USE Credit Union

We used USE for the mortgage on our first home (closed late 2015) and couldn’t be happier. Not only did they have the best rates and products, but their service was top notch. Kathleen Dallas-​Orr was a huge help to us as first-​timers. She was extremely patient with all of our questions and requests. She and her team really helped make the process as painless as possible.

Got my home mortgage through USECU and was overall a very positive experience (given that escrow is generally a crazy making time no matter what!).
A particular shout out to Kathleen Dallas-​Orr for smoothing out the process especially during the holiday season. Thanks!

My son had a car loan thru USE. He accidently let his car insurance lapse and they charged him $ 900. He paid it but they apparently applied it to the wrong thing or the person he was dealing with pocketed the money, because they kept harrassing him afterward saying he was 2 months behind on payments even though he NEVER missed a payment. They repossessed his car and told him it would cost him $ 3,000 to get his car back. If I could give them no stars I would. You’re the one who is going to lose your ass in this deal USE. It will cost you more to get it out of hawk and ship it back to San Diego than the car is worth.
My advise… DO NOT GET A CAR LOAN WITH USE.

USE credit union is great. When Target got hacked, they voluntarily replaced my card. Other peoples’ banks didn’t do that unless fraudulent activity was found. So I appreciate the extra level of security.
I also appreciate Lety redoing my loan after I decided I should add unemployment protection on my car loan just to be safe.
Karla was also helpful in getting me started with the info I needed prior to buying a car.
I have been with USE for over two decades and I’m happy with them. Thanks USE.

I’ve been in line to speak to a teller here for 20 minutes. Reasonable? I think not. Go elsewhere if you want a human.

I was a member of a credit union in SD originally set up for teachers. With every other banking entity I had excellent credit and a great credit score everywhere but with this CU. I finally closed the accounts and haven’t looked back since.
When I came over to USE, BIG difference. Great branch services (Chula V is where most of my most banking gets done): more professional and more empathetic phone support, online payments made on shorter timelines, just a better overall ambience and more positive support on all fronts.
I have a car loan with USE CU also, which I they’ve been great in working with me on.
Our Union struck and I had one lean month and needed some time and repayment flexibility. My other big monthly payment being the mortgage, I went to that institution first. They shut me down before even giving any consideration to my situation.
USE was awesome! They listened, made me feel like my situation and my business mattered. I got behind but have been responsible and am now caught back up on the loan.
USE will keep me as a loyal client for COMPLETELY EXCEEDING all of my expectations. CARING AND DECENT humans work at USE!

I really don’t know what everyone is complaining about either. Take your pettiness somewhere else. I have been with USE for 7 years and have had no problems whatsoever. Even after working at another credit union for a time I still think USE is a great place to bank. They don’t charge a ton of fees for anything and if they do it is because of the service you signed up for.
I have had my card blocked a handful of times to prevent fraud. At NO TIME was if the fault of USE that my info could have been leaked, but rather at some vendor that I visited e.g. Target. When it did get blocked they were quick to give me a call and let me know about it. I went to the branch and got a new card issued in seconds. Helloooo the only reason they block it in the first place is to protect YOU and your finances!
There has never really been a line when I have come to this location. However I don’t come often because there are very few reasons to physically visit the bank anyway. Withdrawing money? Go to the ATM! Depositing money? Go to the ATM! Making a transfer? Online or mobile banking! Depositing a check? Mobile deposit! Get with it people!

Only go into this location if you have hours to waste… Theyre so slow and under staffed.

Every year, USE seems to celebrate my membership by inviting any number of hackers to explore my debit card and to charge it up in luxurious digs. This year: fabulous North Carolina.
I decided to keep my membership because I have specific bills that have been withdrawn from the account, and reaching the creditors is somewhat akin to Shackleton’s southward journey.
Again, as is our anniversary tradition, I filed a dispute and was promised resolution within 24 – 48 hours. The branch I bank with certainly must exist in a wormhole, because it has been over a week, and charges to Jebb’s Still Supply and Fishin’ Gear remain on my account.
USE is quite happy to lose clients over $ 60, but, in their favor, never forget your anniversary. Can’t wait until next year. Who knows what awaits? Being shot by a teller?
Again, USE-​less. Happy fraud-​a-​versary!

I don’t really understand all the bad reviews. I have been banking here for 5 yrs. They don’t have a million charge fees for everything you doand you are usually in and out at this branch. I find everyone I have dealt with very helpful.

