Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I used my debit card for an on line purchase. I never got my product and my money is gone along with a fee for using my **** debit card. For 2 days I called the credit union seeking help and each time was transferred constantly with each telling me a complaint was made or a complaint was not made. I broke down with an anxiety attack. As of today I still don't feel comfortable or safe that a report was taken or that this will be resolved. This is horrific customer service

  Business response

  02/01/2024

  Dear ************, 
  

  Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding your debit card dispute to our attention. I apologize for the frustration you experienced in your original calls to file the dispute. I would like to provide an update,along with some additional context and our next steps.
  

  On Monday, January 29, a member of our team reached out to you to learn more about your experience and confirm the dispute details. We were able to provide immediate credit for the full amount of the disputed charge, $31.12.At this time, we have all the information we need, and no further action will be required from you.
  

  After reviewing the records, it appears that in your first calls with our third-party partner who assists with the dispute process, they misunderstood which card was used for the disputed transaction and did not follow up appropriately. We accept full responsibility for ensuring that any partners we rely on provide our members with the same the level of service we expect from our own team. I apologize that we missed the **** in this case and that the process was more time-consuming and frustrating than it should have been. We will address this with our partner as well to help prevent similar experiences in the future.
  

  If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact us at ************, or you can reach me directly at *************************************** Thank you again for your membership.
  

  Sincerely,
  

  ***************************
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

  Customer response

  02/05/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took the warranty from the car dealer, received a check from them and put it in Together Credit Union, I want them to reach out to the warranty company and let them know they made a mistake and to get my car fixed.

  Business response

  01/24/2024

  Dear Mr. *****, 
  

  Thank you for bringing to our attention your concerns regarding your warranty request. I understand that you are pursuing a claim to help repair your vehicle. I would like to provide some additional information specifically regarding the warranty, along with some options for next steps for your immediate need.
  

  In February 2023, we received a check for a cancelled warranty that had originally been purchased through the dealership when you purchased your vehicle. Since the cost of the warranty was financed as part of the auto loan, it is standard practice for the warranty company to issue cancellation funds to the lender, and for those funds to be applied back to the loan. The check was applied to your loan principal, reducing your amount owed accordingly.
  

  Our records also show that our team spoke to you in January 2023 about purchasing a warranty through the credit union’s warranty partner to replace the one from the dealership. After the cancellation check was received, our team reached out to you twice to complete the steps needed to add new warranty coverage. Unfortunately, we do not have a record of a call back to continue the process, or a signed agreement for the new warranty, until late December 2023.
  

  My understanding is that you filed your claim for repair shortly after the warranty was issued in December, but that the claim was denied. Although it does not appear from our research that there was any error on the credit union’s part, we have asked our warranty partner to take a second look at the claim and any additional documentation or history they may be able to provide. However, we cannot guarantee a specific outcome. If their decision remains to deny the claim, we may be able to consider other financing options to complete the repairs to your vehicle. Please give us a call or stop by to discuss these alternatives.
  

  If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact us at 800-325-9905, or you can reach me directly at m***********************. Thank you again for your membership.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  We have received an update from our warranty provider: Although they also show that no signed agreement was in place, they have agreed to back-date the warranty contract Mr. ***** completed in Dec 2023 to reflect coverage beginning 2/24/23, which is the date on which we received the check for cancellation of his dealership warranty. The contract will also reflect the starting mileage of the vehicle at the time of purchase (51,944). We have spoken with the member to relay this information, and expect the update to be processed within 5 business days. Additional time may be needed to fully process the claim.

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My Cu Rewards were not credited to my account, CUrewards at * *** ******** says they sent it to Together and to contact Together. Together Credit Union at * *** ******** was no help. Local Together Unoin on Watson Rd St Louis was no help

  Business response

  12/06/2023

  Dear Mr. ********, 
  
  Thank you for bringing to our attention your concerns regarding redemption of your Together CU credit card rewards points, and your frustrations when trying to get help with this matter. I sincerely apologize that we did not provide the answers you needed at that time. I would like to provide an update on your request, as well as how we intend to use your feedback to improve.
  
  In October 2023, we received your request to redeem approximately 67,000 CU Rewards points. On 10/31/23, the corresponding credit of $536.00 was posted to your checking account. A specialist reached out by phone today to verify that this is the full credit you were looking for, and you confirmed that it was.
  
