As with many credit unions, Coastal Federal Credit Union was created first in order to help a specific group of people (in this case, the employees of IBM). However, as the credit union has grown, the allowed membership has expanded to include employees of several other companies within the same area of North Carolina. Since its founding in 1967, Coastal Federal Credit Union has been committed to providing its members with high quality financial services, including checking accounts, mortgage loans, home equity, credit cards, auto loans, savings accounts, and more.
Coastal Federal Credit Union does not charge any annual fees that must be paid in order to be a cardholder, which can save customers hundreds of dollars each year.
Variety of Features
Coastal Federal Credit Union offers a number of different Visa cards that each offer different features to best fill each individual cardholder's needs. For example, customers can select from cards that have various credit limits, interest rates, and rewards programs.
Low APR Rates
Coastal Federal Credit Union advertises APRs starting at 7.5 percent, which is relatively low when compared to rates offered by other top credit card companies. However, it's unclear what Coastal Federal Credit Union's maximum APR is.
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The Bad
Basic security measures
Undisclosed information
Basic Security Measures
Security is an important feature because credit cards are extremely vulnerable to fraud and theft. Many financial institutions that offer credit cards are amping up their security measures in order to best protect their cardholders. However, Coastal Federal Credit Union's card security is very limited. It appears as if the only safeguard currently in place is chip technology, which is common throughout the industry and does not make the company a standout in this area.
Undisclosed Information
Coastal Federal Credit Union has not disclosed several important pieces of information on its corporate website. For example, it is unclear whether or not the company charges late payment or foreign transaction fees.
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The Bottom Line
Coastal Federal Credit Union offers credit cards with a variety of features, including low APRs and and no annual fees. However, the company's security features are lacking and it is unclear whether or not late payment and foreign transaction fees are charged.