Complaints

This profile includes complaints for First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union has 13 locations, listed below.

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  First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union

  6126 Hamilton Blvd Ste 100 Allentown, PA 18106-9711

• 

  First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union

  1241 Blakeslee Boulevard Dr E Ste 22 Lehighton, PA 18235-2401

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  First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union

  3515 Nazareth Rd Easton, PA 18045-8358

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  First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union

  840 W Hamilton St Ste 122 Allentown, PA 18101-2456

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  First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union

  15093 Kutztown Rd Kutztown, PA 19530-9279

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/31/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have a credit card and debit/checking account with this bank. I told them I’m having a financial hardship and can’t pay the credit card, and told them I am in a debt consolidation program. The program I am in has experience settling debts with this bank, and Pay from the debt team told me they do not partner with this program and she proceeded to drain my whole bank account to pay my credit card and then shut down my bank account. I didn’t pay for one month, and then they took an unauthorized payment from my bank account to pay the credit card before she drained my bank account and closed it. In the contract it says if I default they can do this, but I didn’t default considering the payment came out of my account for the card before I told them I couldn’t pay it at this time due to my financial hardship.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/29/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Secure credit card was closed and the company has a it reported in my credit report and refusing to remove.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2023

  W have sent a letter to the member explaining the following:

  In September 2018, there was an open balance on this account and therefore, a minimum payment was due on September 25, 2018. Our records show that there was no payment made at that time. Late notices were sent to the address on file beginning on the sixth day of delinquency.

  On October 12, 2018, one of our collection associates sent an email to you at the email address that you provided on your account. She stated in the email that she did not have a good phone number on your account to contact you. She asked you to contact her and provided the direct phone number for the collection team in that email. Our notes indicate that a response to that email was never received.
  
  As per credit union policy, after a **** account is delinquent more than 30 days with no response from the member, the line is closed. Your secured **** account was closed on October 29, 2018 (more than 30 days after the September 25th payment was due) and an Adverse Action notice was mailed to you at the address on file. The funds in your share account that were securing the **** were offset to payoff the account in full. The late fee of $25.00 in October 2018 was refunded.  
  
  The credit report was automatically updated to reflect the account having been closed and continues to report as a closed account as per the Fair and Accurate Credit Reporting Act. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/17/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Customer with them since approximately 2018. Recently obtained a credit line with them within the past year for home renovations. Due to unforeseen medical issues, i accrued medical bills between jobs and no insurance to cover medical expenses. Recently filed a hardship claim with debt consolation company to help offset expenses in order to continue with my home renovations and to keep up with my credit line. During this unforeseen circumstance i was paying diligently on my credit line with them, as i attempted to enroll a personal loan from them into my hardship. With no knowledge or notification, they closed all my accounts which offset my financial situation to a point where I'm stuck with a home that is in mid renovation status. I called the bank to only find out they froze all my accounts and at this time unwilling to provide the funds back on my credit line to complete my project, despite no missed payments or delays. I tried to reason with the representative on the phone who made me feel i was a low life that didn't pay their bills and asked why i received no notification of closing my credit line but procced to press me and question what else needs to be done, with explanation she stated, "you don't seem to understand me". She did not have a nice demeanor and as paying customer i took this to be offensive where I am trying to provide reasoning and solution to the problem with no acceptance met. I asked her to provide me with a solution where I am living with a house not complete and under construction and met with no response. I also asked to speak to the manager with no call back as of yet. What I want from this complaint is to have my all my accounts with them reopen without penalty, continue to pay and have my credit line restored.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/20/2023

  We have responded to the member via telephone conversations and the attached letter on 9/7/2023.  Matter is considered closed.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/14/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Applied for checking account online on 07/02/23. Received a welcome email on 07/03/23 that account was opened with account number and routing number. Account was funded with $500 from a credit card which the credit union allows. The $500 posted to my credit card account along with a $39.75 fee. Received a call the week of 07/03/23 that I needed to go into a branch to verify ID and account is restricted. The nearest branch is over 1 hour away. They opened account, took the $500 deposit which cost me cash advance fees and then afterwards called me to state that they can not verify the ID. If the account was not opened then the deposit funds should have been rejected.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/27/2023

  Dear *** ******* –
  Thank you for taking the time to bring your concerns to our attention regarding the process of opening an account online. We understand that being asked to come in person can cause frustration and inconvenience. However, due to multiple inquiries in the past 90 days, we are required to conduct further due diligence, and we sincerely apologize for the poor experience you had. 
  At First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, the protection of our members' information and prevention of online fraud are our utmost priorities. Our systems flagged multiple inquiries within a relatively short period. While this might appear inconvenient, it is a necessary precaution to safeguard your account and prevent unauthorized access by requesting an in-person verification. We strive to maintain strict security standards and ensure the accuracy of the information provided. 
  We understand that this extra step may have taken you by surprise, and we apologize for any inconvenience it has caused. We continually strive to improve our online account opening process and appreciate your feedback, as it allows us to identify areas where we can enhance the member experience.
  To rectify the situation and assist you further, I would like to extend my personal assistance to ensure a smooth resolution. Please feel free to contact me directly at (609) 217-5328 at your convenience. I will be more than happy to address any questions or concerns you may have and guide you through the process to expedite the verification stage.
  Once again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and we appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter. We value you as a member and remain committed to providing you with exceptional service.
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
  