  While I’m glad that the points credit was completed as expected, we should have been able to provide this confirmation when you originally contacted us. Our goal is always to provide clear answers in the moment whenever possible, and timely follow-up when further research is needed. I have shared this feedback with our teams to make sure they have the right resources and training to resolve questions about CU Rewards redemption, know who to contact for further assistance, and ensure that members receive timely follow-up as needed.
  
  If you have any remaining questions or concerns about your rewards, credit card, or account, please give us a call at ************, or you can reach me directly at ************************. Thank you again for your membership, and for taking the time to share your experience.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

• Initial Complaint

  08/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Tuesday I deposited a check for just over 24k into my checking account without any problems using my phone. a couple of hours later I started conflicting emails questioning whether the deposit was fraud, then processed and then fraud again from the bank. I called them and they had no idea what to do and then transferred me to some ****** youth wannabe in their fraud department, this person did not even know the difference between a credit card accountant and a checking account. I asked to speak to a manager, and she hung up on me. I tried to log onto my account last night and my account my placed-on hold by the bank because I dared ask for a manager. I even provided my current credit card account information, but she refused to assist. I have called multiple times and no one at the bank will assist me to get back into my accounts. I called the number provided to remove the hold multiple times as requested yet no one will actually remove the hold. This is ridiculous and illegal as this is my money.

  Business response

  08/25/2023

  Dear ******************, 
  

  Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding your recent experience with your mobile deposit to our attention. I sincerely apologize for the frustrations you encountered with the check hold and other security measures taken on your account, and your experience in trying to resolve them.I would like to provide some additional context and an update on your specific situation, as well as the steps we are taking to ensure a better experience for members in the future.
  

  On 8/15/23, we received your mobile deposit request in the amount of $24,299.00. With all mobile check deposits, we apply additional screening criteria to identify transactions that require further review to help protect both individual members and the credit union from potential fraud. Based on the amount of the deposit, the check source as belonging to a category that is common in fraudulent transactions, and the transaction type as not typical activity for your account, we flagged this deposit for further review. The funds were placed on hold in accordance with our funds availability policy, and we sent an email notification of the hold.
  

  Closer review of the deposit also indicated patterns of online account access and activity that are potential indicators of a fraud attempt.To further protect your account, online access was temporarily suspended and another email was sent requesting that you contact the credit union to confirm that you had authorized this activity.
  

  Unfortunately, when you contacted us as requested, we did not provide the clear explanation and quick resolution that we expect for members in this situation. I apologize. Occasionally, as in your case, our fraud prevention measures do create inconvenience for members in transactions that coincidentally fit a similar profile to fraudulent ones. However, while we are dedicated to protecting the security of our members accounts, we also strive to make it as painless as possible to resolve any items in question. Based on your experience, we are reviewing both our practices and our training with the fraud and contact center teams to make sure that members receive clear,consistent guidance and quick resolution going forward.
  

  At this time, our records show that your funds have been fully released and were used to pay off your auto loan on 8/22/23. If you have any remaining questions or concerns about your account, please give us a call at ************, or you can reach me directly at *************************************** Thank you again for your membership, and for taking the time to share your experience.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

  Customer response

  08/28/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********. I was finally able to get a great employee in the ******* office to help me get back into my account after spending hours on the phone getting zero assistance from anyone in the main branch in ***********. They actually refused to provide any assistance whatsoever. I answered every question they asked and they said that my old credit card was my current one. They accused me of something when I proved the information from my current card. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The date of the transaction is 07/18;2023. I returned an item to Walmart which they refunded by putting back the money on my Together Credit Union Debit Card. The money refunded by Walmart which was $67.00 was put back into my account. I contacted Together Credit Union and they were no help at all. The reason that I believe this is a deliberate scam they are doing is that this happened before, only the store that put the refund through was Target.

  Business response

  07/28/2023

  Dear Ms. ********,
  

  Thank you for contacting us regarding the recent refund to your account expected from Walmart for $67.
  

  Our records indicate that on 7/20/23, a refund posted to your checking account (suffix -92) from Walmart in the amount of $67.86. It will appear in digital banking and your July statement with the description:
  ********** ** ******** ** *********** ***** ****
  

  Based on the amount and source of the refund, I believe this is the transaction mentioned in your message. However, if there was a different refund expected, please feel free to reach out to us at your local branch, or by calling ###-###-#### and we would be happy to investigate further.
  

