ALAMOGORDO, N.M. -Almost three years ago, Otero Federal Credit Union began offering members Visa/check card service. In Feb. 1999, the $94 million credit union joined with STAR Systems, one of the largest ATM and retail merchant card networks in the U.S. In the next 35-40 days, the credit union's members will have access to one more plastic service - debit cards. Approximately 1,100 of OFCU's 21,000 members hold an "old" Visa/check card, said OFCU's Billie Kizziar, assistant vice president, MIS/card services manager. Those cards, she explained, can only be used at ATMs members cannot use them with merchants to make purchases nor get cash back. "With the new Visa/check/ debit card, one card does it all," said Kizziar. "Our members need only one card to complete all their transactions either at an ATM or a merchant location. We don't know if all our members will want the new card, but we're going to offer it to them anyway." Members who do not want debit card service and prefer to keep their old Visa/check card will be able to hold on to them until Otero's contract runs out with the company handling that program. -
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