  Sincerely yours

  VP – Contact Center

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/02/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/27/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  First Commonwealth (FCFCU) is running a promotion to open a 7 month CD and if one used 'new money' - assume that means money coming in from another bank - that there was a bonus of a $50 **** card for $5000 new money and $100 **** card for $10000 new money (attached email - doc file format) shows the details. This email sent on Dec 21, 2022 explains that the **** offer is good until Dec 31, 2022 (there was a similar email to this on Dec 16, 2022). I went to one of the FCFCU branches today (Dec 27, 2022) with my checkbook from another financial institution to open a $10000 CD to get the $100 **** card. The employee told me that they stopped the promotion and was not eligible to get a gift card. I showed her the email (had a printout) that showed the offer was good until Dec 31, 2022 but she said she understands that but they stopped the promotion. I did open a CD but did not get a **** card (I did not use new money since they would not give me a **** card - but was ready and willing to do so). When I got home, I called the main FCFCU phone number to speak to a representative. She told me the same thing that they were no longer honoring the promotion and updated their website now to pull out the promotion information. What FCFCU has done is not right and they should have honored the promotion through the advertised Dec 31, 2022 timeframe. I have been a customer of theirs for 40 years and was not happy about this.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/31/2023

  Member's request has been fulfilled.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/03/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/01/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On November 5th 7 transactions of $215 dollars totaling $1,509.75 were taken out of my bank account from some place called cryptocurrency. I never authorized any of these transactions. I faithfully checked my account on a daily basis and as soon as this happened I immediately called the bank to cancel my card as they were still showing the chargers were pending. Usually when this bank that I thought I could trust see's any strange activity going on in my account they immediately call from the fraud department to question these charges to see if I 've authorized them. The lady that canceled my card instructed me to go to the bank to get a new card and explain to the bank what happened. I was informed by Kelis who was at the bank that I have to submit a dispute claim for fraud. When I got home I spoke with Yvonne F***** who supposedly filed the dispute. She told me I would receive my money by November 21st. I checked my account online on November 21st and noticed my money wasn't in my account. I went directly back to the bank in Bethlehem and spoke to Kelis again who gave me the phone number to call to check on my action dispute but when Tisha checked there was no claim filed from November 8th or the 21st. Tisha informed me on 11/28/2022 that I would receive my money back in my account in 48 hours. She also stated that if the money is not in the account by then to call her back. I called back today 12/1/2022 because I noticed the money wasn't in my account this morning. I called and spoke with Nekiya and she told me it takes 10 business days for them to investigate the transactions before they make their decision. This whole situation is very frustrating this situation has been going on for almost a month. I keep the run around with no resolution. I could not pay my rent or bills for November because of what has happened. I would like my money deposited back in my account as soon as possible. I did the right thing by reporting this strange activity right away. I am not satisfied with First Commonwealth FCU.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/09/2022

  Thank you so much for your help I got all of my money back from crypto currency this morning. I really appreciate all you have done for me. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/24/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I did not give First Commonwealth FCU permission to Inquiry my credit report. Please remove the Inquiry from my credit reports.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/15/2022

   A certified letter was sent to **************** on September 2nd and delivered on September 10th explaining that he applied for financing through a dealership for the purchase of a vehicle.  He is not a member of the credit union.  The dealer, *************** applied for credit on his behalf.  This initiated the inquiry.  He was instructed to reach out to *************** with additional questions.  ,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/21/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/16/2022

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had an Automobile loan thru First Commonwealth Credit union. The load was paid off via over the phone with a rep from First Commonwealth on July 26th 2022. During this conversation I asked the rep "when will the title to the vehicle be released" I was told to wait approx 2 to 3 business days for payment to clear. I waited until August 12th and again called the credit union... I was told the title was not released and was assured by the rep that it will be released that same day.. Again i waited until August 15th and called to see if they released the title. I was told again the title was not released and again was assured it will be released again this day. On August 16th i again called to see if title was released and the rep refused to tell me if the title was released or not. I asked to speak to a manager and was told none was available...Pennsylvania is in the ELT program which means the lienholder is required to immediately perform an electronic transaction to release the lien when a loan is paid off. THIS IS MANDATORY FOR ALL LENDERS. First Commonwealth credit union has failed in the obligation in this law...and have cost me valuable time In which i could have sold this vehicle but not my buyer couldnt wait any longer and purchased a different vehilce. I ask that the titel be released and that FIrst Commonwealth Credit Union pay me a late fee of $35.00 for failure to obey the ELT process and delaying title costing me a sale of this vehicle.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/13/2022

  We released the member’s title and responded to the member in a letter explaining the delay.