Debit/ATM Cards

Visa Account Updater (VAU) is a service that facilitates and encourages customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty by exchanging updated account information between participating merchants and Visa card issuers. Serving as an automated, dedicated, and secure clearinghouse, VAU delivers updated cardholder account information in a timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner, benefiting all parties involved in the electronic payment process.

What is Visa Account Updater? 
Visa® requires LFCU to support Visa Account Updater (VAU). These services enable the secure electronic exchange of card number and expiration date updates between issuers and participating acquirers for card-on-file (COF) merchants. (EXAMPLE: The exchange between LFCU and OnStar.)

What does this service do?
The VAU service allows a way for LFCU to provide Visa the most recent card number and expiration date updates and in turn VISA will make this information available to the acquiring merchants that participate in the VAU service.

Will LFCU cardholders have an option to opt out?
Yes. Members will have an option to opt out cards should a cardholder request it. For VAU, when a cardholder opts out, the merchant will get a contact cardholder status for the old card with no new card information. 

What is a card-on-file (COF) merchant?
COF merchants store their customers’ card number information for future purchases and/or recurring payments. Some examples are monthly utility payments, Netflix, Redbox, etc.

What are the benefits of VAU for LFCU and cardholders?
The benefits that issuers offer to their cardholders will provide:

• An uninterrupted service from participating COF merchants
• Prevent customer service interruptions with billing disputes
• Cardholders will no longer have to provide updated card information to participating merchants when their card is reissued, lost, or stolen

Recurring payments will likely be more successful as updated card information is readily made available to participating merchants.

What scenario would the merchant use the VAU services?
Participating COF merchants will try to obtain updated cardholder information prior to their billing cycle. Merchants that participate in the VAU services will be able to access updated card number and expiration date information, eliminating the potential for denied transactions due to outdated cardholder information on their systems.

What happens if my card is compromised?
Compromised cards will be closed and replacement card numbers/expiration dates will NOT be sent upon activation of new cards to VAU. LFCU members will have to contact any merchants that previously had their compromised card on file to provide them their new card information

• EMV stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa.  It is a global standard for cards equipped with computer chips and the technology used to authenticate chip-card transactions.
• EMV cards add improved security and fraud protection with an embedded chip.
• Merchants are currently installing new payment terminals that support the new chip cards.
• When making a purchase with your chip card in a new terminal, you will insert your card into the terminal slot and briefly hold it there until the card is verified with LFCU.
• You still may be required to enter your card’s PIN or sign for transactions.
• Your card will also work on existing payment terminals that don’t use the new technology. Because of the extra security with EMV, we encourage you to use the EMV purchase option wherever it is available. You will also be able to continue to use your cards at ATMs worldwide.