ComplaintsforFirst Tech Federal Credit Union

• Initial Complaint

  08/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was promised a bonus of 100 dollars and another bonus of 300 dollars when I joined First Tech. I completed the requirements but still do not have my money. I have enclosed proof of this and want my money deposited in my accounts at once.

  Business response

  10/13/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/24) */ Hi ******, We appreciate you providing us the opportunity to hear and respond to your concerns regarding a bonus being provided. We reviewed your attachments along with your account history, and contact history. We confirmed you did not qualify for any bonuses since opening your account. We did find that you qualified for Reward Checking Rebates which did apply to your account. This is a tiered account which earns a higher interest rate if qualifications are met. The screenshots of the emails you provided confirm you did meet the qualifications for these higher interest rates at those specific times. If you have more questions about your accounts please feel free to message us via online banking, call our Contact Center at ************* or make a virtual or in person appointment by visiting our website. You can find specific information about your Rewards Checking account at the following link ***************************************************** Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I requested a two month reprieve from my auto loan pay *************************************. The first representative I spoke with took down my request for hardship and forwarded to the appropriate department. Today I received a call from another representative asking for clarification on my request. I attempted to explain what I was asking for (a two month deferment of my auto loan payment). He told me that I would have to fill out a "Consumer relief package" asking for different documents to prove to them that I had a hardship. He further advised me that if I submitted this packet, it would be reviewed by a "committee" and there would be no guarantee that my request would be granted. Because I was given conflicting information about this request, I feel that having to provide personal financial and health information was too complicated to achieve what I was requesting (essentially skipping two month's car payments). I did NOT want them to give me financial aid - just what I was requesting above. I advised the second representative that I was withdrawing my request. I do not feel that I was treated respectfully under these circumstances.

  Business response

  09/02/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/08/10) */ Dear ****, We appreciate you providing us the opportunity to hear and respond to your concerns regarding your loan servicing with First Tech. We take your complaint/feedback very seriously, please know that it has been reviewed by the appropriate leadership teams and a manager left you a message on 8/8/22 requesting a callback at your earliest convenience. Please return his call for further assistance. Thank you! Member Experience

• Initial Complaint

  07/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am so ********** by my experience with First Tech Federal Credit Union. I have been a customer for over 30 years, since ***** and a representative ********** me and told me that switching my accounts to a new program would be so much better; however, it was a total deception. They lied, and they are not better accounts, and they should have not recommended such changes. I cannot believe they would do such a thing nor recommend such changes. I trusted the representative at First Tech, and I am paying the price. I cannot believe they would be so **********

  Business response

  08/01/2022

  Consumer Response /* (2000, 6, 2022/07/26) */ They have resolved the issue for me to my satisfaction. This case can be closed.

• Initial Complaint

  07/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On ******* I received notice that my online application for a savings and rewards checking account with First Tech Federal Credit Union had been approved. After enrolling in online banking, I used their mobile deposit feature to deposit a ********* check on ******** Shortly after, I received an email stating my mobile check deposit had been received and approved. On ******** I went to sign into my online banking and received an error message that my account had been disabled and to contact customer service. Upon contacting their customer service, I was informed that a hold had been placed on my deposit and there was no way for me to speak directly with someone in their fraud dept. and all I could do was wait **** business days until their investigation regarding my deposit was complete. I never received any further communication from them on this matter. Then on ******* I received an account statement for my checking and savings accts. On this statement it shows that on ******** there was a closeout withdrawal from my checking account in the amount of ********* This statement also lists a deposit made into my savings account on **** for ********* What I don't understand is that this clearly shows that ***** received the funds from my check deposit which I have still not used yet still proceeded to close out my checking account and then move the funds into my savings account, all the while never providing any sort of update as to what was going on with my accounts as well as never restoring my online access or *** card access leaving me unable to access the funds that they have now had for almost 2 months. I don't see how any of this is legal and there has to be some sort of timeframe that a financial institution can hold a deposit prior to releasing back to the account holder any remaining balance left available after account closure. I would like to have my account access restored or a check mailed to my address for the total amount in my savings which is *********

  Business response

  08/05/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/25) */ Thank you for your message. We reached out to our Fraud Department regarding your case and found that your accounts have been permanently restricted/terminated as of May 11, 2022. This occurred due to the deposit of $******** deposited into your account which was returned as counterfeit by the maker of that check. A notice was mailed to the address we have for you on file on May 23, 2022. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please call our Contact Center at ************. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  06/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I opened an account with FirstTech using a friend's address since we were still in the process of moving. For some reason they're still (after years) sending credit cards to this address. We have notified the bank several times asking them to correct the address. The last answer was: we see that the card went to a different address from the mail tracking (...) we don't see anything wrong in our system, though. Dropping the ball knowing that 1) the issue isn't resolved, 2) clearly on their end and 3) we already asked several times.

