Katie Shemak oversees the deposit operations area, electronic payments and check operations of Dupaco Community Credit Union. Tammy Merkes supports check operations and is a National Check Professional (NCP), maintaining knowledge of rules and regulations governing check operations and functions. With Federal Reserve Financial Services, they discussed the operational benefits of Duplicate Check Notification, part of the FedDetect Notification Services suite.
Q: Can you tell us about Dupaco Community Credit Union?
A: Dupaco Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. Dupaco serves residents in 118 counties throughout Iowa, northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin. Founded in 1948 by ten Dubuque Packing Company employees, membership has grown to more than 176,000 with assets exceeding $3.6 billion. It has over 600 employees and 23 branch office locations.
Q: What has your experience been using the Duplicate Check Notification functionality of FedDetect Notification Services?
A: Implementation and onboarding were seamless. The email notifications help with speedy resolution. Whether duplicates happen by mistake or with intent, Duplicate Check Notification is helping us prevent losses. This tool gives us visibility into duplicate checks we might otherwise miss—adding a critical layer of protection against fraud. It’s no additional cost, easy to use, and strengthens our fraud detection strategy.
Q: Why is it important for institutions to use a tool like FedDetect Notification Services?
A: Fraud prevention isn’t optional — it’s essential. At Dupaco, we take a multi-layered approach to fighting check fraud. And we do so by collaborating across internal teams and working with tools like FedDetect Notification Services to strengthen these efforts by providing timely, actionable information.
Q: Could you tell us more about Dupaco’s multi-layered approach to fraud mitigation efforts?
A: Fraudsters are constantly evolving, and without layered defenses, they might otherwise find vulnerabilities. Our strategy is built to adapt. Duplicate Check Notification scales with demand and delivers efficiency. As the number of alerts ebb and flow, the system can handle the variance. It also enables us to respond quickly to potential counterfeit checks, which could otherwise be a challenge.
Q: What would you suggest to other institutions who might want to use FedDetect Notification Services?
A: A: Stay connected with your relationship manager. That’s how we discovered FedDetect Notification Services, and it’s how we stay ahead of emerging fraud trends. The fraud landscape changes daily, and your Fed representative can provide tools and insights that strengthen your institution and protect your members. For us, FedDetect Notification Services isn’t just a suite of tools — it’s part of our commitment to member security.
