If you are one of the over 10,000 members who have opted for our environmentally-friendly online e-Statements, you will notice a slight change to the look of its webpage as of August 1st. Past e-Statements will still be accessible, and this change will allow us to post the statements quicker and provide more future convenient features. If you have yet to sign up, it’s easy…just enter e-Branch, then click the e-Statements tab. If you need an e-Branch PIN, contact us during business hours.

In these challenging economic times, LAFCU can help you with your debt and credit concerns. If you’re behind on payments, our “Debt Consolidation” program can help you with low monthly loan payments and flexible repayment terms. Our “Step-By-Step” credit repair program is designed to help you pay off delinquencies and rebuild your credit. Your loan proceeds are sent directly to your creditors and your payments are made via payroll deduction or Direct Deposit. Once delinquencies have been reduced or paid off, we will gladly consider any reasonable loan requests you have. If you’d like to restructure your LAFCU loan, visit www.lafcu.org and click “Debt Consolidation Loan” or “Step-By-Step Credit Repair” from the “Search by Page” list.

In an effort to help protect the environment, LAFCU offers a host of FREE, green online services including e-Branch, e-Statements, Visa® e-Statements, e-Bill Pay and e-Lerts, which allow members to access their account remotely and securely through a computer or smart phone. In addition, we print the quarterly Inside LAFCU newsletter on recycled paper and soy-based inks, and post the publication on the LAFCU website for viewing. All services reduce mail, paper and production costs, making LAFCU’s operations more efficient. Now that’s green! To sign up for LAFCU’s green services, visit www.LAFCU.org and click on Green Services in the “Search by Page” list.

At least twice each month, LAFCU e-Mails educational information to members who access e-Branch on subjects like loan rates, special promotions, new products, or credit union-related legislative news. At the bottom of each e-Mail is a button that can be clicked to “opt out” of receiving these e-Mails. Very few members have opted out since we started sending these e-Mails over a year ago. The “from” e-Mail address for these e-Mails is lafcu-info@lafcu.org. This is a legitimate e-Mail address. So our e-Mails do not go into your “junk” or “spam” filter, please add this address to your “safe senders” list in your e-Mail address book. With some e-Mail programs, if the e-Mail goes into a spam folder, you can select the e-Mail, then click the option “move to inbox and mark as not spam.”

Due to changes that are part of the new “Credit Card Act,” after July 1, 2010, Convenience Checks for members with existing LAFCU Visa credit cards will be temporarily unavailable (including members who get a new card after the original was lost or stolen, or upgrade from a Classic to a Platinum card). If you want to withdraw funds from your Visa creditline, you can still visit a branch or call and ask for a “cash advance” for a fee of 2% of the withdrawal amount, per advance.* If you conduct the advance at a LAFCU ATM, the fee is only $2.50 per cash advance. Convenience Checks will still be sent to members who get new LAFCU Visa credit cards.

*For cash advances, interest begins to accrue from the date of the advance. There is no grace period for cash advances or Convenience Check transactions. Advances taken at an ATM are subject to third party fees. Transactions using LAFCU Visa Convenience Checks will not count toward LAFCU’s Visa Platinum with Cash Back or Platinum Plus CURewards programs.

It’s easy for new members to join LAFCU. Our online Membership Application is accessible from a link on the upper left of our website homepage (www.lafcu.org) that reads Click Here, Join Now. Help your friends and family enjoy the same benefits you do, by asking them to join online and quickly become a LAFCU member from the comfort of their computer. A clickable link called “App Help & FAQs” is featured on the bottom of each application page that provides details on what to do.

LAFCU teaches high school and college students money management skills through its Cash Rules Financial Education Program. Kids learn how to manage a checking account, borrow wisely and establish and maintain credit. The average graduating high school student lacks basic fundamentals in personal finance. LAFCU’s goal is to empower students with the tools they need to save regularly and make sound financial decisions. For details, visit www.lafcu.org/cashrules.

Whenever you change you e-Mail address, so we can e-Mail you news about your account or important LAFCU products and services, please also UPDATE it in the “User Options” section inside e-Branch, our FREE, online account access service (call us for a PIN if you have not yet signed up for e-Branch). To receive our e-Mails, make sure your spam filter is set to accept messages from lafcu-info@lafcu.org. To stop receiving these e-Mails, click “Opt Out” on the bottom of any e-Mail, then fill out and submit the secure “Opt Out” form.

Looking for a new laptop or desktop? Maybe just an upgrade of your current model? LAFCU is your source for a low-rate Personal Computer Loan. Hardware and software can be included in the loan as long as you purchase it at the same time. We offer financing up to $10,000 with up to 48 months to repay the loan. As technology continues to change and advance, now’s the time to ride the wave of the future. Apply 24/7 at www.lafcu.org and select e-Loan Express from the “Search by Page” drop-down box or call us.

To help serve the community, LAFCU donated $6,000 to the March of Dimes March for Babies charity walk, held April 24th at Exposition Park, just south of downtown Los Angeles. LAFCU raised funds by selling customized t-shirts, hosting bake sales, collecting donations at our branches and by mail, and asking employees and members to sponsor walkers. In addition to collecting donations, LAFCU sponsored Checkpoint #1 at the charity event where employees and volunteers distributed bottles of water and a dual flashlight/keychain giveaway to dedicated, caring walkers. All proceeds go toward funding medical research to prevent premature birth and infant mortality nationwide. To donate to the March of Dimes, call (213) 637-5050, or visit www.marchofdimes.com/california/.

If you are currently enrolled in the FREE “Verified by Visa” program, you will need to select a NEW password after July 12, 2010, due to a security upgrade. When you attempt to access this program after this date, you will see this message: “Re-Authentication Required for Purchase due to migration of the platform and recent security upgrade. A new password will be required for the Verified by Visa program. We apologize for any inconvenience.” This program helps protect your credit and identity by preventing fraudulent online purchases before they happen. Once you enroll your LAFCU Check Card or Visa Credit Card in this program, whenever you shop online at participating merchants, you only enter a password and not your card number! For info, visit www.lafcu.org/site/verified_visa.html