, our teams were excited to meet with students and staff at Cal Poly and Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, and Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria.
Our relationship with Cal Poly continued this summer with the addition of five interns to extend their “Learn by Doing” experience. Working across Marketing, Systems Development and Finance, their final presentations highlighted how their work benefited our members, and I’m grateful for their contributions. I congratulate our fifth class of Cal Poly interns and look forward to seeing what they achieve next.
As stated at the outset, I really hope you all enjoy your seasonal traditions and I wish you and yours a very joyful holiday season!
Thank you again for your membership.
Mike Quamma
President & CEO