GEORGIA’S OWN CREDIT UNION
STUDENT VISA® PLATINUM CREDIT CARD AGREEMENT
NOTICE: See reverse side for important information regarding your rights to dispute billing errors.
In this agreement the words you and your mean each and all of those who apply for the card. Card means the Student VISA Platinum Credit Card and any duplicates and renewals we issue. 
Everyone who receives, signs or uses a card issued under this Agreement must be a member of this Credit Union. Account means your Student VISA Platinum Credit 

Card Line of Credit account with us. We, us and ours means Georgia’s Own Credit Union.

1. Responsibility. If we issue you a card, you agree to repay all debts and 
the  FINANCE  CHARGE  arising  from  the  use  of  the  card  and  the  card  account.  For 
example,  you  are  responsible  for  charges  made  by  yourself,  your  spouse  and  minor 
children.  You  are  also  responsible  for  charges  made  by  anyone  else  to  whom  you 
give the card, and this responsibility continues until the card is recovered. You cannot 
disclaim responsibility by notifying us, but we will close the account for new transactions 
if  you  so  request  and  return  all  cards.  Your  obligation  to  pay  the  account  balance 
continues even though an agreement, divorce decree or other court judgment to which 
we are not a party may direct you or one of the other persons responsible to pay the 
account. Any person using the card is jointly responsible with you for changes he or she 
makes, but if that person signs the card he or she becomes a party to this Agreement 
and is also jointly responsible for all charges on the account, including yours.

2.  Liability  for  Unauthorized  Use-Lost/Stolen  Card  Notification.  You 
agree to notify us immediately, orally or in writing at P.O. Box 105205, Atlanta, Georgia 
30348 or telephone us at (404) 874-1166, (800) 533-2062 or on weekends, holidays, or 
after Credit Union hours, call: (800) 991-4961, of the loss, theft, or unauthorized use of 
your Credit Card. You may be liable for the unauthorized use of your Credit Card. You 
will not be liable for unauthorized use that occurs after you notify us of the loss, theft, or 
possible unauthorized use. You will have no liability for unauthorized purchases made 
with your Credit Card, unless you are grossly negligent in the handling of your Card. In 
any case, your liability will not exceed $50.

3.  Credit  Line.  If  we  approve  your  application,  we  will  establish  a  self-
replenishing  Line  of  Credit  for  you  and  notify  you  of  its  amount  when  we  issue  the 
card. You agree not to let the account balance exceed this approved Credit Line. Each 
payment you make on the account will restore your Credit Line by the amount of the 
payment which is applied to principle. You may request an increase in your Credit Line 
only  by  written  application  to  us,  which  must  be  approved  by  our  Credit  Committee 
or  loan  officer.  By  giving  you  written  notice  our  Credit  Committee  may  reduce  your 
Credit Line from time to time; or with good cause, revoke your card and terminate this 
Agreement.  Good  cause  includes  your  failure  to  comply  with  this Agreement,  or  our 
adverse reevaluation of your credit-worthiness. You may also terminate this Agreement 
at any time, but termination by either of us does not affect your obligation to pay the 
account balance. The cards remain our property and you must recover and surrender to 
us all cards upon our request and upon termination of this Agreement. After revocations 
and/or  termination,  we  may  list  your  account  number  in  a  “Cancellation  Bulletin”,  or 
otherwise inform firms honoring the card that the card issued to you has been revoked 
or cancelled. Any firm honoring the card has the right to retain or request surrender of 
any revoked, cancelled or expired card.

4. Credit Information. You authorize us to investigate your credit standing 
when opening, renewing or reviewing your account, and you authorize us to disclose 
information regarding your account to credit bureaus and other creditors who inquire 
of us about your credit standing. If your account is eligible for emergency cash and/or 
emergency card replacement services, and you request such services, you agree that 
we may provide personal information about you and your account that is necessary to 
provide you with the requested service(s).

5. Monthly Payments. We will mail you a statement every month showing 
your  Previous  Balances  of  available  under  your  Credit  Line,  the  New  Balances  of 
purchases  and  cash  advances,  the Total  New  Balance,  the  FINANCE  CHARGE  due 
to date, any other billed fees, and the Minimum Payment required. Every month you 
must  pay  at  least  the  Minimum  Payment  within  25  days  of  your  statement  closing 
date. By separate agreement you may authorize us to charge the minimum payment 
automatically  to  your  savings  or  checking  account  with  us.  You  may,  of  course,  pay 
more frequently, pay more than the Minimum Payment, or pay the Total New Balance 
in full, and you will reduce the FINANCE CHARGE by doing so. The Minimum Payment 
will be either (a) 2% of your Total New Balance, or $10, whichever is greater, or (b) your 
Total New Balance, if it is less than $10, plus (c) any portion of the Minimum Payment(s) 
shown on prior statement(s) which remains unpaid. In addition, at any time your Total 
New Balance exceeds your Credit Line, you must immediately pay the excess upon our 
demand. Payments and credits will be applied first to pay billed and unpaid FINANCE 
CHARGES and other charges and next to pay cash advances and purchases.

