Leading The Way

Safe, Sound & Secure for Over 84 years!

Trusted for over 84 years, Charter Oak Federal Credit Union has found strength in its ability to put the security of our members first.

As technology continues to evolve, the risks that can pose a threat to the security of our members’ finances do as well.

We take pride in our ability to maintain a proactive approach that protects our members.

One that encourages our team to think beyond today, invest in state-of-the-art systems and implement technologies that keep us ahead of the curve. Simply put... we’re leading the way! Ensuring our members can bank with a safe, sound and secure financial institution.

What we do:

Employ a dedicated security team.
Employ a dedicated information technology team.
High level protocols in place that lockdown access to our systems.
Dedicated deposit operations team that works closely with members and internal security teams.
Educate our members on fraud and what they can do to protect themselves.
Invest in training programs designed to keep employees up to date.

Always Protect Your Personal Information...
It’s important that you help us safeguard your information!

Your privacy and security are very important to us, and we want to ensure that your financial information always remains secure and protected. We are committed to keeping your financial information secure and protected.

Need assistance? Please contact Charter Oak during business hours by calling 860.446.8085 or toll free at 800.962.3237 or visit any of our branches.

Member Education and Awareness

No data transmission over the Internet or any wireless network can be 100% guaranteed secure. Accordingly, while we strive to protect and maintain the security of our website and your personal information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us from the website, and you do so at your own risk.

How to Protect Yourself:

Shred sensitive documents instead of just throwing them in the trash or recycling bin.
Regularly change your passwords to reduce the risk of online identity theft.
Don’t make passwords easy to guess by using personal information or common words. Instead, get creative and use a long passphrase.
Double your login protection by enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that the only person accessing your account is you.
Leave nothing of value in your car such as your wallet, laptop or mobile device.
Don’t give out personal information over the phone, over the Internet or through regular mail unless you initiated the contact. If you receive communication by someone claiming to be your financial institution, don’t respond. Instead, contact the institution with a number you know to be correct.
If a sale or contest on social media seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t get involved.
Limit what information you post on social media and keep tabs on your apps. Make sure there are no suspicious apps running in the background and only download apps from trusted vendors and sources.
Do not enter any sensitive personal information on your laptop or mobile device while using public wi-fi. This is a treasure trove for thieves just waiting to collect your information.
Be sure to have a password on your personal home wi-fi. This will keep hackers from breaking in to your system.
Never click links, reply to text messages or call numbers you don’t recognize.
Do not respond to text messages, even if the message requests that you “text STOP” to end messages.
Delete all suspicious texts. Validate any suspicious texts from a company or government agency by searching for the company’s contact information and calling or emailing them separately to confirm whether the text is legitimate.

Debit/Credit Card Fraud Prevention Tips

Debit Card/Credit Card – Prevent an Account Takeover

We will NEVER ask you for your PIN or the 3-digit security code on the back of your card. Don’t give them out to anyone.
A phone call from our automated dialer will only include a request for your zip code, and no other personal information unless you confirm a transaction is fraudulent. If at any point you are uncertain about questions being asked or the call itself, hang up and call us directly.
Regularly check your account online to see if there are any suspicious transactions that have occurred, especially if you are unsure about a call or text message you’ve received. If anything looks amiss, call us directly for assistance.
A text alert from us will always be from a 5-digit number and NOT A 10-digit number resembling a phone number. A text alert warning of suspicious activity on your card will NEVER include a link to be clicked. NEVER click on a link in a text messages that is supposedly from us. A valid notification will provide information about the suspect transaction and ask you to reply to the text message with answers such as ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘help’, or ‘stop’. It will never include a link.

Phishing Alerts, Smishing Scams and Fraud Alerts

PHISHING is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit or debit card numbers.

SMISHING is similar to phishing except that it is sent to smart devices through deceptive text messages.

Protect yourself! Don’t respond, open or click on links from an unknown sender!

PHONE SCAMS: We have received notice that scammers are calling our members and impersonating Charter Oak’s Fraud Prevention Department. Don’t rely on caller ID to verify who’s calling. It can be nearly impossible to tell whether the caller ID information is real. They are asking for personal confidential information including your member or account number, debit card number and PIN in order to make travel note requests and debit card increases.

Please do not respond to this and never give out your personal information to anyone.

As a reminder, Charter Oak will never call you, or send an email or text to you requesting that you respond and provide your personal information. Please contact us immediately if you have received such a call or text and disclosed your information. Please call 860.446.8085 to have your compromised card closed.

Real Estate Wire Fraud Scams! Looking to buy or refinance a home? Make sure you are on the lookout for scammers taking advantage of homeowners during the closing process. Real estate wire fraud or mortgage wire fraud occurs when a hacker convinces you to wire your closing costs to a fraudulent account.
Learn more now

Here are some common-sense tips to protect you from online scammers and fraudsters:

Remember the saying: if something sounds too good to be true, it likely isn’t true or real.
Always remember to “think before you click.”
Never click on a link that you weren’t expecting, even when it may look like it’s from a company or a service that you think you recognize.
Watch out for words like “Beware!” or “Warning!” designed to make you panic.
Always be wary of emails with spelling or grammatical errors, especially those claiming to be from a reliable source.
If you’re uncertain of an email supposedly from someone in your company, give the person a quick call.