USE Credit Union

Ok… I know I wrote a really great review in August. I was ecstatic because a credit union actually accepted me. But that was short lived. I have NEVER had to call a bank so many times in my entire life.
First off, I was on the phone with someone setting up my accounts and she offered to send me a new debit/​check card with a new chip in it… since that seems to be a new thing. I said yea sure. this was the first week of September. It’s now November and I STILL haven’t received that card. I had to go to the branch to get a regular debit card without the chip.
Next issue… I opened up a secured credit card with them and gave them a deposit of $ 130. The loan officer I spoke with told me it would take 7 – 10 business days to get to me, which is normal so I was fine with that. This was November 6^th and guess what… it’s now November 23^rd and I didn’t receive that card either. I had to go to the branch AGAIN and get this card in person.
Lastly, they messed up my pay check from work. I used the app and deposited the check on a Wednesday. The guy on the phone told me this would be cleared on Thursday… so I waited all day for my check to be cleared and finally on Thursday at 4pm I called and asked why my check wasn’t cleared yet. The guy on the phone proceeded to tell me that when banks say a specific date to be cleared… they really mean the day after. What. The. Hell. No bank that I have EVER been with has done that to me. With USAA if it says the check will be cleared on so and so date then that’s the date it’s cleared. Same with Bank Of America, Wells Fargo and Navy Federal. Freaking ridiculous. So I told them I need at least a portion of my check to be cleared I have bills to pay, so they cleared $ 200 but in the process turned off my service with MasterCard. I tried to use my debit card to pay for things and it was declined multiple times. I called them AGAIN and the girl on the line kept me on hold for 15 minutes then told me my debit card number isn’t in the system. I hung up and called again… another girl told me her supervisor fixed the problem and went on the MasterCard website to unlock my card.
Not saying the people that work here aren’t nice, they are very courteous but I’m not going to use them as my main bank.

Kathleen L. Dallas-​Orr helped me when I refinancing my home loan. She was patient, helpful, and answered all my questions. She also is very responsive to emails and will usually email back within the same day.

Great service always. And a very good deal compared to banks

Never a bad experience at USE. Banking with them since 1978. Started as a student. Thank you to Patrick at 1800 … Twice he has helped me out of fraud issues. Patient and friendly.

HORRIBLE customer service. Sat and waited for 20 minutes while employees stared and didn’t help. Eventually left and didn’t get anything done. I wanted to open an account but I’m happy I didn’t with this union if that was the kind of service I was going to get in the future. And I’m only putting one star because I HAVE to.

I honestly have no idea what the two star reviews are all about. I switched from Wells Fargo to USE, and I’ve appreciated the service and the smile at the UCSD location. I haven’t had any problems, and today, they were able to get a debit card promptly. Some of the commenters have hated on their Bill Pay, which I haven’t used, but it looks pretty standard since they seem to use a system that a lot of credit unions use. Also, a lot of commenters have noticed security breaches, but this happens at every bank, and it sucks… I have no idea how USE credit union is at fault

Received excellent help with getting a mortgage. Professional, personable, and prompt service from Kathleen Dallas-​Orr. I’m very happy with USE Credit Union.

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!

TERRIBLE customer service!!!
I was recently hired as a full time employee of UCSD so I figured I would go to this branch on the campus to open an account, I thought it would be really convenient to have my direct deposit going to a branch that I drive past about 3 times every day. Once I entered the branch I quickly realized I should take my business elsewhere.
It was about an hour before closing yet the representative doing new member sign ups tells me that they’re getting ready to close soon, I ask «I thought you close in an hour?» and she says «We have a meeting so we’re closing soon.», at which point I ask «Why didn’t you put a sign on the door stating that?», she gets upset with my logic and tells me that she can give me the paperwork to take home and fill out. Upon hearing her attitude I offer to just come back another time so we don’t have to rush but she tells me to come over and get the paperwork anyway, I guess she wanted to get credit for signing me up. The employee was very condescending and rude.
As shes handing me the paperwork she starts explaining all of the fees I’d be paying to start my accounts there, $ 100 fee for checking accounts, $ 25 fee for savings accounts, $ 10 fee for this, $ 5 fee for that, minor monthly withdrawals for maintenance fees, RIDICULOUS!!! I’ve been a member of other credit unions, Navy Federal, Mission Federal, and San Diego County, and the 3 of them combined didn’t ask for the money this one was requiring, thats why I prefer credit unions in the first place, no fees, but USE is a Bank posing as a credit union.
Horrendous customer service+excessive fees=bad business!!!

I am not a member of this bank but I do use their ATM and walk past this bank every single day. I have gone inside in the past to break large bills into smaller bills but today, Aug. 6, 2013 around 2:05pm I withdrew cash from the ATM and then walked inside to exchange the $ 20s into a $ 100 bill and they would not do it unless I was a member. Really, what’s the difference.

Kathleen was great! She was really quick with responding to our questions, and following through with all the necessary paperwork. We had to close in less than 30 days and she made it possible. We even got a really nice low rate! She was very helpful in walking us through what we needed to provide. She works so hard and was even responding late into the night! Thank you!