  If you normally use our account access by phone service, it is possible that the refund may not have been listed in recent deposits when you called, since merchant refunds are sometimes categorized in the system as “adjustments” rather than deposits. You can confirm the transaction in digital banking by looking at your checking account activity for July, checking your July statement when it arrives after the month ends, or we would be happy to provide a printed copy of the account history at any Together Credit Union branch.
  

  Regarding the previous refund from Target mentioned in your message: If you believe that transaction is still outstanding, please give us a call or stop by to discuss, along with any detail you can provide regarding the date or amount, and we would be happy to investigate.
  

  Thank you again for contacting us. We appreciate your membership. Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you achieve!
  

  Sincerely,

  ***** ******** ********* ********** *** ****** **********

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I recently received a bank account statement for ******************** for an account of which I never opened. When I called to discuss with them, I learned the account was closed (no money in the account). I also learned that they had my social security number! They said they would put an alert on any activity with my account.

  Business response

  07/25/2023

  Dear ********************,
  
  Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding the account opened in your name to our attention. We take member account and identity security very seriously. We appreciate your contacting us to let us know that you had not initiated the application so we can help safeguard against any potential fraud through the account. I would like to give you more information about the actions that were taken, along with additional steps you *** want to consider to further protect yourself.
  
  We received an online account application in your name on May 5th.The secure online application process includes identity verification steps that were passed, suggesting that the person who submitted the application had access to your social security number, along with other personal information in order to answer the verification questions correctly.
  
  Once we received the application, our Account Specialist team reached out on 5/5, 5/12, and 5/16 for further verification. This process is another layer of security we use to help prevent fraud. Restrictions are also placed on the account during this time to limit access until the verification is complete. Since we were unable to reach you, a letter was sent on 5/24 with a notification that if we were not able to make contact, the account would be closed on 6/6. We received no response, and the account was closed.
  
  Since the account existed during the statement period ending 5/31,a statement was generated and mailed to your address. After you contacted us to notify us that the account application was not initiated by you, we placed alerts in our records to add protections for the future.
  
  We understand how important it is to guard against identity theft.Given that someone had access to enough personal information to pass the identify verification screening, here are a few next steps I would recommend to help protect yourself:
  - Closely monitor your other account and card statements for any unauthorized activity.
  - If you havent already done so, request a free copy of your credit report from one or all three major credit bureaus at annualcreditreport.com to check for any credit accounts that *** have been opened in your name.
  - Consider contacting the credit bureaus to place a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit.
  
  Thank you again for reaching out. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help.
  
  Sincerely,

  ***************************
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

  Customer response

  07/26/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My Together CU credit card was used online by someone I don't know on 05/05/2023. I called and disputed the charge. The credit union said for me to pay the disputed charge amount of $25.44 and within 30 days I would receive a credit back for that mount. It is almost two months later and I've made multiple calls. Each time I either get disconnected, or a rep says they are going to forward my information to the correct department. I am told I will receive a call back in one to to business days, but I have yet to receive a call.

  Business response

  07/12/2023

  Dear Mr. *****,
  

  Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding your disputed credit card charge to our attention. I sincerely apologize for the delay and the frustrations you encountered in following up on your claim. I would like to provide an update on your specific dispute, as well as the steps we are taking to prevent similarly frustrating experiences for members filing charge dispute claims in the future.

  Regarding your open dispute: your claim has been received and our team is working closely with our dispute processing partner to resolve it. We have escalated the claim, requested expedited service, and we are following up frequently for updates. Once we have received the necessary information from our partner, we will issue a credit for the disputed charge of $25.44. We will contact you to confirm as soon as this is complete.

  Regarding the delay in receiving the credit: it is important to us that dispute claims are processed quickly and that you receive clear information about what to expect during that process, and we missed the mark here. We accept full responsibility for ensuring the level of service our members receive from any partners we use. We have a team working both internally and with the partner to streamline the process and provide the higher level of service that our members deserve.

  Again, thank you for your membership, and for taking the time to share your experience. Your feedback helps us improve the way we do business for all members. If you have any question about your open claim, please feel free to contact our fraud manager, ***** ********** ** ************* **** ****** For any other questions or concerns, you can reach me directly at *************************
  

  Sincerely,
  ***** ******** ********* ********** *** ****** **********

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was given a legitimate check so I deposited it they told me that the check would be put on hold until it cleared. 7 days went by and they released the check and they deposited the money into my account so first day I withdrew half of the amount of the check Everything was fine then a few days later I went to withdraw the other half of the check and then they blocked my account telling me that the check wasn’t released if the check wasn’t released they would have stopped the withdrawal then well now they won’t let me access my account and my money

  Business response

  05/31/2023

  Dear Mr. ****,
  

  Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding the availability of your funds to our attention. I apologize for the confusion and frustration you experienced regarding this deposit. I would like to provide some additional context for the hold that was placed, along with an update on the status of the funds.
  