I am shocked by the horrible reviews that USE Credit Union-​Mission Valley branch has received. I’ve been banking here for almost 2 years and have had nothing but great experiences. I have a checking, savings and car loan with them. Leti helped me throughout the car loan application process and continues to be there for me whenever I have a question. She was wonderful! The only thing I do not appreciate is their business hours, but I understand that the employees want to get home at a reasonable hour just like the rest of us. The hours are very inconvenient for me since I work at the exact same time (9am-​5pm) so it is very difficult for me to get to the branch before they close. Luckily the manager was sympathetic to my pleading the other day and let me in right at 5pm as she was locking the door. I explained to her that my debit card was stolen and I had gone days without access to my money! An employee helped me quickly and I walked out of there smiling. I also LOVE that I get paid a day earlier than the rest of my co-​workers because I bank here.

Terrible! My elderly parents have several accounts at USE but received a year-​end tax statement for only one account. After not being able to get through to USE on the phone, my mother emailed the credit union asking for the other statements. She received a reply saying, «We only mail them out once… sorry if you didn’t get them all, but we cannot mail them again.» I told my mother to sign up for on-​line banking and she’d be able to download the forms. I helped her register on-​line, she waited a day for confirmation, then received a message from USE saying «We are unable to process your on-​line banking registration, please call during regular business hours.» Aaaargh! I am so frustrated that my frail parents are completely upset by this (it doesn’t take that much these days) and will have to be driven to a branch to get this sorted out. Terrible, impersonal customer service!!!

I was a member of USE Credit Union for over 20 years and never knew how bad they really were until I moved and started banking with Chase. Reading the reviews I’m not the only one with these problems. The final straw came for me when I had fraudulent charges on my 0 balance credit card. Since the card was 0 balance I didn’t know there were charges until they were past due (at which point it was too late to dispute the charges). Really… don’t waste your time with this credit union… you will be sorry in the end.

An awful bank; how can they call themselves a credit union and charge $ 2 every time you enter the bank to make a transaction?
Even worse, they have compromised my debit and credit card once a month for the last several months, which is a terrible hassle for me to have to go to the bank for cash, and then they charge me for going inside the bank!
I’ve had enough. After 15 years of banking with them, I’m moving to Patelco Credit Union.

The Worst! I had lots of cash in this stash for what? 15 years? I wanted to buy a $ 16,000 car that I was putting $ 8,000 down on. .. and they wouldn’t make the loan without two years tax returns even though I had, like $ 60k sitting there! I wasn’t going to stop and do my taxes for my bank! Strike One. Then, some months later, I had some kind of customer service issue — oh, I remember: I made a deposit at an ATM in a ⁷⁄₁₁ that they assured me would be fee free, but when my statement came I was charged $ 2.50. So I called, got a recording and held for awhile then was offered the option of a call back, which I took. No call back. Ever. Strike 2. Tired of waiting for a call back, I emailed customer service. And of course, no return. Strike 2 ½. So I called again, got the same message and left a callback number again. I have not received a call to this day — and that’s been several months ago. Strike 3. Look, the people who work in the branch are fine. They’re nice folks. But this organization is totally screwed. They have no idea what keeps customers. Today, I’m working on last year’s taxes and needed a copy of a check: you can’t just print one off their archaic website! You have to pay them to mail you a copy. How stupid is that? I moved everything over to SDCCU and it’s been like night an day.

Even if you don’t bank w/​USE you can complete most transactions through them if you have a shared credit union branch. Never wait more than 10 minutes during rush hours (lunch and after work) and conveniently located in the Mission Valley area so it’s close to other businesses that I visit often.

I’m writing this to show my displeasure of doing business with USE Credit Union. I’m very dissatisifed by the way things have been done. For example, for the last three years, my mailing address for my kids’ penguin accounts weren’t properly changed. During the last two years, I purposely went to the branch to make sure my mailing address was changed properly. Later, I found out that my kids’ award cards were sent to my old address. This happened twice, and twice, I brought this issue to the attention at the USE CU branch personally.
The latest episode with the address issue was this October. Before the Penguin program ended, I came to the USE CU branch to redeem my two kids’ and nephew’s awards. 3 out of the 6 cards for both my kids arrived, but the last 3 of the 6 including the 3 for my nephew never arrived. I called USE CU to inquire about this issue last week. I was told that the mail man had returned the 2^nd batch that included the last 3 of the 6 cards for each of my kids and 3 for my nephew. I was also told that they could give me the one card of $ 10 if I go to the nearest branch to pick it up. I was fustrated by the fact that my kids were owed a total of 9 cards ($ 90 total), but could only get $ 10 instead. Fustrated by all these issues, I decided to close all my accounts and withraw all my funds at the branch.
Well, this lead us to the latest episode. I closed all my accounts and was given 3 cashier checks. I went to my bank to deposit the checks, but realized that 1 of the 3 checks was not signed. Thus, I wasn’t able to deposit that check.
This last episode really reconfirm why I need to stop doing business with USE CU.

