0000 Shell FCU Newsletter

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Avoid These Debt Consolidation Traps in 2006 How many times a day do you get offers of low-interest
balance-transfer deals for credit-card debt? Most of us also get spam
e-mails from unknown credit organizations that shout: DEBT RELIEF IS JUST A CLICK AWAY!
CUT YOUR MINIMUM MONTHLY PAYMENTS BY 50% OR MORE
SLASH YOUR INTEREST RATES DOWN TO ZERO! Before you fall for one of these three traps, buyer beware. Trap #1 - HARD MONEY LOAN. Creditors may entice you with prom-
ises of an easy-does-it loan, and end up charging you higher interest
rates than youre paying now as high as 21% or 22%. Your month-
ly payment may be lower with one of these loans, but youll end up
paying more in the long run! Trap #2 - DEBT CONSOLIDATION SERVICES. Many debt consolidators build in a fee as part of the
monthly payment you make to them. They pass along your payments to the creditor and get back a 10%
to 15% slice that the relieved creditor is only too happy to rebate to the consolidator. Trap #3 - THE BALANCE TRANSFER TRAP. Low-interest balance-transfer cards are a dime a dozen
these days, but remember that those rates only last a few months and then you have to switch cards
again. At some point all this activity shows up on your credit report, and you look like a bad risk. Your Best Debt-Consolidation Moves in 2006: Move #1 - HOME EQUITY LOAN OR LINE OF CREDIT. A home equity loan or line of credit with Shell
New Orleans Federal Credit Union is quick and easy. You can close within a short period of time and
have the cash you need to pay off high interest debt. Our closing fees are the most competitive in the
city. Move #2 - TRANSFER YOUR HIGH INTEREST CARDS TO OUR LOW RATE VISA PLATINUM. Our
Visa Platinum credit card rate is as low as 7.9%* with no balance transfer fees and the same rate for
cash advances. Its a quick way to consolidate high interest credit cards with no gimmicks or hidden fees. Move #3 - REFINANCE YOUR AUTO LOAN. Our auto loan rates are still as low as 5.00% APR*. Getting
a quote is as easy as applying online. There are no fees or penalties for refinancing your auto with us.
We take care of all the paperwork! You can apply for any of these loans at online at www.shellnofcu.com, stop by our
lobby, e-mail us at memberservices@shellnofcu.com or call us at 504-728-4853. Do you have new contact information? Do you have new contact information? We want to make sure that you are getting the most out of your Membership. If you have a new mail- ing address, email address and phone number, please contact us so that we can keep you updated on credit union specials and events! Mail your changes to: Shell NOFCU P.O. Box 60193 New Orleans, LA 70160 Call us at: (504) 728-4853 or toll-free at (866) 367-6928 Fax your changes to: (504) 728-0573. You can also e-mail us at: 701 Poydras Street
100 Plaza Level
New Orleans, LA 70139 Avoid These Debt Consolidation Traps in 2006 How many times a day do you get offers of low-interest
balance-transfer deals for credit-card debt? Most of us also get spam
e-mails from unknown credit organizations that shout: DEBT RELIEF IS JUST A CLICK AWAY!
CUT YOUR MINIMUM MONTHLY PAYMENTS BY 50% OR MORE
SLASH YOUR INTEREST RATES DOWN TO ZERO! Before you fall for one of these three traps, buyer beware. Trap #1 - HARD MONEY LOAN. Creditors may entice you with prom- ises of an easy-does-it loan, and end up charging you higher interest
rates than youre paying now as high as 21% or 22%. Your month-
ly payment may be lower with one of these loans, but youll end up
paying more in the long run! Trap #2 - DEBT CONSOLIDATION SERVICES. Many debt consolidators build in a fee as part of the monthly payment you make to them. They pass along your payments to the creditor and get back a 10%
to 15% slice that the relieved creditor is only too happy to rebate to the consolidator. Trap #3 - THE BALANCE TRANSFER TRAP . Low-interest balance-transfer cards are a dime a dozen these days, but remember that those rates only last a few months and then you have to switch cards
again. At some point all this activity shows up on your credit report, and you look like a bad risk. Your Best Debt-Consolidation Moves in 2006: Move #1 - HOME EQUITY LOAN OR LINE OF CREDIT. A home equity loan or line of credit with Shell New Orleans Federal Credit Union is quick and easy. You can close within a short period of time and
have the cash you need to pay off high interest debt. Our closing fees are the most competitive in the
city. Move #2 - TRANSFER YOUR HIGH INTEREST CARDS TO OUR LOW RATE VISA PLATINUM. Our Visa Platinum credit card rate is as low as 7.9%* with no balance transfer fees and the same rate for
cash advances. Its a quick way to consolidate high interest credit cards with no gimmicks or hidden fees. Move #3 - REFINANCE YOUR AUTO LOAN. Our auto loan rates are still as low as 5.00% APR*. Getting a quote is as easy as applying online. There are no fees or penalties for refinancing your auto with us.
