Members 1st Federal Credit Union

normal;" class="**oNormal">
[redacted]
The Revdex.com
Revdex.com
serving Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania
Complaint ID:        [redacted] – [redacted]
To Whom It May Concern:
We have researched the referenced complaint
ID and the findings from that research are listed below for your reference:
Members 1st offers an
optional courtesy pay service as a convenience to cover member’s purchases and
transactions when they do not have available funds in their account.  There is an associated fee for each transaction
and it is disclosed in the agreement.  **.
[redacted] opted-in for this optional courtesy pay service.    
There are no limits to the number of
times courtesy pay may be used and the maximum dollar amount is a non-disclosed
over limit coverage amount that can change daily based on a member’s account
activity.  Our members can opt-out of
courtesy pay services at any time either online or by contacting a branch.  **. [redacted] was last logged on to online
banking on March 11th and has not shown any intent to withdraw from
the courtesy pay program since her enrollment in 2010.
Each time a member has an overdraft, a
notice is mailed to the member. 
Therefore Members 1st did attempt to reach out to **. [redacted].   Multiple notices were mailed to her with each
notice advising of her overdraft activity. Additionally, Members 1st mailed
her three letters in January informing her that her checking account was
overdrawn for over 15 days.
Members 1st offers less
expensive alternative solutions for members to manage their checking accounts
and related overdraft activity including fee-free overdraft transfers from
savings or an approved line of credit. 
Members 1st also offers free email and text alerts that
members can set up to receive notification when their account reaches a low
dollar amount, is overdrawn, or with each debit card purchase. We would be happy to talk to **. [redacted] about
these less expensive options and how to improve her monitoring of her spending
habits and checking account activity.
Although we are unclear why **. [redacted]
continued to spend more than was in her account, especially since she thought
there was a limit, we recognize that she has limited income and will refund 22
of the courtesy pay fees totaling $814 as a goodwill gesture.  In addition, we will remove **. [redacted]’s
participation in the Regulation E courtesy pay service for debit and ATM card
purchases to avoid further issues.  **.
[redacted] can request to opt-in to this service in the future but we strongly
suggest that she first consult with us on how to monitor and manage her
checking account activity as we will no longer be able to refund fees for future
overdraft situations for **. [redacted].
Sincerely,
Kevin *. L**
EVP Operations
Members1st Federal Credit Union
v

[redacted] called into
[redacted] on 5-30-14 regarding fees she accumulated on her account.
yes;"> There were a total of 15 fees, totaling $555.
[redacted] was currently opted in to Regulation E (Reg E), meaning she chose to opt in for
courtesy pay service for point of sale (POS) transactions, using signature
and/or pin. Opting in for consumers is per account not per card on an account.
 
Our [redacted]
Representative explained Reg E and how it worked, giving [redacted] the pros and
the cons.  She said she wanted to opt
out, so the [redacted] Rep. walked her through doing it herself online since
she was already online looking at her account. Our Rep. then explained a Personal
Line of Credit and its uses; however [redacted] was not interested.
 
As a courtesy, the
[redacted] Rep. approved giving [redacted] a total of 6 fees back, explaining that
he reviewed her prior history with Members 1st and her numerous fee returns
she’s had in the past (18 total). Information was also provided to [redacted]
about [redacted], a free budget and credit counseling service, to help her with
organizing her finances.

September
29, 2015
Re:           [redacted]
                 2011 [redacted]
                 Complaint ID [redacted]
Dear [redacted]:
We are
writing in response to the complaint filed against us by the above referenced
member.   The borrower alleges in his
complaint that his vehicle was wrongly repossessed.  Our records show that, as a result of the
borrower failing to provide proper insurance coverage (as required in the
executed PA Motor Vehicle Installment Sale Contract and Supplemental Loan
Agreement Provisions), we obtained blanket insurance coverage in order to
protect our interests in the collateral pledged to secure their loan.  This force placed insurance increased the
amount of the payments due on the loan to include the cost of the monthly
premium.
The borrower
continued making the original monthly payments thereby causing a delinquent
balance on the account.  After numerous
notifications via written correspondence and attempted telephone calls to inform
the borrower of the delinquency the vehicle was repossessed.  After receiving notification that the
borrower had obtained the proper coverage the remainder of the premium was
refunded.  While we were within our rights
to repossess the vehicle, it appears that the borrower did not realize that his
payments had increased.  Therefore, we
are offering to refund the repossession charge and storage fees totaling
$425.00. 
If you have
any questions or would like any additional information, please contact me at
###-###-####.
Sincerely,
Lisa P[redacted]
VP of
Collections

Review: I have my van loan through members 1st and they added insurance charges onto my loan without my knowledge and my auto policy customer service has provided them with proof of insurance on the vehicle numerous times and I wasnt paying for more insurance on it when I has my own. I had made several attempts too get the problem resolved and for some reason they couldnt get it resoved on there end so last friday they came and repossessed the van at my home. I was current on my loan and they took it for no reason other then ignorance and neglect on there part. Dont know what else too do from here out other then they took mypproperty forno reason. Can u please help me resolve this matter. Thank you...Desired Settlement: Why they took my property when they were at fault

Business

Response:

We have reviewed the history of the related matter and we have determined that multiple notices and 5 seperate communications were made to the member with no response. The loan insurance issue history indicates that the member did not fulfill the obligation that was required for insurance. We are more than willing to work with the member at their convenience. Feel free to contact us should you need additional details.