I had quite the opposite experience from the first reviewer, unfortunately. I’ve left that bank several times feeling as if my membership was not enough to get good, friendly customer service. I will say, first off, that there was one person (a young man) who DID give excellent customer service (above and beyond), which is why I’m even more shocked at the experiences I had.
I opened my account and soon after deposited a good amount of my funds intended for expenses associated with a home loan. I received a pre-​approval letter for an FHA loan. I started to shop, but was still waiting for final approval (so I couldn’t comfortably make an offer yet). It took 2 weeks (instead of a couple days as promised) to get back to me only to tell me I don’t qualify for anything. But worse, they didn’t even try to problem solve. This was a huge waste of time. The outcomes wasn’t what I wanted, but the service behind it is what ruined the experience. I had sent one email requesting a status update. During that time (about a week after the email), I walk in to make a deposit. The mortgage specialist notices me and instead of walking over when she was done with her customer to greet me or give me an update or something, she quickly put on her headset and looked busy. BUT, she did have the time to tell someone else to walk over to me and say: «Cher wanted to let you know she got your email and will get back to you soon». I wonder why she couldn’t quickly say that herself, but mostly it felt like she REALLY wanted to say: «Cher saw you standing there, so to prevent you from approaching her, I’m just telling you she will get back to you». I was actually just running in and out, so didn’t even think about talking with her. But that action (or inaction) was inappropriate and made me leave feeling bothered. If nothing was said, I would have just left.
The loan experience was over. I didn’t care to say anything, until it became completely obvious that the unfriendly vibe was not an isolated one. To me, this means the staff was not trained properly. A month later, I walk in to get a check for escrow. (I had several other lenders approve me and was closing that week.) Since the check was large, I asked for a copy. The person went to make a copy and I overheard her supervisor saying that she shouldn’t have done that. Okay, if that’s the rule– fine. But I don’t think that’s something the customer should hear. Basically saying, «why are you going out of your way to make a copy for our customer? Don’t give that good service again!» (Mind you, not busy in there). Okay, I left feeling a bit bad that I may have gotten her in trouble, but again, a customer should not feel that way.
So we get to today. I ask for another cashier’s check (final closing costs) and ask for a copy. I’m told they don’t do that as a free service (same person from last) and that it will be $ 5 if I wanted it. Obviously not. She remembered me from last time and began to give me a million reasons we they do not do that (e.g., costs money and time). The kicker was when she said, «If you stood here for 8 hours a day and lines were long, you would understand.» (Again, mind you, it was morning, the place was not busy and when I arrived there was no one else at the counter.) I was also told that she didn’t know whether I would keep asking for copies and that they were not a copy center. Honestly, it’s not hard to get a copy somewhere else– no big deal. But what got me was the response. I got a whole slew of reasons why they don’t do it, mainly with the undertone that customers take advantage of it and it’s a pain for them. I was shocked. Most people understand «rules», even if they sound ridiculous (as she admitted, at least) but at no point should you make a customer feel as if they are wrong or even have bad intentions. A friendly person would simply say [only]: «I’m sorry, but that’s the rule.» But she continued to talk & defend the policy, which is not necessary. It is pointless. If she said nothing more than «sorry can’t make copies anymore», it would have been fine. But her reaction, excuses, and lack of ability to keep good rapport with me, made me leave unhappy, and feeling a bit insulted and angry. (Admittedly, there is some culmination from the past experiences)
At the end, I closed my account that same moment. I have never felt so bothered to the point of voicing my opinion and writing something like this. I would rather forget about it, as I normally do– but their reactions are inappropriate. I’m always in a happy mood and arrived at that bank every time in good spirits… however, I seem to leave confused and feeling slighted. I have never walked away from a bank before– this is a first. If only everyone else had the customer service of the person who opened my account, I certainly would not have close it. Good customer service might mean a few extra minutes or a few extra «cents», but keeping the business it worth more than loosing it.

I am a member of another credit union that allows me to use USE Credit Union to do things locally. They were so helpful and on point. They went out of their way to help me out and I am not even a member. If I wasn’t happy with my credit union, they would have me as a new member. If you are tired of your credit union or bank. Consider using this bank. The only requirement is that you work, live or worship in San Diego county… easy enough! Special thanks to Antonio & Sharon!