In this contract, the word "Agreement" refers to this Visa Cardholder
Agreement - Disclosure Statement. The words "you" and "your" mean all
persons of legally binding age who sign an application and/or signs the
Card. NEFCU refers to New England Federal Credit Union. "Card" means any
Visa Card we issue to you.
This Agreement sets out your rights and duties as well as ours. This
Agreement also governs the issuance and use of "Cash Advance Checks"
(herein "Checks"), "Cash Advance Request" (herein "Requests"), and
"Balance Transfers". By using your Card you acknowledge the terms and
agree to be bound by the terms and requirements.
Important Details:
• Membership Requirement: You and all joint cardholders must
be a Member in good standing with us to be eligible for a Card. We may
suspend Card privileges at any time, without notice, including closing
the Account, if you do not maintain your Membership with us.
• Variable Rate: This document contains provisions for a
variable annual percentage rate (APR).
• Signature Requirement: In order for your Card to be valid,
you must sign the back of your credit card as soon as you receive it.
THE AGREEMENT - YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
Promise to Pay: You agree to repay all charges made on this
Card, along with any finance, or any other charges arising from the use
of the Card.
• Your obligation to pay the account balance continues even though an
agreement, divorce decree, or other court order to which we are not a
party may direct you, or one of the other persons responsible, to pay
the account.
• Joint/Co-signer Liability: Each person who signs an application
and/or signs the Card (thus becoming a party to this Agreement) will be
individually and jointly responsible for paying all charges to this
account including yours. Each of you authorizes the other(s) to make
charges (purchases and cash advances) to your Card account. You cannot
disclaim responsibility by notifying us, but we will close the account
for new transactions if you request us to do so.
• Your obligation to comply with this Agreement is not dependent upon
your use of a Card.
Use of Your Card/Account
• Activation and Annual Usage: Cards must be activated within
60 days of receipt and used for a purchase at least once every 12
months, or the Card will automatically be closed, without additional
notice.
• Purchases: You can use your Card to buy or lease goods or
services at participating Visa merchants. We will add the amount of each
purchase to that part of your account we call purchases.
• Verified by Visa (VbyV): When using your credit card for
online/Internet shopping, you will be required to register for the VbyV
service, which is offered in partnership with Visa, USA. VbyV will help
protect your credit card number when shopping online/Internet.
• Cash Advances: You can use your Card for a cash advance by
presenting your Card at any participating Visa financial institution or
by using a convenience check as payment to a 3rd party. You can also use
your Card for cash advances at any participating Visa automated teller
machines. The use of your Personal Identification Number (PIN) will be
your legally binding signature for the purpose of requesting the
advances. We will add the amount of each advance to the cash advance
section of your account. All cash advances are subject to available
Credit Limit and will start to accrue interest immediately.
• Credit Limit: Your Card has an Account limit (Credit Limit)
that is established by us. You agree not to allow the unpaid balance to
exceed the Credit Limit. NEFCU reserves the right to deny purchases that
would cause you to exceed your limit. Any joint applicant may request a
change to your Credit Limit orally, in writing, or electronically, but
it must be approved by NEFCU and we will verify the request with all
other cardholders. If your Credit Limit is increased, you are
immediately responsible for the new Credit Limit.
• Authorizations: Most transactions require approval of funds,
which may result in holding funds against your Credit Limit. NEFCU
reserves the right to limit transactions on a Card. We may deny
transactions when we detect unusual or suspicious activity, even if you
have sufficient credit available. We are not liable if a merchant,
financial institution or ATM does not honor your Card. Purchases and
Advances are subject to daily limits that may restrict the full use of
your available Credit Limit.
• Points and Redemption: If you participate in NEFCU's Rewards
Card program, points are earned at a rate of 1 point for every $1
spent. Points are redeemable for cash at the exchange rate of 1 Point =
$0.01. Minimum redemption for cash is 1,000 points. Points earned in the
current year will expire on December 31 three years in the future. If
you close the Card and have not redeemed the points they are forfeited
at the time of closure.
• Returns and Adjustments: Merchants and others who honor the
Card may give credit for returns and adjustments, and they will do so by
sending a credit to post to your account. If your credits and payments
exceed what you owe us, we will hold and apply this credit balance
against future Card use, or if it is one dollar or more, refund it on
your written request or automatically after six months.
• Merchant Disputes: We are not responsible for the refusal of
any merchant or financial institution to accept your Card for any
reason. If you have a dispute or disagreement with a merchant, you must
attempt to resolve the dispute directly with the merchant. You can also
find information regarding this on our website at nefcu.com/dispute. We
must hear from you no later than 60 days after we send you the first
bill on which the charge occurs.