6. Finance Charge. New purchases posted to your account during a billing 
cycle  will  not  incur  a  finance  charge  for  that  billing  cycle  if  you  had  a  zero  or  credit 
balance  at  the  beginning  of  that  billing  cycle  or  if  you  paid  the  entire  New  Balance 
on the previous cycle’s billing statement by the Payment Due Date of that statement; 
otherwise  a  finance  charge  will  accrue  from  the  date  a  purchase  is  posted  to  your 
account. To avoid an additional finance charge on the balance of purchases, you must 
pay the entire New Balance on the billing statement by the Payment Due Date of that 
statement. A finance charge begins to accrue on cash advances from the date you get 
the cash advance or from the first day of the billing cycle in which the cash advance is 
posted to your account, whichever is later. The FINANCE CHARGE (the periodic rate is 
1.416% per month, ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE of 16.99% VARIABLE) is calculated 
separately for purchases and cash advances.
For  purchases,  the  finance  charge  is  computed  by  applying  the  monthly  periodic 
rate  to  the  average  daily  balance  of  purchases.  To  get  the  average  daily  balance  of 
purchases,  we  take  the  beginning  outstanding  balance  of  purchases  each  day,  add 
any  new  purchases  and  subtract  any  payments  and/or  credits  that  we  apply  to  the 
purchase balance. This gives us the daily balance of purchases. Then, we add all the 
daily  balances  of  the  purchases  for  the  billing  cycle  together  and  divide  the  total  by 
the  number  of  days  in  the  billing  cycle.  This  gives  us  the  average  daily  balance  of 
purchases.
For cash advances, the finance charge is computed by applying the monthly periodic 
rate to the average daily balance of cash advances. To get the average daily balance of 
cash advances, we take the beginning outstanding balance of cash advances each day, 
add any new cash advance balance. This gives us the daily balance of cash advances. 
Then, we add all the daily balances of cash advances for the billing cycle together and 
divide the total by the number of days in the billing cycle. This gives us the average daily 
balance of cash advances.
Your APR may be adjusted annually each February and will be determined by adding a 
margin of 13.74% to the Prime Rate published in The Wall Street Journal five business 
days preceding February 1st each year. Your rate will not be more than 18%, regardless 
of The Wall Street Journal Prime Rate.
Default APR: If at any time your account is 60 days or more past due, we may increase 
your  rate  to  17.99%.  The  Default  APR  increase  will  cease  to  apply  if  we  receive  6 
consecutive required minimum  payments from you on or before the payment due date, 
beginning with the first payment due following the effective date of the increase.

7. Other Charges. Late Charges: If your payment is 15 days late you agree 
to pay a fee up to $25.00. Over Credit Limit Fee: If a purchase or cash advance will put 
your credit card balance over the approved credit limit, the transaction will be declined. 
You  may  contact  the  Credit  Union  for  information  on  opting  in  for  this  service.  If  you 
choose to opt in for this sevice you agree to pay a fee of up to $15.00 for each billing 
cycle that you maintain an over credit limit outstanding balance, subject to applicable 
law. Documentary Evidence Fees: We may charge you the following fees for copies of 

documentary evidence requested by you under the billing errors resolution procedures: 
(1) $8 for originals and (2) $4 for copies. Returned Check Charges: You agree to pay up 
to $25 for each check or draft issued by you to make a payment on your account which 
fails to clear and is returned unsatisfied. Statement copies: We will charge you a fee of 
$2.00 for each copy of a periodic statement requested by you.

8. Default. You will be in default if you fail to make any Minimum Payment 
within  25  days  after  your  monthly  statement  closing  date. You  will  also  be  in  default 
should you be in default on any other obligation to us, or if your ability to repay us is 
materially reduced by a change in your employment, an increase in your obligations, 
bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings involving you, your death or your failure to abide 
by this Agreement, or if the value of our security interest materially declines. We have 
the  right  to  demand  immediate  payment  of  your  full  account  balance  if  you  default, 
subject  to  our  giving  you  any  notice  required  by  law. To  the  extent  permitted  by  law, 
you will also be required to pay our collection expenses, including court costs and 15% 
attorneys’ fees if any sums owing hereunder are collected by or through an attorney at 
law.