I have been a USE customer for a while now, and have not had any of the issues that others seem to have. It’s true — there are no lines, which is nice as I work on campus and have limited time, and the tellers have been efficient and personable. Several times I had to get a new ATM card because of password issues (not the bank’s fault). As for the fees, I believe most credit unions (and major banks) charge a fee when checking accounts are in overdraft, and also when having to transfer from savings to checking as a result of an overdraft, but USE seems to give a grace period and they won’t charge if the amounts are very small. I like them, and I will keep them!

This bank is very up to date, if you are living thirty years behind everyone else.
It’s true there is never a line; I now suspect this is for lack of willing customers. There is coffee, which I’m sure is nice, but it would be nice if that coffee came with a fully functioning financial institution. I’ve given it two months, and it’s been nothing but a hassle. My partner has had it even worse than I have.
The banking specialists are indeed special, though not at efficiency. It took two hours, each, to open our accounts, my partner was unable to access his own money for a week thereafter, and in fact still can’t because the debit card machine wasn’t working that day and after two weeks they haven’t mailed either the checks (that he paid for) or the debit card he was told would be sent to him.
Now, right this minute, we can’t even get access to our accounts because the website is down. Their customer «service» line only operates during business hours on weekdays. There is also no number directly to the branch. There is no way, therefore, to access our accounts on nights and weekends if the website is down, which from what I can tell is plenty often.
Moving your money: They don’t directly transfer funds electronically; the «bill pay» online generates a literal paper check with is snail-​mailed to the recipient. I hope no one ever has to do anything on short notice, because this place is all about taking their time. There are exorbitant overdraft «protection» fees, over $ 30 per transaction. This includes the 54 cent «test» fee that was withdrawn by PNC bank when I attempted to set up the account so I could transfer funds to cover the overdraw within the same business day. They will, however, withdraw overdraft fees on nights and weekends, because you matter.
My partner and I intend to close our accounts as soon as possible, and I can not stress enough how horrendous and stupid this whole debacle has been.

Horrible horrible horrible phone support /​customer service. Every time I call I’m on hold at least 15 minutes before someone picks up the phone. Today I had to call to activate my new debit card and the automated service told me that the card was invalid, so I called the NUMBER ON THE BACK of the card. Finally after 15 minutes on hold someone picked up the phone and told me that they will have to transfer me to the credit card service line, since apparently the NUMBER ON THE BACK of my debit card was the the right number. After 10 minutes on hold there I was hung up on.

Avoid this bank.
2.5 hours to open my accounts. I had to pay fees to open free checking, and had to keep a balance in savings. Large overdraft protection fees. Online banking and iphone app are a mess. Couldn’t call my branch directly; call center refused to give me the number. When opening new accounts, I received a $ 25 gift, and yet had to pay $ 10 up front to open each account. Why not just make them free and give $ 15 per account? No complimentary checks with new accounts and I had to pay to order checks to use with my accounts. After realizing I made a mistake I tried to close my accounts the next week and the manager came out with an attitude and tried to make me pay an early account closing fee.
This bank is no good.

Took 2 hours to open new accounts. Fees to open free checking accounts. Savings accounts attached to checking accounts are not optional. $ 200 minimum in savings or else fees apply. Fees to order checks (which do not come with new account). Cannot withdraw initial funds for a week. Asked to test new debit cards by making withdrawal from ATM. One card did not work. Received insufficient funds notice in the mail from this withdrawal. Joint checking is a separate login from individual checking. Username requirement is funky.
Called credit union number and was told they could not provide UCSD branch phone number, but could transfer the line. Was transferred, no one answered.
It’s been a week, still cannot access any funds.
Nightmare. Can’t even imagine what the cancellation process will be like.

USE CU is part of the shared branching network but I was charged $ 2 when I tried to withdraw money another credit union that is part of the network. The credit union also chaged me a fee when my balance dipped in a savings account.

USE doesn’t quite get 5 stars because it doesn’t have the nice «big bank» perks — fancy ATMs, ability to buy pesos at the bank, etc. My experience at the branch has been very good, but there were a few snafus setting up the account. I wouldn’t change my bank though. Like the review said, there’s hardly any waiting at the bank, they’re super friendly, and they want to help you. After banking at Chase and constantly being annoyed with their «offers,» it’s refreshing to work with sane non-​corporate types. I was upset when they switched from a Visa debit to Master Card, but good news — you can use the debit card at any Co-​op ATM (Credit Unions in the network) for free (and they’re EVERYWHERE!).

The USE credit union on the UCSD campus is the best bank I have ever belonged to, bar none.
A lot of the time, the know my name when I walk in. How many of you can say that about your bank? You will never wait longer than 5 minutes to see a teller, either. Otherwise, they will give you 6 bucks. Literally. The banking specialists are top notch. Great advice, very friendly. Helped me come up with a CD-​linked loan to pay for my new car while improving my credit.
Online banking for USE credit union is flawless. I have never had a single problem, and they frequently do little games like the recent ‘find the treasure chest’ game, where you win money if you find all of them. It involves searching through their website, thus familiarizing yourself further with all of the aspects of the site. Brilliant idea, guys.
There is always coffee in the branch, and it’s good. Sometimes there are cookies.
I don’t know what else I can say, other than I am very sad that I will move away eventually and will no longer be able to visit my favorite tellers at my favorite bank ever.