  Business response

  07/19/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/07/01) */ Hello *******, We appreciate you providing us the opportunity to hear and respond to your concerns regarding the mailing address that was listed for the secondary cardholder's credit card. We are very sorry to hear about your poor experience. We take your complaint very seriously. It has been reviewed by the appropriate leadership team to determine the root cause and resolution. The secondary cardholder had a different address listed in the credit card system. Unfortunately, whomever ordered the card confirmed the incorrect address when looking at your credit card profile and did not properly confirm their address. This has been reviewed and addressed with the representatives as a training opportunity. As of 6/15, both of your credit card profiles reflect the correct address and it will be used for all communications If you have any questions please call our Contact Experience Center at XXX-XXX-XXXX. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and your membership! Member Experience

• Initial Complaint

  04/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This Credit Union is worse than a big bank for fees and poor customer service. We have multiple accounts set up with them and have found out the hard way that they have no framework set up to alert you to credit card due dates, and make it very difficult to set up a recurring payment for your balance. We were charged interest fees for our credit card even though the account transfer button was grayed out making it impossible to transfer the money. I called twice to find out how to pay online and both times the person could not tell me how to do it, they said to "just wait" to see if it was fixed. Finally on my third call after we had already incurred charges the person told me they would email me a guide to how to set up an auto pay through a secure document. I wish we had never made the mistake of getting a mortgage through them or I would cancel all my accounts at this point, it's been an absolute nightmare.

  Business response

  04/20/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/20) */ Dear ***, We appreciate you providing us the opportunity to hear and respond to your concerns regarding your account and customer service you encountered. We are very sorry to hear about your poor member experience. We take your complaint/feedback very seriously, please know that it has been reviewed by the appropriate leadership teams. I understand you worked with ******* recently and she assisted you with process to set up payments and her request for the interest fee reversal was approved and your account credited. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and provide us with the opportunity to improve. If you have any additional feedback or concerns to share, please feel free to provide that to us as well. I hope you have a great week! Best regards, Member Experience Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2022/04/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) They have worked with me and solved the issue. I hope that they revise their process to be more customer friendly off the bat in the future.

• Initial Complaint

  03/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been trying to close my account for a month with little resolution. I have a savings account that was opened for me due to a loan that I took out. The loan was paid off a month ago and I contacted First Tech by secure message through my online banking and advised that I would like this account closed. The representative told me that all I needed to do was confirm my address and that it would be done. I confirmed my address and did not receive a response and the next time I tried to log into the online banking, it would not let me so I thought it was because I no longer had an account. However, I received a letter in the mail stating that they would now be charging me an inactivity fee for this account. I tried to call to discuss this and the representative said that my information did not match and could not verify my identity and could not help me. I am still not able to log into the online banking or I would try to send another direct message. I am not sure why they cannot verify my info, nothing has changed. I can only think that when I requested my account to be closed, the rep who helped me changed something in my profile and now I no longer have access to this account over the phone or online. I don't care about the $5 in the account, I just don't want the inactivity fee to eventually overdraw the account and then it is sent to collections for something I have been actively trying to rectify. If the staff is unable to verify me to close an account with $5 (which they can keep by the way) I am not sure what else to do. I just want to account closed and not reflected negatively against me.

  Business response

  04/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2022/03/28) */ Dear *******, We appreciate you bringing your concerns to our attention. After receiving your complaint, we have reviewed the information and have addressed these concerns. You were contacted by a manager by email with more specifics. Please respond to their email if you have any additional questions. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  03/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  First Tech Fed CU holds my mortgage. I signed up from day 1 for auto-pay from my checking account to ensure the mortgage was always paid in full. When property taxes went up late last year, I was silently dropped from auto-pay because it was set to an EXACT value of the old payment. They did not configure it properly from the outset. I grudgingly paid the late fees, and at their own instructions, canceled the auto-pay and reconfigured it to a recurring monthly payment to pay the full balance each month. That was successfully processed in Jan 2022. Now I am suddenly getting late fees and notices again, because their auto-pay system magically disabled itself.