9.  Using  the  Card.  You  may  use  your  Card  to  make  purchases  from 
merchants and others who accept VISA Cards. However, you may not use your Card 
to initiate any type of electronic gambling  transaction through the internet. If you wish 
to  pay  for  goods  or  services  over  the  internet,  you  may  be  required  to  provide  card 
number security information before you will be permitted to complete the transaction. In 
addition, you may obtain cash advances from the Credit Union and from other financial 
institutions that accept VISA Cards, and from some automated teller machines (ATMs). 
(Not all ATMs accept VISA Cards.) To obtain cash advances from an ATM, you must 
use  the  Personal  Identification  Number  (PIN)  that  is  issued  to  you  for  use  with  your 
Card. You agree that you will not use your Card for any transaction that is illegal under 
applicable federal, state or local law.

10. Return and Adjustments. Merchants and others who honor the card 
may give credit for returns or adjustments, and they will do so by sending us a credit 
slip which we will post to your account. If your credits and payments exceed what you 
owe us, we will hold and apply this credit balance against future purchases and cash 
advances, or if it is $1.00 or more, refund it on your written request or automatically after 
6 months.

11. Foreign Transactions. Purchases and cash advances made in foreign 
currencies will be debited from your account in U.S. dollars. The exchange rate between 
the  transaction  currency  and  the  billing  currency  used  for  processing  international 
transactions  is  a  rate  selected  by  VISA  from  a  range  of  rates  available  in  wholesale 
currency markets for the applicable central processing date, which rate may vary from 
the  rate  VISA  itself  receives  or  the  government-mandated  rate  in  the  effect  for  the 
applicable  central  processing  date.  The  exchange  rate  used  on  the  processing  date 
may differ from the rate that would have been used on the purchase date or cardholder 
statement posting date. 

A fee of 1% of the amount of the transaction, calculated in U.S. dollars will 
be  imposed  on  all  multiple  currency  foreign  transactions,  including  purchases,  cash 
advances and credits to your account. A fee of 0.8% of the amount of the transaction, 
calculated in U.S. dollars will be imposed on all single currency foreign transactions, 
including purchases, cash advances and credits to your account. A foreign transaction 
is  any  transaction  that  you  complete  or  a  merchant  completes  on  your  card  outside 
of  the  United  States,  with  the  exception  of  U.S.  military  bases,  U.S.  territories,  U.S. 
embassies or U.S. consulates.

12. Plan Merchant Disputes. We are not responsible for the refusal of any 
plan merchant or financial institution to honor your card. We are subject to claims and 
defenses  (other  than  tort  claims)  arising  out  of  goods  or  services  you  purchase  with 
the card only if you have made a good faith attempt, but have been unable to obtain 
satisfaction fom the plan merchant, and (a) your purchase was made in response to an 
advertisement we sent or participated in sending you; or (b) your purchase cost more 
than $50 and was made from a plan merchant in your state or within 100 miles of your 
home. Any other disputes you must resolve directly with the plan merchant.

13.  Security  Interest.  As  a  condition  for  the  approval  of  our  credit  card 
account  you  grant  the  Credit  Union  a  specific  pledge  of  your  Credit  Union  deposit 
accounts.
PLEDGE OF DEPOSIT ACCOUNT(S)-NOTE: You pledge, as security for what you owe, all present 
and  future  shares  and/or  deposits  in  all  your  single  and  multiple  party  deposit  accounts.  If 
you are in default the Credit Union has the right to apply all your present and future shares 
and/or deposits toward the amount you owe. Shares and deposits in an Individual Retirement 
Account, and any other account that would lose special tax treatment under state or federal 
law if given as security, are not subject to the security interest you have given in your shares.
Collateral securing your existing or future debts to us, if any, may also secure your VISA 
account, except that any mortgage on your dwelling will not secure your VISA account.
14. Effect of Agreement. This Agreement is the contract which applies to all 
transactions on your account even though the sales, cash advance, credit or other slips 
you sign or receive may contain different terms. We may amend this Agreement from 
time to time by sending you the advance written notice required by law. Your use of the 
card thereafter will indicate your agreement to the amendments. To the extent the law 
permits, and we indicate in our notice, amendments will apply to your existing account 
balance as well as to future transactions.

15. Waiver. We may at our option extend the time for payment or reduce 
the required payments hereunder, or renew this Agreement, and any such extension, 
reduction,  renewal,  or  other  indulgence  shall  not  relieve  you  from  liability  hereunder. 
Our failure to exercise any of our rights under this Agreement shall not be deemed to be 
a waiver of such rights or any other right hereunder.