We take care of all the paperwork! You can apply for any of these loans online at www.shellnofcu.com, stop by our lobby,
e-mail us at memberservices@shellnofcu.com or call us at 504-728-4853. EXPLORER Avoid debt consoli-
dation traps and use
our loan products to
save money in 2006. ~ page 1 Shell New Orleans
Federal Credit Unions
Platinum Visa offers
Zero Liability protec-
tion and a host of
other great benefits! ~ page 2 Shell New Orleans Federal
Credit Unions On-line Bill
Pay lets you pay bills
quickly and easily. ~ page 3 Check out our loan rates! ~ page 3 JANUARY 2006 contact information Mailing Address Shell NOFCU P.O. Box 60193 New Orleans, LA 70160 Phone Numbers Phone: 504-728-4853 Toll-Free: 866-367-6928 Call Center Hours: Mon.,Tues.,Thurs. and Fri. 8a.m. - 4p.m. Wed. 10:00a.m. - 4p.m. Web Address Web Address: www.shellnofcu.com Email: memberservices@shellnofcu.com To locate a Service Center near you, go to: cuservicecenters.com Take a break with a loan skip-a-payment! A little extra time can make a big difference. Thats why we offer Skip-A-Payment, a convenient program that allows you to skip a payment on one or all of your qualified loans.* Simply complete the Skip-A-Pay form to let us know which vehicle or installment signature loan payments you would like to skip. If your loans are up to date, well give you a month off! Your normal interest charges will continue to accrue, and your skipped payment will be added to the end of your loan term. A Skip-A-Pay form is available on our website, www.shellnofcu.com in Home Banking or in the credit union lobby. *Qualified loans may only be skipped once per calendar year. Real estate loans, credit cards and lines of credit are excluded from this offer. Any payments made through
payroll deduction or automatic transfer will remain in the account from which the payment is normally allocated. The $29.95 processing fee per loan will automatically be
deducted from the specified account. The form must be received at least 2 business days (either in the mail, online or in person) prior to the first loan due date in any
calendar month, and the loan must not be delinquent. $0 Annual Fee and $0 Liability Platinum Visa? WITH A RATE AS LOW AS 7.9%*,
YOU CAN START SAVING MONEY TODAY! Our low rates change daily! Visit us online at www.shellnofcu.com for todays rates. Get Pre-Approved For Your Loan Today! Dont pay high closing fees to banks and brokers. The credit union has a mortgage program
to fit your needs. Our closing costs are guaranteed and we dont have any hidden fees. Traditional Mortgages with 15, 20 and 30 year terms and up to 100% financing.
Refinancing of your existing mortgage including a cash out up to 100% of value.
Construction to permanent financing for 15, 20 and 30 year terms.
Interest Only loans with 3, 5, and 7 year terms.