  When the check was initially brought in for deposit, our routine review indicated that terms printed on the back of the check stated that by depositing the funds you would be accepting a loan from a third party. The branch team member advised caution and contacting the sender of the check to confirm. My understanding is that you disagreed with this interpretation of the terms, and asked to proceed with the deposit.
  

  Further review from the branch manager and our fraud team confirmed that the terms of the check did indicate that accepting the funds would constitute acceptance of a loan that you did not appear to consent to. As a credit union, our primary mandate is to protect the funds of all our members, and to be an advocate for their financial well-being. Additionally, because checks of this type are also often associated with fraud, a hold was placed on the remaining funds to allow time for investigation to further protect your account.

  
  Per your request, the remaining funds from your check deposit were released on 5/25/23. At that time, our team again reviewed with you our understanding regarding the terms of the check and urged additional steps to protect your account.

  
  We are reviewing this situation with our branch team to ensure that we are providing clear and consistent communication regarding members’ options and any steps taken to help protect the account in cases such as these.
  Again, thank you for your membership, and for taking the time to share your experience. If you have any further concerns or question about your account and funds availability, please contact your local branch manager, Rob Miller, at (636) 282-7030. For any other questions or concerns, you can also reach me directly at *************************
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My bank account information was stolen most likely from a gas pump. On 4/22/23. I spoke with the bank as soon as it happened (4/23/23)They would not and we’re unable to stop some of the fraudulent charges. My investigation with their fraud department was extended to 5/22/23. I tried to close the account to protect my credit and was told it was not possible until the negative balance was taken care of. Their solution was to freeze the account to prevent any more withdrawals to the account since they would not close the account. I was charged anyway and seem to keep going further negative and they are claiming there is nothing I can do but pay the fraudulent money. I am a single mother with two children trying to survive and this has put me on the path of loosing my home. When I contacted the bank (together credit union) they had no answer as how the money was withdrawn. They then call me back to tell me that payments set up through my routing number they have no control over and cannot stop. How does a bank not have control over activity!? I’ve been with them when they were abecu and am beyond disappointed and frustrated with this business and how they don’t care. This has greatly affected my life and continues to do so.

  Business response

  05/09/2023

  Dear Ms. ******,
  
  Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding your fraud claim to our attention. I sincerely apologize for the frustrations you encountered with your claim and managing additional activity on your account. I would like to provide an update on your specific fraud dispute, as well as the steps we are taking to prevent similarly frustrating experiences for members pursuing claims in the future.
  
  Regarding your open dispute: your claim is currently open and we issued provisional credit of the disputed amount to your account on 5/2/23. The claims process is expected to be completed by 6/7/23. Additionally, in reviewing your case we identified three NSF fees charged to the account that would not have been charged had the fraud not occurred. We reversed these fees in full, which brought the account positive at that time. We apologize for the delay in reversing these fees and the confusion it may have caused. We have addressed the oversight with our fraud team.
  
  Additionally, our Director of Collections & Recovery reviewed your case and confirmed that there will be no impact to your credit report or other consumer reporting because of this incident.
  
  Regarding the confusion about further activity on your account: first, I want to reassure you that our first and most critical step to protect your account from further debit card fraud was to close and re-issue your debit card when you first reported the claim. When you requested a freeze to your account at the branch, we missed the mark in clearly communicating what to expect in terms of transactions that may come in through other forms, such as scheduled electronic payments. I apologize for the confusion and frustration this caused. We are planning additional training to help prevent this confusion in the future.
  
  A member of our team will also reach out to personally review your options to help determine the right level of protection for your account, review the activity to ensure that no additional fraudulent transactions are identified, and discuss any other help or resources we may be able to offer to help ease overall financial stress.
  
  Again, thank you for your membership, and for taking the time to share your experience. We take your feedback seriously and it helps us improve the way we do business for all members. If you have any question about your open fraud claim, please feel free to contact our fraud manager, ***** *********, at ###-###-####, ext. *****. For any other questions or concerns, you can also reach me directly at ************************.
  