  Business response

  02/22/2023

  Dear ******, we sincerely apologize for not reaching out prior to this and have addressed the issue that caused us to miss your rejection message originally however it looks like we received a duplicate complaint, BBB Complaint #******* where we did respond directly. We appreciate you providing us the opportunity to hear and respond to your concerns regarding your loan servicing and membership with First Tech. We are very sorry to hear about your poor member experience. We did provide an escrow analysis showing the change in payment as well as notify you of the short payment in November.After reviewing your account we did do a one-time courtesy late fee reversal in March. If you still have concerns or would like to speak to someone please contact our ************************* at ************. At that time a representative will help direct you to the appropriate department. Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was previously a member at First Tech Credit Union and was recently looking to open a checking account online. After attempting to open, I'm being told that my identity cannot be verified. I called First Tech, and they indicated that I would need to come into a branch - a branch is not near me, so I asked for an alternative, and apparently there is none. The supervisor I spoke to, *********** was quite rude, not understanding the point of my concern, and refused to put in a request for his manager to call me back. After the call ended, he then sent an email to me that was clearly meant for his internal team... when I pointed this out, he never replied. If I were First Tech, I would really look into his service, and it seemed very rude and messy. He did eventually have his manager call only to reiterate the same information, but this is not an excuse for rude phone support. This supervisor complaint aside, I would like my original question answered: why, if I was a member previously, is First Tech unable to verify my identity? My address and name have not changed, my phone number has changed but that does not seem to be the problem. I'm concerned this is a bigger issue where First Tech is not correctly verifying identities through their 3rd party verification, or I need to take further action on my side with the credit bureaus, etc., to make sure all information matches. If there is also an alternative to coming into the branch as I am out-of-state, I am also looking for the same. Thank you.

  Business response

  04/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 14, 2022/04/18) */ Hi *******, We reviewed your account and listened to the recent calls you had with our contact center. Your feedback and the call recordings regarding the service you received has been provided to the contact center's leadership team for coaching purposes. Our member's security is of the utmost importance to us. This is why we require that all member's are properly verified. If you are unable to visit one of our branches we would recommend finding another Credit Union in your area which best fits your needs. If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to call our contact center at************** Thank you Consumer Response /* (3000, 16, 2022/04/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I was properly verified over the phone and, as mentioned, was previously a member of First Tech. Requesting that I go to another credit union is a non-answer. This case will likely remain unresolved. Business Response /* (4000, 18, 2022/04/29) */ Hi *******, For applications submitted via the online channel, we use both internal and external resources to validate the information provided during the application process. We were unable to validate the information provided with the application you submitted. Therefore we are unable to approve your application. You are welcome to apply again however, we are unable to guarantee any approval or declines until the application process is complete. If you have any additional questions please call our contact center at************** Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  02/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I (******* *****) responded to First Tech FCU letter of denial on 12/2/21 and received no response (please see attached for documentation): ATTN: DISPUTE/ CLIENT RESOLUTION SPECIALIST RE: ADVERSE ACTION DATED NOVEMBER 12, 2021 & FEBURARY 22, 2022 I see that I was denied an extension of credit on November 12, 2021& February 22, 2022. I applied for an Unsecured Credit Cards. As you may be aware, its against the federal law in accordance with Equal Credit Opportunity Act to proclaim adverse action against a consumer. Pursuant 15 U.S. Code § 1691 **** ******* Credit Union has violated my federally protected consumer rights: 1. 15 U.S. Code § 1691 - Scope of prohibition d)Reason for adverse action; procedure applicable; "adverse action" defined (6)For purposes of this subsection, the term "adverse action" means a denial or revocation of credit, a change in the terms of an existing credit arrangement, or a refusal to grant credit in substantially the amount or on substantially the terms requested. Such term does not include a refusal to extend additional credit under an existing credit arrangement where the applicant is delinquent or otherwise in default, or where such additional credit would exceed a previously established credit limit. (k)Adverse Action. - (1) Actions included. -The term "adverse action"- (A) has the same meaning as in section 1691 (d)(6) of this title; and (B) means- (i) a denial or cancellation of, an increase in any charge for, or a reduction or other adverse or unfavorable change in the terms of coverage or amount of, any insurance, existing or applied for, in connection with the underwriting of insurance; (ii) a denial of employment or any other decision for employment purposes that adversely affects any current or prospective employee; (iii) a denial or cancellation of, an increase in any charge for, or any other adverse or unfavorable change in the terms of, any license or benefit described in section 1681 b(a) (3)(D) of this title; and (iv) an a

  Business response

  03/21/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/03/09) */ Hello *******, In review of the two credit card applications received, First Tech followed our procedures and processes to evaluate creditworthiness for an extension of credit. In this case, both applications were denied based on information derived from your credit report. A notice was sent to you informing of the decline and that a written adverse action notice will be sent detailing reasons for denial. First Tech has chosen to use the model form for Adverse Action **** to demonstrate compliance with Regulation B. ECOA Regulation B was established to ensure that banks and other lenders such as small loan and finance companies, retail and department stores, and credit unions, would make credit available without regard to the applicant's sex or marital status. In addition Regulation B specifies - If the creditor chooses to deny an application for credit, it must provide a written notice to the applicant called an Adverse Action Notice. It requires that, within 30 days of adverse action, the creditor must give the applicant a statement of the specific reasons for the denial of credit. Forcing the creditor to articulate legitimate reasons for denial of credit is meant to prevent discriminatory actions in the credit decision. Compliance reviewed this complaint and found no evidence of violation of 15 US Code 1691. Thank you, Member Experience

*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. ↩