Home Equity Lines of Credit with varying terms to suit your needs. Come to the credit union to finance your next vehicle. Visit our online Auto Center Get Pre-Approved For Your Loan Today! Dont pay high closing fees to banks and brokers. The credit union has a mortgage program to fit
your needs. Our closing costs are guaranteed and we dont have any hidden fees. Traditional Mortgages with 15, 20 and 30 year terms and up to 100% financing. Refinancing of your existing mortgage including a cash out up to 100% of value. Construction to permanent financing for 15, 20 and 30 year terms. Interest Only loans with 3, 5, and 7 year terms. Home Equity Lines of Credit with varying terms to suit your needs. Come to the credit union to finance your next vehicle. Visit our online Auto Center for pay- ment calculators and research the best price before you haggle with the dealer. We will get
you preapproved so that all you have to do is negotiate the final price. Its fast, easy and
haggle free! View all rates and apply online at www.shellnofcu.com. New and Used Auto Loans with rates as low as 5.0% APR. Terms up to 72 months.* New and used boats and motorcycles as low as 5.0% APR. Terms up to 72 months.* New and used motor homes and campers as low as 5.0% APR. Terms up to 72 months.* If you havent ordered your credit report since the storm, now is the perfect time for a credit
check up. Utilize our FREE Explore Your ScoreTM Program to make sure your credit reports
have accurate information. We will teach you how to read your credit report, let you know how your score is trending -
up or down - and give you a free report to take home. Refer your friends and co-workers to the credit union so that they can participate in the
Explore Your Score Program! Joining the credit union is easy. Visit us online at www.shell-
nofcu.com to learn more! *APR (Annual Percentage Rate). Rates include maximum Member Select Discount. Actual rate may vary based on credit approval, discounts/rewards and loan term. All loan approvals are based on standard loan underwriting guidelines and/or automated credit-scoring benchmarks. Loan rates are subject to change without notice. Terms of loan may vary based on amount financed. Payment may vary with insurance and/or warranty additions.Motor Homes and campers will be limited to Members with FICO credit scores of 640 and above and are loaned at a maximum 75% loan-to-value ratio. For HELOCs VARIABLE RATE FEATURE: This plan has a variable rate feature and the annual percentage rate (corresponding to the periodic rate) and the minimum payment may change as a result. The annual percentage rate includes only interest and no other costs. The annual percentage rate is based on the value of an index. The index is the Prime Rate published in the Money Rates column of the Wall Street Journal. When a range of rates has been published the highest rate will be used. We will use the most recent index value available to us as of 1 day before the date of any annual percentage rate adjustment. To determine the annual percentage rate that will apply to your account, we add a margin to the value of the Index. If the rate is not already rounded we then round up to the next .125%. Ask us for the current index value, margin and annual percentage rate. After you open a plan, rate information will be provided on periodic statements. Credit Corner PROTECT YOUR CREDIT AFTER THE STORM. 1. Order your credit report. Many of us have been so caught up
in making repairs, settling in to our
new surroundings and focusing on
family that we may have neglected
our finances. If you havent ordered your credit
report since the storm, please con-
tact us to take advantage of our
FREE Explore Your ScoreTM
Program. We will review your credit report
with you either over the phone or
face-to-face in our lobby. If you
have any errors on your report, we
will show you how to make correc-
tions and give you the report for
your files. It is absolutely FREE! 2. Protect yourself from
Identity Theft. Equifax, along with Experian and
TransUnion, recommend the follow-
ing actions: As soon as possible, examine your
credit and bank accounts for suspi-
cious activity, and take the neces-
sary steps to resolve any discrepan-
cies. If you have changed addresses, file
a change of address form with the
post office or get a locked post
office box. This will help keep personal docu-
ments out of the hands of potential
identity thieves. For more information visit
www.consumer.gov/idtheft. 3. Resolving Credit Card
Disputes. First try to resolve any credit card
dispute with the merchant directly.