  Sincerely,

  ***** ********
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

• Initial Complaint

  04/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I logged into my online banking for Together at the on March 10, 2023 and noticed 25 different fraudulent charges all for varying amounts in the state of New York that totaled $583 that occurred on March 9, 2023 . I immediately called the fraud department number and was told that I needed to visit a Together Branch in order to resolve the issue. When I went to the branch on Chippewa street the representative told me that I needed to call the number again because they do not handle fraudulent cases in the branches, but only over the phone. They gave me the number to call and again I was informed that I have to resolve the issue at the branch. I told the representative who decided to call the fraud department on my behalf. She was told the same thing. She then explained to the representative on the phone that she worked for the credit union and that she knows that fraud must be reported over the phone. The representative then stated that I would receive a fraud packet in the mail that I would fill out and send back within 15 days. I received the packet in the mail on March 20, 2023 and filled it out and mailed it back the following day. I went back to the branch on Chippewa and asked for an update on March 21, 2023. The representative advised me to close my checking account so that fraudulent charges would not occur again once the money was returned to me. I closed the account and she emailed the fraud department asking them to mail a check for the $583 to my home mailing address instead of returning it to the checking account since it is not closed. On March 30, 2023 I received a letter in the mail informing me that the fraud department had looked into the fraudulent charges totaling $325 and declined the request stating that the money was refunded to the checking account on March 23, 2023. Why did the department only check on $325 of the full $589 and why was did they attempt to refund an account that is closed? Why is my claim being denied; these charges are fraud.

  Business response

  04/14/2023

  Dear Mr. ******,

  Thank you for bringing your concerns regarding your fraud claims to our attention. I sincerely apologize for the frustrations you encountered in trying to file your claim. I would like to provide an update on your specific fraud dispute, as well as the steps we are taking to prevent similarly frustrating experiences for members pursuing fraud claims in the future.

  Regarding your open dispute: your claim is currently open and scheduled to close by 5/2/23. We also re-opened the closed account in order to work the claim and issued a provisional credit on 3/20/23. Since your intention is ultimately to close the account once the claim is resolved, we did place restrictions to prevent further unauthorized transactions. Our records indicate that the merchant refunded a portion of the claim ($325), leaving the remainder as part of the open claims we are currently processing. The merchant-refunded portion of the disputed charges are considered resolved, and this is why they were not included in the amount cited in the letter as being under review.

  Regarding the conflicting and confusing information you received in trying to file the dispute: it is important to us that you receive the answers you need the first time, and that the process is clear at every step, and we missed the mark here. We are working both internally and with our card services partner to improve the disputes process. Our current process asks that members call our card services partner directly to begin the claim, or file a paper claim form if they prefer, although this method may take longer to complete. We accept full responsibility for ensuring the level of service our members receive from any partners we use, and are working closely with them to simplify the process overall and provide the higher level of service that our members deserve. In the short term, we will also provide additional training to our internal team to clarify how to guide members through this process, and how and when it is appropriate to close an account with an open dispute.

  Again, thank you for your membership, and for taking the time to share your experience. Your feedback helps us improve the way we do business for all members. If you have any question about your open claims, please feel free to contact our fraud manager, ***** *********, at ************* **** ****** For any other questions or concerns, you can reach me directly at *************************
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********
  Financial Well-Being and Member Experience

  Customer response

  04/14/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I reached out to a branch manager with the Together Credit Union and received very different answers from the ones that are provided in this response. For example, I was informed that the claim was denied, which is what the letter that I received from the fraud department stated. I was also told that the account was closed and there was no balance available in the account. The branch manager offered me another phone number to call to try and appeal the fraud department's decision. I declined and asked her to call instead since I have been handed multiple phone numbers to call over the course of the last six weeks, all of which gave me the same response which is that all claims and appeals must be made in person in a branch. Furthermore, when the branch manager attempted to call the number she told me that she was not able to get ahold of anyone. If someone calling from a branch can't get ahold of anyone; how they expect someone from outside the company to be able to? I was told that Together Credit Union uses a third party company to handle their fraud disputes that is not local. The branch manager stated that they have no authority over the fraud department and cannot go against anything that they say. Also, we were never notified that we had been offered a provisional credit. Since we closed the account on the advice of an account manager, we are unable to view the account using the online platform. There was no communication stating that the account was being reopened. We only received a letter of denial of the claim. The gross miscommunication and amount of under-trained individuals who work at Together and with the third party fraud department make this an unacceptable response.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