Community First, since 1959, has been Doing Good!
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COVID Protocols to Stay in Place
COVID-19 is still here. We're all hoping for a speedy end to the pandemic but unfortunately that is not likely to happen.
Therefore, the safety protocols set up by Community First won’t be going away anytime soon either.
These protocols help keep Members and employees safe. And, since Members and employees go home and interface with others, these protocols help to keep our LOCAL communities a little safer, too.
We will continue to limit the density of people in our branches at any given time. We will continue to strictly adhere to social distancing. We will continue to utilize the Plexiglas barriers at transaction counters and desks.
Wearing a mask is one of the simplest and easiest ways to keep friends, family, employees, and Members safe from the novel virus. “It’s rare that you see something so simple, so inexpensive, so easy for everybody to participate in can have such an extraordinary impact,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, to Associated Press.
The IHME model, frequently cited by governmental agencies, now forecast another 132,820 COVID-related deaths in the U.S. by December 1. But if, starting now, 95% of people wore masks at places of business, retail, and schools, projected deaths would be cut by half!
Our front-line employees wear their masks seven hours a day, five days a week. At that length of time, wearing a mask is a royal pain. But they do it to protect Members and co-workers. Thank you for your teamwork in helping all of us stay safe.
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Free Financial Education for Adults!
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Community First offers a free online financial literacy program, Banzai, for people of all ages.
Banzai Junior targets kids 8-12, Banzai Teen targets 13-18+, and Banzai Plus targets adults.
Banzai Plus teaches adults about smart money management, how to get and maintain good credit, how to qualify for a loan/mortgage, and how to make your money work for you. These courses are set up in a game mode, making it easy and enjoyable.
In addition to these courses, Banzai provides short articles on a variety of topics such as, Teaching Kids Finances, Building Credit, Buying A Home, etc. Plus, there are multiple calculators that can help you figure out a budget, how much you should save, auto loan affordability, and countless more.
Of the nearly 9,000 users of CFCU’s Banzai program in 2020, 90% of them have been over 18 years of age. Teachers, students, and Members all love how Banzai has created easy-to-understand financial modules.
If you’re looking to take your financial education to a higher level, or need a refresher, take a look at all the free resources available to you, just for being a Community First Member!
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You've Won, Now Pay Us Scam |
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Scammers are known for preying on their victims' vulnerabilities, such as financial hardship, fear, and confusion. Given our challenges surrounding COVID-19, this makes even the most savvy among us more susceptible to a scam.
The Federal Trade Commission recently posted how scammers are betting on people’s hardships through “You’ve won! Now pay us” schemes. During these uncertain economic times, who would not want to win some extra cash or a new car? But if you get a phone call, text or email saying “You’ve won!” don’t believe it.
Here’s how these schemes work. You’ll be contacted by someone stating they’re from a well-known organization. They’ll say “congratulations, you’ve won ____.” Then they’ll ask you to pay a “processing fee,” “shipping and handling,” or “taxes,” to claim your prize.
Scammers are betting on a person’s financial hardships to steal their money and/or personal information.
The fact is, anyone who says “You’ve won. Now pay us,” is always a scammer.
Consider these tips to avoid this scam:
Legitimate sweepstakes don’t make you pay a fee to get your prize. That includes taxes, shipping and handling, or processing fees. There is no reason to give anyone your checking account or credit card number in response to sweepstakes promotions.
Don’t send money transfers or gift cards, or give personal information. Sending money transfers or gift cards is like sending cash, once the money is gone, it’s gone. You cannot trace it or get it back.
Don’t trust your caller ID. Scammers can make any name or number show up on your caller ID. When in doubt, hang-up.
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Banking with Community First gives you all the electronic conveniences of the biggest banks, but with the kind of personal service they gave up long ago as unprofitable.
Here are some of the e-conveniences this local not-for-profit financial co-op offers:
24/7 virtual banking assistant? We got it. You can find Maggie at the top of our website, on every webpage. Maggie can check your balances, transfer funds, make a loan or credit card payment, schedule bills, turn your debit card on or off, and can answer just about any banking question you may have. You can also chat with Maggie via our Facebook page!
Online and mobile banking? Stay home and do your banking in your PJs. Plus, when you download our free “ComFirstCU” app, you’ll be able to deposit checks from anywhere. No more needing to wait in line to deposit a check at the branch!
Contactless cards? We’re the only local guys who offer contactless debit cards. Now more than ever, being able to pay without having to touch a surface is essential.
If you need help setting up any of the tech conveniences above, we have a full suite of “How to Videos” on our website. Check them out today!
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707-546-6000
PO Box 6004,
Santa Rosa, CA 95406
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