16. Disclaimer of Responsibility. Services and benefits, other than credit, 
are provided by third parties not affiliated with us. There is no warranty, guarantee or 
indemnity  on  the  part  of  us,  either  expressed  or  implied,  pertaining  to  the  third  party 
services or benefits. The responsibility for the third party services and benefits resides 
with the third party provider thereof and not with us.

17.  Assignment.  We  may  assign,  sell  or  transfer  your  VISA  account  to 
another financial institution. You agree  not  to  assign or  transfer any rights under this 
Agreement. Any assignment by you shall be null and void.

18.  Governing  Law.  It  is  expressly  agreed  that  this  Agreement  and  all 
transactions  hereunder,  and  all  rights  of  the  parties  hereto,  shall  be  governed  and 
interpreted as to validity, construction, enforcement and in all other respects by the laws 
of the State of Georgia.

19. Statements and Notices. Statements and notices will be mailed to you 
at the most recent address you have given us. Notice sent to any one of you will be 
considered notice to all.

20. Copy Received. You acknowledge receipt of a copy of this Agreement.
21. Acts Making Agreement Binding. Applicant(s)’ signing the Application 
Form or the Open-End Plan Signatures and/or using or permitting another to use the 
VISA card(s) referred to herein shall bind applicant(s) to the terms and conditions hereof 
and all amendments.

PR 1.416 / APR 16.99 / REV 07/11

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YOUR BILLING RIGHTS 
KEEP THIS NOTICE FOR FUTURE USE
This  notice  contains  important  information  about  your 
rights  and  our  responsibilities  under  the  Fair  Credit  Bill-
ing Act.

Notify  Us in  Case of  Errors or  Questions About Your 
Statement

If  you  think  your  statement  is  wrong,  or  if  you  need  more  
information about a transaction on your statement, write to us 
on a separate sheet at the address listed on your statement. 
Write to us as soon as possible. We must hear from you no later 
than 60 days after we sent you the ﬁrst statement on which the 
error or problem appeared. You can telephone us, but doing so 
will not preserve your rights

In your letter, give us the following information:
•  Your name and account number.
•  The dollar amount of the suspected error.
•  Describe the error and explain, if you can, why you believe 
there  is  an  error.  If  you  need  more  information,  describe 
the item you are not sure about.

If you have authorized us a pay your credit card account au-
tomatically  from  your  savings  account  or  Teledraft  account, 
you can stop the payment on any amount you think is wrong. 
To stop the payment your letter must reach us three business 
days before the automatic payment is scheduled to occur.

Your Rights and Our Responsibilities After We Receive 
Your Written Notice

We  must  acknowledge  your  letter  within  30  days,  unless  we 
have  corrected  the  error  by  then.  Within  90  days,  we  must 
either correct the error or explain why we believe the statement 
was correct.

After  we  receive  your  letter,  we  cannot  try  to  collect  any 
amount  you question,  or  report  you as  delinquent. We can 
continue  to  send  statements  to  you  for  the  amount  you 
question,  including ﬁnance charges,  and  we can apply  any 

unpaid amount against your credit limit. You do not have to 
pay any questioned amount while  we are investigating,  but 
you are still obligated to pay the parts of your statement that 
are not in question.

If we find that we made a mistake on your  statement, you  
will  not  have  to  pay  any  finance  charges  related  to  any 
questioned amount. If we didn’t make a mistake,  you may 
have to pay finance charges, and you will have to make up 
any missed payments on the questioned amount. In either 
case, we will send you a statement of the amount you owe 
and the date that it is due.

If  you  fail  to  pay  the  amount  that  we  think  you  owe,  we 
may report you as delinque nt. However, if our explanatio n 
does not satisfy you and  you write to us  withi n ten days 
telling us that you still refuse to pay, we must tell anyone  
we  report  you  to  that  you  have  a  question   about  your 
statement.  And, we must tell you the name of anyone we 
reported  you  to.  We  must  tell  anyone  we  report  you  to 
that  the  matte r  has  been  settled   between  us  when  it 
finally is.

If we don’t follow these rules, we can’t collect the ﬁrst $50 of 
the questioned amount, even if your statement was correct.

Special Rule for Credit Card Purchases

If you have a problem with the quality of property or services 
that  you  purchased  with  a  credit  card,  and  you  have  tried 
in good faith to correct the problem with the merchant, you 
may have the right not to pay the remaining amount due on 
the  property  or  services.  There  are  two  limitations  on  this 
right:

(a) You must have made the purchase in your home state or, 
if not within your home state, within 100 miles of your current 
mailing address; and
(b) The purchase price must have been more the $50.

These  limitations  do  not  apply  if  we  own  or  operate  the 
merchant,  or  if  we  mailed  you  the  advertisement  for  the 
property or services.