Identity Theft & Security

SELCO and Visa^® have automatic fraud controls in place that monitor card activity for suspicious transactions. If suspected fraud is detected, your card may be blocked while Visa Fraud Protection Services contacts you to confirm whether the activity is yours. If we’re unable to reach you, your card will remain blocked until you contact us. We can then take further action, including issuing you a new card.

The following explains what you can expect as we work with you to investigate suspicious card activity and restore card use.

If you’re enrolled in text alerts, we'll contact you by text.
You’ll receive a text message from SELCO including the last four digits of your card number, the transaction amount, and the merchant. You’ll be asked to reply indicating either yes, the charge is authorized, or no, the charge is not yours.

• If you authorize the charge, the transaction will be processed and your card will be restored for use immediately.
• If you don’t authorize the charge, your card will remain blocked and you’ll receive a call from Visa Fraud Protection Services to investigate and provide next steps.
• If you don’t respond within 15 minutes, you’ll receive a second text message before Visa Fraud Protection Services begins calling.

If you’re not enrolled in, or don’t respond to, text alerts, you’ll be contacted by phone.
You’ll receive a call from Visa Fraud Prevention Services about the transaction in question.

• They will attempt to reach you by calling all valid phone numbers on your account and will leave a detailed voicemail when possible.
• It’s critical that you accept or return the call as soon as possible; your card will remain blocked until they reach you and will be deactivated after two days.

You’ll be asked if you recognize or authorized the transaction in question.

• If you do, the transaction will be processed and your card will be restored for use immediately.
• If you didn’t authorize or don’t recognize the charge, then the transaction may be declined, your card may be deactivated, or both. If your card is deactivated, you’ll be advised to contact SELCO for a replacement card.

How will you know the call is actually Visa and not a fraudster?

To verify your identity, Visa will only ask for:

• Your first and last name.
• Your full address.
• The last four digits of your Social Security number.

Visa will never ask for:

• Your full SSN.
• Your Personal Identification Number (PIN).
• Your Card Verification Value (CVV)—the three-digit code on the back of your card.  

If you’re still unsure whether the call is legitimate, or you have other questions, contact us at 800-445-4483.

To manage and secure your card conveniently, we encourage both of the following:

• Enroll in fraud text alerts. By opting in to receive fraud text alerts, you’ll get a text message rather than a phone call when there is suspected fraud on your card. To opt in, simply log in to online banking and select “SMS Fraud Alerts” from the “Services” drop-down menu.
• Use Card Manager to lock your card when you're not using it. Card Manager by SELCO is a mobile app that lets you lock and unlock your SELCO cards right from your phone. For extra security, keep your card locked, and simply unlock it temporarily while making a transaction. The app is available for free on the App Store and Google Play.

Yes, contactless cards use the same trusted security as chip cards. Each transaction is protected by a dynamic encryption. Just like a chip card, each transaction is accompanied by a one-time code that protects your payment information. Unlike cash, using your contactless card provides an electronic record of your purchases and gives you all the great functionality and convenience of a Visa card.

For every contactless transaction, a unique transaction-specific code is created that secures the cardholder’s payment information. Due to the nature of the code and additional fraud protection processes, it is difficult to use skimmed cardholder information for fraudulent purchases.