Review: I have been charged for over 16 non sufficient fees on my bank account at 37.00 dollars for each. Members 1st is claiming that I had the overdraft protection so that anytime my card is swiped I will not be refused and just charged a fee of 37.00 dollars regardless of how much the swipe is for. I opt out of this policy and should have been rejected if the funds are not available. I am supposed to be protected from my credit union instead they are the robbing me and fees are still adding up. I was not supposed to be charged if there is nothing in my account and the bank is suppose to warn me if something like this is happening because what if my card was stolen. I know that I did not sign up for this feature but the credit union is refusing to give me money back. I have been with them over ten years and I have a loan with them and credit cards but they still are not honoring my request and is choosing to keep my money. They also have a duty to protect my money not decide how they take it from me because they have access to my account and they feel I made a minor mistake by swiping when there was nothing in my account.Desired Settlement: I would like for the 16 plus fees and anything that is an outcome of this matter refunded back to my account.

Business

Response:

[redacted] called into

[redacted] on 5-30-14 regarding fees she accumulated on her account. There were a total of 15 fees, totaling $555.

[redacted] was currently opted in to Regulation E (Reg E), meaning she chose to opt in for

courtesy pay service for point of sale (POS) transactions, using signature

and/or pin. Opting in for consumers is per account not per card on an account.

Review: In March of 2014 I purchased a vehicle and financed it via Members 1st. At the time of purchase I was to make sure that the vehicle was insured before we drive it off the lot. During our signing of paperwork no one mentioned that this vehicle needed to have full coverage. Meaning comprehensive and collation insurance. Members 1st utilizes dealerships to represent them when approving vehicles loans and I feel as though they should make sure this is explained well at the time of signing. Because the wording of the paperwork is not very specific and the sales person did not explain what time of coverage was to be put on the vehicle now Members 1st is charging me an additional $448.00 to my loan for previous dates of coverage, which doesn't make any sense because they are in the past. It is ridiculous and it is a rip off on their behalf. IF they wanted full coverage on the vehicle they should have verified that we indeed had full coverage as soon as they received our paperwork instead, they kept sending me letters stating that they needed verification of insurance coverage for the vehicle and that I needed to fax it which I did plenty of times. I even called and they did not explain the first time what they were looking for they just said they needed proof of coverage. I believe they waited months to explain details so they could charge us the $438.00.Desired Settlement: I would like the $438.00 taken off my loan as this is not fair at all. This is unethical and should not be allowed. I did what they asked me to do when I purchased the vehicle. I have 3 other vehicles and I have never had an issue with any other bank before.

Co-signed a loan for my niece mid September. Members 1st hounded us for two months regarding her declaration page from her insurance policy. Mind you she sent it three times. I receive letter requesting same thing or they will create the insurance policy but charge us. I call the number listed on the letter, it is an automated phone and you can't get a live body to talk to. I hang up and get a number and call. Get to the insurance dept. and leave a message. Twice. Two different days. NO RESPONSE. I type a letter explaining all this, she has her own policy, sent it in 3 times, call me if there is an issue. No response. My niece gets another letter. On 12/14, three months later, she calls and Members 1st was in the process of creating the policy. My niece sends the whole damn policy to them. Guy calls and verifies. Told her he sent the cancellation to billing BUT to call back next week to verify. I think Members 1st does this as fraud to collect money. THREE months and we still won't know until next week if it is resolved. THREE. DO NOT GET A LOAN VIA MEMBERS 1ST! I contacted Members 1st and complained and told them I was calling the car dealership to tell them about our negative experience and that I was also contacting Revdex.com to report them.

Review: I am providing information for a complaint to Members 1st credit union. I have a used auto loan through this credit union for 2 years now and I have had numerous problems with members 1st concerning my loan that have not been resolved and I am very disatisfied with. In October 2012 I was switching car insurance on the car that the loan is covered to [redacted]. I do understand that the terms of the loan is to have full coverage on the loan which is no problem on my part. The issue was that members 1st was requesting extra coverage that [redacted] felt was not need to that extent. Members 1st failed to contact [redacted] correctly and give the correct information to have the coverage. This was an ongoing problem for months. Collateral insurance was added to my loan from [redacted] companies and I was not made aware of this. I never recieved notification from members 1st or [redacted], let alone a insurance coverage card. Now my payment is being increased on the loan and I was also not made aware of that until recieving a past due notice in the mail. I always make my payments on time every month in full. I do not understand what the issues are with this credit union. I contacted members 1st and had no resolution with them or [redacted]. My step father [redacted] is also on the loan and has tried to get this resolved and nothing has been resolved with either companyDesired Settlement: I would like my loan to be transfered to another banking institute as soon as possible and resolution to this matter. I am very very upset about this issue and it has never been resolved.

