Balance Transfers

To complete a balance transfer follow these simple steps:

1. Obtain your balance transfer amount from your credit card statement or by logging into your credit card’s online system.
2. Use the credit union’s digital banking system to transfer the amount needed for your balance transfer from your Gulf Coast Educators Visa Credit Card to your savings or checking account. Alternately, you can call us and our team members can complete the transfer on your behalf.
3. Send payment to the credit card in the manner you normally do.

Earn Points For Your Purchases

If you have a GCEFCU VISA Rewards or Texas Educators Rewards Credit Card, you can sign up for UChoose Rewards and start redeeming points for every purchase made. With UChoose Rewards, you earn 1 point for every dollar charged in purchases to your card. Those points can be redeemed for travel, merchandise gift cards, or even cold hard cash.

UChoose Rewards

You earn points for all your purchases – not just at participating retailers! UChoose Rewards is only available on the credit union’s Visa Rewards and Texas Educators Rewards Credit Cards.

Download your UChoose Rewards app

Download the UChoose Rewards app at the app store for iPhone®, iPad®, iTouch or Android™ device today and enjoy mobile access on-the-go:

• Scan a UPC code to see if a product is in the redemption catalog
• Redeem points
• Check your point balance
• Participating retailers subject to change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Custom Designed Credit Cards

Customize your VISA credit card with almost any digital image, like a picture of your great vacation, to show off to your family and friends. Best of all, it works just like normal Gulf Coast Educators VISA credit cards, so you can use it at your favorite restaurant, department store, grocery store, gas station or any other place that accepts VISA®. Design your own card for only $7.95.

If you have a regular Visa Credit Card click here or if you have a Visa Rewards Card, click here.

Lost or Stolen Credit Cards

For lost or stolen credit union Visa Credit Cards, you can contact the credit union weekdays during business hours, please call us at 281.487.9333. After business hours and on weekends call 800.472.3272.

We have an outsourced Visa Fraud system that does make calls to help our members prevent fraud on their accounts. The legitimate calls will never ask for sensitive information. The numbers from which the calls will come is 877.253.8964. You can call the number listed with confidence that it is legitimate. Unless the calls come from this number or the credit union directly, members should consider the call fraudulent.

Additional Information for those with lost or stolen wallets:

Cancel your credit cards immediately. Keep your credit card account numbers and their telephone numbers in a safe place so you will have all of your credit card information handy. Having to find all of your credit card telephone numbers and account numbers at this point would only add additional stress to your already stressful situation.

Call the 3 national credit bureaus and place a fraud alert on your name and social security number. This alert will notify any company checking your credit that your information was stolen and that they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. Here are the credit bureau fraud lines. Social security also has a fraud line.

• Equifax 1.888.766.0008
• Experian 1.888.397.3742
• TransUnion 1.800.680.7289
• Social Security 1.800.269.0271

Notify your financial institution so they can place a notation on your account. If your checkbook was stolen, you may want to place stop payments on the blank checks that were taken.

File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your purse or wallet was stolen. This is the first step toward an investigation if there is one and it lets creditors know that you were diligent in your efforts.

We hope that you are never faced with this situation, but if you are, this information may be beneficial to you. Be sure to record your credit card information. Keep this copy in a safe place, somewhere other than your wallet or purse.

Traveling with VISA^® Credit Cards

Please complete this form if you plan to use your credit union Visa Credit Card while traveling internationally. We can place a travel exemption on the card so that you may use the card. Questions? Call us at 281-487-9333 during business hours.

Rates & Disclosures

0% Introductory Rate – *APR=Annual Percentage Rate. 0% APR* on all new purchases to a new GCEFCU credit card for six months, beginning from the date of opening your card. After six months, your rate will convert to a variable APR* of 6.99% – 18.00% APR* based on your credit score. Actual rates may vary based upon credit qualifications and are subject to change without prior notification. This promotion is not valid for balance transfers or cash advances. This offer does not automatically approve you for a GCEFCU credit card. GCEFCU reserves the right to cancel this promotion at any time, for any reason. To view full credit card disclosures, click here.

Click here for current loan rates.

GULF COAST EDUCATORS VISA CREDIT CARD APPLICATION AND SOLICITATION DISCLOSURE

Interest Rates and Interest Charges

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for Purchases:
VISA Classic: 8.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

VISA Rewards: 9.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

Texas Educator Rewards: 6.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for Balance Transfers:
VISA Classic: 8.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

VISA Rewards: 9.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

Texas Educator Rewards: 6.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for Cash Advances:
VISA Classic: 8.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

VISA Rewards: 9.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

Texas Educator Rewards: 6.99% – 18.00%, when you open your account, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.

Penalty APR and When it Applies:
VISA Classic: None
VISA Rewards: None
Texas Educator Rewards: None

Credit Card Fees

Annual Fee – None
Account Set-Up Fee – None
Program Fee – None
Participation Fee – None
Additional Card Fee – None
Application Fee – None
Balance Transfer – Free
Cash Advance – $5.00 or 1.00% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater. No fee if done in GCEFCU branch.
Foreign Transaction – 1.00% of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
Transaction Fee for Purchases – None
Late Payment – Up to $25
Over-the-Credit-Limit – None
Returned Payment Fee – Up to $25
 

Credit Card Details

How to Avoid Paying Interest on Purchases
Your due date is at least 25 days after the close of each billing cycle. We will not charge you any interest on purchases if you pay your entire balance by the due date each month.

For Credit Card Tips from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
To learn more about factors to consider when applying for or using a credit card, visit the website of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by clicking here.

How We Will Calculate Your Balance
We use a method called “average daily balance (including new purchases).”

Effective Date: The information about the costs of the card described in this disclosure is accurate as of May 1, 2023.  This information may have changed after that date. To find out what may have changed, contact Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union.

To see full credit card disclosures, click here.

*APR=Annual Percentage Rate. Actual rates may vary based upon credit qualifications and are subject to change without prior notification.

Credit Card Rates