What to look for in credit union checking

Identity theft and bank fraud are all over the news these days. You'll want to make sure the credit union you select does everything it can to prevent unauthorized access to your personal information.

"The type of online security protection varies between financial institutions, and some of that security isn't even visible to the consumer," says Terri Stonebraker, vice president of Bellco Credit Union in Greenwood Village, Colo.

Besides a user's name, PIN and password, Bellco has a biometric security layer that tracks the way the member types his or her login credentials. "If someone steals your login information, they won't be able to type it just like you do," Stonebraker says.

Make sure your credit union has a policy about how it contacts you. Financial institutions shouldn't e-mail customers and ask them for their passwords, credit card numbers or other sensitive information.