• Foreign Currency Conversions: When you use your NEFCU Visa
Card(s) at a merchant outside the United States or at a merchant that
processes in a currency different from US Dollars, the charge will be
converted into the US dollar amount. The currency conversion rate used
to determine the transaction amount in US dollars is either a rate
selected by Visa from the range of rates available in wholesale currency
markets for the applicable central processing date, which rate may vary
from the rate Visa itself receives, or the government-mandated rate in
effect for the applicable central processing date, plus 1% (1.15% on
cash advances), in each instance. The conversion rate in effect on the
processing date may differ from the rate in effect on the transaction
date or posting date.
• Lost or Stolen Cards/Account Information: You must notify
NEFCU immediately if you believe your Account, Card or Personal
Identification Number (PIN) has been lost or stolen by calling us at
802-879-8790 or 800-400-8790, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you
delay in reporting your Card/PIN lost or stolen, you could be
responsible for the charges or the losses incurred. Your liability may
be limited by federal law and/or Visa regulations. In the event your
Card is used fraudulently, you agree to assist us in our investigation
and to sign an affidavit of fraud and forgery. Unless you have been
grossly negligent or have engaged in fraud, you will not be liable for
any unauthorized transactions using your lost or stolen Visa Card(s).
• Prohibition Against Illegal Use: You agree not to use your
Card(s) for illegal purposes or transactions, including but not limited
to, illegal and online gambling. In the event that a charge or
transaction that is deemed illegal is approved and posted, you will
still be responsible for such charges.
• Fraud Activity/Fraud Protection: Your credit card belongs to
NEFCU and we may temporarily block your Card, without advance notice,
if charges appear to be suspicious. To ensure that you retain access to
your funds while traveling, please call 800-400-8790 or 802-879-8790 and
let us know where you are traveling, for how long, and how we can reach
you.
RATES - Annual Percentage Rate (APR):
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for
Purchases and Cash
Advances
The Standard Variable APR as of
June 22, 2010 is between
5.15% and 15.15%. The APR
you receive is determined based on your creditworthiness and will vary
with the market based on the Prime Rate plus margin.
Variable Rate Information for Purchases and
Cash Advances
The Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
applied on your account may increase or decrease during the term of
this Agreement. Any such change is based on the "Prime Rate" as
published in The Wall Street Journal on the last Wednesday of each
month. In the event that the Index ceases to be published, changes in
your APR will be related to a comparable Index.
How To Avoid Paying Interest
Your due date is the 21st of each
month and is at least 25 days after the close of each billing cycle. You
have 25 days interest free on all purchases regardless of the previous
month's balance. If you pay all purchases in full within 25 days of the
close of each billing cycle you will not pay interest. We will begin
charging interest on cash advances on the transaction date.
• Computing the Account Purchase Balance and Advance Balance upon
which Finance Charges are charged:
o Finance Charges are calculated by
applying the Monthly Periodic Rate to the Average Daily Balance of your
Account. Actual Finance Charges will be shown on your
statement.
o The Payment Due Date cut off is 5 PM EST (Monday through Friday,
except Holidays) via mail at the address on your statement, online, or
in person. All payments received after 5 PM EST, or which are received
on a non-NEFCU business day or at an express box, are applied the next
NEFCU business day.
o Interest will start to accrue immediately on Cash Advances.
Fees
Fee
Amount
Frequency
Late Payment
$10 or 5% of the Minimum Payment, whichever is greater.
Effective August 24, the Late Payment Fee will be $20 or the Minimum Payment Amount, whichever is less
10 days after the due date, assessed each month
until your account is paid current.
Statement or Receipt Copy
$5.00 per item requested
Each requested item that is not directly related
to a billing error as defined under Section 226.13 of Regulation Z,
Truth-in-Lending.
Rushed Replacement Card
$60.00 per card
Upon request
For Credit Card Tips from the Federal Reserve Board: To
learn more about factors to consider when applying for or using a
credit card, visit the website of the Federal Reserve Board at http://www.federalreserve.gov/creditcard.
Your Billing Rights
Does not apply to merchant disputes, fraud, or other merchant
initiated issues
This notice contains important information about your rights and our
responsibilities under the Fair Credit Billing Act.
Errors or Questions about Your Bill: If you think your bill is
wrong, immediately WRITE to us on a separate sheet at:
New England Federal Credit
Union
Attn: Cardholder Services
PO Box 527
Williston, VT 05495-0527
802-879-8790 or 800-400-8790
We must hear from you no later than 60 days after we send you the
first bill on which the suspected error or problem appeared. You can
telephone or email us, but doing so will not preserve your rights.
In your letter, give us the following information:
o Your name and account number.
o The dollar amount of the suspected
error.
o Describe the error, and explain, if you
can, why you believe there is an error. If you need more information,
describe the item you are not sure about.
