Financial Matters: 'Believe it or not'

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WVBT) - In honor of Museum Week we're going to play a game of 'Believe it or not' with BayPort Credit Union.

Lewis Smith, Vice President of Finance, fills us in!

Q: Can anyone join any credit union?

Believe it or not...
-- Many Credit Union's are now able to serve everyone who lives in a community.
-- BayPort has been serving members for over 80 years. Originally it was mainly the Newport News Shipyard and their families, but for the last several years have been able to open up to the whole Hampton Roads community.
-- Other credit unions have done similar charter changes will allows us to provide the same great services and benefits to all the members of our community.

Q: As a credit union member do you have access to branches and ATMs throughout the United States?

Believe it or not...
-- Credit Unions cooperate with each other in "shared branch" or "service center" locations.
-- Say you are on vacation in Orlando - using our branch locator (accessible on the web or on your mobile phone) you would find 19 service centers and 71 surcharge free ATMs. In Washington DC - 34 service centers -- several right on the National Mall area.

Q: Is it true that You can take an ordinary check and "magically" deposit it in your account without ever leaving your home?

Believe it or not...
-- BayPort offers our eDeposit Anywhere product which allows you to scan your check image at a scanner at home or work.
-- The process sends an image of the check to the financial institution that then routes it along like any other check that we receive over the counter.

Q: Where can viewers find more "Believe it or not" information?

You can stop by any of our 13 convenient BayPort "Believe it or not" museum locations, call us, or visit us on the web at Bayportcu.org