If the merchant refuses to fix the
problem, put your complaint in
writing. Briefly describe the dispute
in a detailed letter to the merchant
and send it certified mail. Make a
copy of the letter so that you can
offer it as proof to the credit card
company that you tried to resolve
the problem. If this dispute happened with your
Shell New Orleans Federal Credit
Union Visa Platinum card, you need
to inform us
within 60 days of the
date the bill was
sent to you. Send us a letter addressed to
billing inquiries. Include the
following information in your let-
ter: your credit card number, the
closing date of the bill on which
the disputed charge appears, a
description of the disputed item
and why you are withholding
payment, and a copy of the
letter you sent to the merchant
disputing the charge. After
you have completed this
process, we will
contact the
merchant on
your behalf. Why Our Platinum Card Should Be in Your Wallet! Interest rate as low as 7.9% APR.* No annual fee charged. Cash advance rate is same as purchase rate. Its easy to transfer other high interest balance credit cards to your Visa Platinum. Use it as overdraft protection on your checking account. (Call us for more details.) We will not increase your interest rate if your credit score changes over time, you have high balances on other credit cards, or you miss a payment. You have real time access to view your account activity and make instant account payments through our online home banking . Apply at www.shellnofcu.com, e-mail us at memberservices@shellnofcu.com, visit our lobby, or call us at 504.728.4853. *Includes 1% Member Select Discount and Visa Extras Opt-Out of 1%. $0 Annual Fee and $0 Liability Platinum Visa? WITH A RATE AS LOW AS 7.9%*,
YOU CAN START SAVING MONEY TODAY! Not only does the Shell New Orleans Federal Credit Union Platinum Visa have one of the lowest interest rates youll find and no annual fee, it also includes Zero Liability! Zero Liability protects you from fraudulent charges, providing you with worry-free shopping on-line or in a store. Unlike most cards that make you responsible for the first $50 of a fraudulent charge, Shell New Orleans Federal Credit Unions Platinum Visa does not make you liable for any amount--you pay nothing! With our Platinum Visa, you can also enroll in Visa Extras to earn points toward other great rewards!*** 2,000 points $5 Starbucks Card 4,000 points $20 Amazon.com Certificate 8,000 points Free Companion Airfare 10,000 points $25 Staples Award 40,000 points $100 Pottery Barn Gift Card 100,000 points Universal Airlines Certificate Certain restrictions, limitations and exclusions apply to the Visa Extras Program. Please call to verify the specific benefits included with your Visa card. You can also view general card benefit details by downloading the PDF at visa.com. Covers U.S. issued cards only. Visas Zero Liability policy does not apply to ATM transactions, or to PIN transactions not processed by Visa. See your cardholder agreement for more details. You must enroll in the Visa Extras program by contacting Visa at visa.com or calling (800) 960-8472. To earn your Visa Extra bonus points, you must follow the instructions on Visa.com/extras each time you shop with a merchant, and you must start your purchase on the Visa Extras website. Each merchant has specific restrictions and exclusions. You must review the terms and conditions for each offer to ensure that you receive your bonus points. The Program Administrator reserves the right to add, eliminate, or modify a specific offer, this right also includes printing errors. Your Shell New Orleans FCU Visa Platinum credit card interest rate may increase when you enroll in the Visa Extras Program. Easy payee setup and lists pending bills! On Time & Secure Payment Guarantee We cover any late-payment related charges
(up to $50.00) should a payment arrive after
its due date as long as you scheduled the
transaction in accordance with our terms &
conditions. (Call for details.) Same-day payment capabilities give you the
speed and flexibility you need for managing
your bill payments. Our Online Bill Pay Program has an automatic e-bill detection feature that gives
you the option to have vendors e-mail you
an invoice instead of mailing it to you. Instant access to your bill payment history Stay in control - unlike direct payment or auto
debit, you stay in control of who gets paid when. Set up onetime payment or repeating payments Download bill payment history to Quicken You can set up e-mail notifications for every
thing from payment reminders and e-Bills to
past due notices and account posting
information FREE for Member Select Members! (First 10 bills FREE) Log onto www.shellnofcu.com and go to the
Online Home Banking page to sign up. You can also stop by our lobby or e-mail us at
memberservices@shellnofcu.com. Our Online Bill Payer is Easy and Secure! WITH ONLINE BILL PAY, YOU CAN PAY ANYONE YOUD PAY WITH A CHECK IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME! WELL HELP YOU SIGN UP TODAY! Our Online Bill Pay is Easy and Secure! WITH ONLINE BILL PAY, YOU CAN PAY ANYONE YOUD PAY WITH A CHECK IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME! WELL HELP YOU SIGN UP TODAY! HOME LOANS AUTO LOANS FREE CREDIT REPORT Our low rates change daily! Visit us online at www.shellnofcu.com for todays rates. HOME LOANS AUTO LOANS FREE CREDIT REPORT

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