Your Rights and Our Responsibilities After We Receive Your Written
Notice
We must acknowledge your letter within 30 days, unless we have
corrected the error by then. Within 90 days, we must either correct the
error or explain why we believe the bill was correct.
• Once we receive your letter, we cannot collect any amount you are
questioning, or report you as delinquent. We may continue to bill you
for the amount in question and we can deduct the amount in question from
your Credit Limit. You do not have to pay the amount in question while
we are investigating, but you are still required to pay the parts of
your bill that are not in question.
• If we find that we made a mistake on your bill, you will not have
to pay any finance charges related to the amount in question. In either
case, we will send you a statement of the amount you owe and the date
that it is due.
• Once our investigation is complete, if we determine the charge(s)
are correct and you do not pay the amount in question, we may consider
you delinquent. If our explanation does not satisfy you, you must write
to us within ten days telling us that the explanation is unsatisfactory
and you refuse to pay the amount in question.
o We must report you as questioning
your bill.
o We must report you as questioning your
bill.
o We must tell you the name of anyone we
reported you to.
o We must tell anyone we report you to
that the matter has been settled between us when it finally is.
• If we do not follow these rules, we can't collect the first $50.00
of the questioned amount, even if your bill was correct.
Statements and Payments
• Monthly Statements: You will receive a statement at the
close of each billing period if there is a transaction or balance on
your account. The statement will show:
o All transactions
o Any unpaid balance in your account
(called the new balance)
o The amount of credit available to you
(your credit limit minus the new balance and outstanding authorizations)
o The minimum payment due, the payment
due date
o The late payment fee and the date it
will be charged, if applicable
• Minimum Payments: The minimum payment due on each statement
is 3% of the new balance shown on the statement rounded up to the next
whole dollar or $10.00, whichever is greater. If the new balance is less
than $10.00, the minimum payment due will be the entire new balance.
• Application of Payments: Payments received will be applied
to first unpaid Interest and fees, then to the Card balance with the
highest interest rate, and then to each successive balance bearing the
next highest rate of interest, until the payment is exhausted.
• Crediting Payments: All payments received on a NEFCU
business day (Monday through Friday, except Holidays) will be credited
on that day, provided they are received at the address on your statement
via mail, paid on-line, or in person, before 5 PM EST. All payments
received after 5 PM EST, or which are received on a non-NEFCU business
day or at an express box, are applied the next NEFCU business day.
• Irregular Payment: We may accept late payments or partial
payments without losing our rights under this Agreement.
• Skip-a-Pay: At our option, we may allow you a “skip-a-pay,”
which means that you may be allowed to skip making the minimum monthly
payment for a specific billing cycle (or cycles). If we agree to a
“skip-a-pay,” we will continue to apply the finance charges disclosed
above, but no late payment fees will be imposed.
• Automatic Payment (AutoPay): AutoPay is available upon
request. If we do not receive the full amount of the AutoPay due, you
will still be liable for the minimum payment due and any fees or finance
charges that accrue as a result of not satisfying your payment
When you request AutoPay, you are responsible for any payments due, and
fees or finance charges that accrue until AutoPay goes
into effect.
There are 3 options available for AutoPay from NEFCU:
o Balance in full
o Minimum payment due as stated on your
Statement
o A flat dollar amount, no less than 3%
of your total credit limit
Default
You are in “default” if you fail to make your required payment, fail
to make your payment on time, break any other promise made under this
Agreement, die, file for bankruptcy, or become insolvent, make any false
or misleading statement in any application or update of information,
fail to give us immediate notice of any unauthorized use of your Card,
something happens which we believe may substantially reduce your ability
to repay what you owe us, you breach any term or condition of any other
loan(s) you may have with us, or you fail to maintain active membership
in NEFCU.
If any of the above events occur, you will no longer be able to make
charges until the default condition is resolved. In addition, we have
certain rights which are designed to help collect what you owe us.
• Full Payment Due Immediately: If you are in “default,”
we can demand that you immediately pay us the entire amount owed on
your account, plus Interest and any other fees. No advance notice is
required and you lose your right to make monthly payments under the
Agreement and you must pay us in full right away.
• Close Account: If you are in “default”, NEFCU will
close your account and we will notify you in writing to arrange payment
terms, that may not be full payment.
• Rights to Your Shares and Deposits: When you are in
“default,” we have certain rights to your shares and deposits with us.
These are explained in the Security Interest section.
• Lawsuit - Collection Expenses: When you are in
“default,” we can sue you in a Court of Law. We can also sue anyone who
signs as a “co-signer” or “guarantor” under this Agreement. You agree to
pay all of our costs and expenses incurred in the collection of your
obligations under this agreement, including, but not limited to,
reasonable attorney's fees and court costs. You also agree to pay all of
our post-judgment collection costs and expenses, including reasonable
attorney's fees.