Business

Response:

Please see attached.

Review: In April 2014 I had a retuned check to my account. That same moth I was sent a letter from Mike in Loss Prevention. I responded to the letter by calling him. Within days I had 3 checks direct deposited into my account which covered the returned item plus some. I went into the branch after the deposits to ensure my account was okay. The teller said my account was fine and she had to mKe a phone call just to make sure. She came back and said that she just spoke to Mike and that the account is good to go. A few weeks ago $474.00 was taken from my account to pay what was said to have already been paid, then another $76 was taken. When I questioned why and how I was told that I never paid it when I was suppose to have already done so.Desired Settlement: I think it's only fair that my account is credited back $550 for a mistake that wasn't my fault. The check was retuned but I was told by Mike in loss prevention and the teller that my account was in good standing after he 3 deposits. This new deduction that surfaced 3 months after has wreaked havoc for me.

Business

Response:

7/12/14On 4/18/14 an unidentified non-Member

appeared at our [redacted] branch and presented a check in the amount of

$550.00 made payable to them and drawn off the account of [redacted]. At the time the check was presented, [redacted]’s account reflected a balance of -$429.30. The branch however, cashed the check in the

interest of member service and when the check was processed, the account still

reflected a negative balance, constituting a loss to the credit union and

initiating a bad check investigation by the Loss Prevention Department.As part of that investigation, a courtesy

letter was sent to [redacted] regarding the bad check, (see attached). On 4/24/2014 [redacted] called the

investigator conducting the case and advised him she had a Direct Deposit

Payroll check that would post to the account on 5/2/14 which would cover the

loss of the check.On 5/2/2014 two electronic deposits

posted to [redacted]’s account, one deposit in the amount of $20.00 and one

deposit in the of $596.07 however, at the time of the deposits, [redacted]

account reflected a negative balance of -$673.27 which did not include the $550

outstanding bad check as part of the investigation. While the negative balance on [redacted]’s

account was reduced the outstanding check was not mitigated because the deposit

that [redacted]’s indicated would cover the check was not enough to cover both

the negative balance on her account and the check. From 05/02/2014 to 06/30/2014, [redacted]’s account continued to reflect balances in and out of the negative and

on 06/30/14 the available funds of $474.69 in the checking was transferred to

the savings of [redacted]’s account by Loss Prevention in the amount to be

applied to the outstanding bad check. As

a result of the transfer, [redacted] made several telephone calls to Loss

Prevention and Telebranch demanding the return of the $474.69 that the transfer

caused her a financial hardship and such a practice was unfair to her.On Wednesday,

07/09/2014, The AVP, Loss Prevention and Security Services spoke with [redacted] regarding her concerns. During

the conversation, the AVP of Loss Prevention and Security Services reminded [redacted] that her situation was precipitated by the fact that [redacted] had

written a bad check to someone and that she could not cover the check even with

subsequent deposits and informed [redacted] that in accordance with the

membership agreement, the credit union had the right to adjust her account

without notice for any loss she caused the credit union, particularly with

respect to fraud and since writing a bad check is a criminal offense in

Pennsylvania, the bad check she wrote could be considered fraud. Additionally, the AVP of Loss Prevention and

Security Services discussed with [redacted] that her overall account

relationship with Members 1st over the past two years reflected many

more negative balances than positive balances and that the instant situation

was a symptom of a much larger issue that she was creating.As part of the conversation, the AVP of

Loss Prevention and Security Services asked [redacted] if she incurred any fees

as a result of the transfer and [redacted] agreed that she did incur fees as a

result of two check items returned on her account because of the transfer for a

total of $111.00. The AVP of Loss

Prevention and Security Services offered to return the fees as a gesture of

goodwill and [redacted] related her approval.

The conversation was concluded at that point and [redacted] appeared to

understand and be satisfied with the results.

The account was subsequently adjusted on 07/09/2014 to reflect a deposit

of $111.00 for the return of the incurred fees.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

I understand that there was a returned check written. That is not my complaint. My complaint is that after I had received the letter from the bank and contacted them, I had 3 checks deposited into my account. I went into the branch to ensure the account was now in good standing and was informed that everything had been taken care of. At that point a call was made to Mike who also said the account was good. Now all of a sudden 3 months later there's money taken from my account to satisfy this debt that was alegedly already taken care of. I feel the money is due back to me as the money was put into the account and I'm told it was never taken. The account was negative then brought positive so how was it never collected? Also how is it that the savings account became negative from a returned check? Then to have it appear after 3 months? Taking the money from my account caused more issues for me as I had other checks return.

Regards,