Miscellaneous Provisions
• Notices: Any notice we send to you will be considered
effective when it is delivered to the cardholder or mailed, postage
paid, to the address you have indicated in your application or on your
account. It is your responsibility to notify NEFCU either in writing or
via PC Banking of any changes in your address. Notice from you will be
considered effective when we receive it in writing to: NEFCU, PO Box
527, Williston, VT 05495.
If
this is a joint account, we can notify one of you and the notice will
be effective for both of you. Also, one of you can notify us, and we
will consider it to be notice from both of you.
• Transfer or Assignment: Your rights under this Agreement
belong to you only and may not be transferred or assigned. Your
obligations are binding upon your heirs and legal representatives.
• Surrender of Cards and Checks: The Cards and Checks remain
the property of NEFCU and must be surrendered upon NEFCU's request or
termination of this Account.
• Changing the Terms of This Agreement: We can change this
Agreement at any time with a 45 day advance notice for material changes
including, but not limited to, changing the rates or margin, fees and
the way we compute the finance charge or the minimum payment due.
• Credit Information: At any time, NEFCU can require you to
update the credit information you provided and you authorize us to
investigate your credit standing when opening, renewing, or reviewing
your Account. You authorize us to disclose information regarding your
Account to credit reporting agencies and other creditors who inquire of
us about your credit standing, Visa and its authorized agents.
• Credit Reporting Disputes: If you question the accuracy of
our reported information to a credit reporting agency, write us at the
address listed on the statement with a description of your dispute. If
available, please provide a copy of the credit report in question.
• Closing Your Account: You or any joint applicant on the Card
can close your account at any time, if you notify us verbally or in
writing. If you do not notify us that you want your account closed, it
will remain open and subject to any applicable charges and fees. NEFCU
can close your account at any time and we will notify you in writing. No
matter who closes the account, we keep all rights we have and you still
have to repay the Card's balance, finance charges and
any other Fees.
• Right To Reject: You may still reject this plan, provided
that you have not yet used the Card or paid a fee after receiving a
billing statement. If you do reject the plan, you are not responsible
for any further fees or charges.
If
you reject the changes, NEFCU will close your account and you will no
longer be able to use it for further transactions. If your account is
closed, you must pay your balance over an amortized 5 year term. Your
rate will continue to be Variable, based upon prime, as described above.
• Opt Out: When NEFCU changes the Cardholder Agreement, you
have the right to reject the changes. If you do not want the changes to
apply to your account, call us at 800-400-8790 or write to us at NEFCU,
PO Box 527, Williston, VT 05495. Your letter must include your name,
address, phone number and account number and your request to reject the
changes. In order to reject changes to your account, you must contact us
no later than 14 days before they go into effect. If you do not notify
us as described above, you are agreeing to these changes.
Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act Notice
The Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits creditors from
discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color,
religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age (provided the
applicant has the capacity to enter into a binding contract); because
all or part of the applicants income derives from any public assistance
program or because the applicant has in good faith exercised any right
under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. The Federal Agency that
administers compliance with this law concerning NEFCU is the NCUA, 1775
Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3428, 1-800-755-1030.
Grant of Security Interest
• Specific Grant or “Pledge” of Shares and Deposits: When we
issue you a Card, you are giving us a security interest - called a
"Pledge"- in all present or future shares or deposits at NEFCU,
excluding those in your retirement account and any other account that
would lose special tax treatment under federal law if given as security.
This means that you are pledging your accounts as collateral for any
debt you incur by the use of your Card.
• Security Interest:
By giving us this security interest in your NEFCU accounts, you grant us
the right to take the Minimum Monthly Payment when you are more than 15
days past due, or the entire Outstanding Balance (if it has become due
for any reason) from any NEFCU accounts you are primary or joint on, or
from any money you have coming from us for any reason, for example, if
we are indebted to you because of a Term Share Certificate or any other
like instrument you have obtained from us (excluding those accounts
specified above).
• Cross Security:
Except for your home, all property given as collateral for any other
loans with NEFCU, now or in the future, will also guarantee your NEFCU
Visa account. The security interest language contained in those loans,
and specific description of property pledged as collateral are
incorporated herein as if set out in full. In addition, all other loans
that you have with the Credit Union are also secured by this collateral.
• Purchase Money
Security Interest: Using your Card means you accept the terms of
this Agreement and you also grant us purchase money security interest in
anything you buy with this Card, pursuant to Title 9A V.S.A. Article 9.
In other words, we have a lien on such property until you have paid us
the money you owe for that purchase.