Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Patelco Credit Union's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 91 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 36 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe 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:07/13/2024
Type: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.
Patelco Credit Union shut down due to cyber attack.They refuse:- Online account access - Confirm account balances - Transfer MY MONEY out of Patelco - Share what personal information was stolen during cyber attack Steps taken:Complaint with NCUA - refused Multiple calls to customer service - no result Letter to Customer Experience - no result ********************************** and *****************************************)Letter to CEO ********************* - no reply/result. **********************************
Business Response
Date: 07/15/2024
July 15, 2024
Dear Mr. ****************** have received your complaint to the Better Business Bureau. Please refer to our email sent on July 15,2024, and continue to review our dedicated website at www.patelco.org/securityupdate for future updates.
Sincerely,
***************************
Senior Member Experience SpecialistInitial Complaint
Date:07/11/2024
Type: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 June 29, 2024 I tried logging into my account and couldnt no explanation why I couldnt. The following day I received an email stating that Patelco had been hacked. Due to this issue I am late on bills and have received late fees. Ive been with the bank for three years no issues but now my personal information has been leaked and no way to withdrawal funds due to bank hours being closed when I get off. This is a huge inconvenience and headache and my Bo is sky high because of this. Its unfair and not right. How can this get fixed?Business Response
Date: 07/16/2024
Dear *************************,
We received your complaint from the Better Business Bureau on July 11, 2024, regarding the security incident.
As of July 15, most of our systems are back up and running. This includes access to your account, balance,and the ability to move money via online banking, the Mobile App, and Patelco branches. Please be assured that we expect to make the remaining services available in the coming days as part of our multi-step plan to full restoration.
During the period of our security incident, multiple communications were sent to members via email providing information on ways members still had access to their funds and the functionality available on how to pay bills. As part of our ongoing communication,an email was sent by our CEO, *********************, on July 13th that provides further details of what to expect now that we have restored most functionality
Additionally, were removing most of our fees for July and August automatically and reimbursing many third-party fees related to late payments on other bills caused by this security incident. To learn more on how to request a fee reimbursement you incurred, please visit our dedicated webpage: (www.patelco.org/securityupdate).
Please know the investigation into this incident is ongoing. Were committed to providing transparent and frequent updates to our membership through email communications as well as our dedicated webpage as we learn more information. If we discover that your information was impacted as a result of this incident, we will notify you directly.
We have also created a dedicated Security Incident hotline to help assist and make things easier for members. They are available 8am to 6pm Monday-Friday. To contact them, please call ************, press # during the main menu and then 3030.
We sincerely apologize for the disruption that this cyber-attack has caused you and our members. We appreciate your patience, understanding and most of all your membership. We are here to support you through this challenging time and appreciate your continued support.
Sincerely,*********************************
Senior Member Experience Specialist
Customer Answer
Date: 07/17/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*************************Initial Complaint
Date:07/10/2024
Type: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.
After Patelco Credit Union experienced a "serious security incident" on 06/29/2024, they have stopped providing online access, mobile access, or even any account balances via any communication means (chat, phone, in-person at a branch, etc.), to their members. In addition, Patelco appears to maintain radio silence about the true progress of their investigation and about even an approximate ETR. This is unacceptable and inexcusable.Business Response
Date: 07/16/2024
July 16, 2024
Dear ********************,
We received your complaint from the Better Business Bureau on July 11, 2024, regarding the security incident.
As of July 15, most of our systems are back up and running. This includes access to your account, balance, and the ability to move money via online banking, the Mobile App, and Patelco branches. Please be assured that we expect to make the remaining services available in the coming days as part of our multi-step plan to full restoration.
During the period of our security incident, multiple communications were sent to members via email providing information on ways members still had access to their funds and the functionality available on how to pay bills. As part of our ongoing communication, an email was sent by our CEO, *********************, on July 13th that provides further details of what to expect now that we have restored most functionality.
We are working on eStatement access and will contact members soon. We dont know the date when this will be available in online banking. However, all members can expect to receive a printed account statement (during the month of July) for the month of June, which will include transactions from June 1 July 15. After that, Patelco will work on statements for July 16 31; were presently working on the details of delivery for these statements.
Additionally, were removing most of our fees for July and August automatically and reimbursing many third-party fees related to late payments on other bills caused by this security incident. To learn more on how to request a fee reimbursement you incurred, please visit our dedicated webpage: (www.patelco.org/securityupdate).Please know the investigation into this incident is ongoing. Were committed to providing transparent and frequent updates to our membership through email communications as well as our dedicated webpage (www.patelco.org/securityupdate) as we learn more information. If we discover that your information was impacted as a result of this incident, we will notify you directly.
We have also created a dedicated Security Incident hotline to help assist and make things easier for members. They are available 8am to 6pm Monday-Friday. To contact them, please call ************, press # during the main menu and then 3030.
We sincerely apologize for the disruption that this cyber-attack has caused you and our members. We truly do appreciate your membership, your patience and most importantly, your support during this time.
Sincerely,
***************************
Senior Member Experience Specialist
Initial Complaint
Date:07/10/2024
Type: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.
Since 6/29/2024 Patelco credit union wont let me access my money or provide my account balance.Business Response
Date: 07/15/2024
July 15, 2024
Dear ******************,
We received your complaint from the Better Business Bureau on July 10, 2024 regarding the security incident.As of today, July 15, most of our systems are back up and running. This includes access to your account, balance, and the ability to move money via online banking, the Mobile App, and Patelco branches. Please be assured that we expect to make the remaining services available in the coming days as part of our multi-step plan to full restoration.
An email was sent by our CEO, *********************, on July 13th that provides further details of what to expect now that we have restored most functionality. Additionally, we have created a dedicated Security Incident hotline to help assist and make things easier for members. They are available 8am to 6pm Monday-Friday. To contact them, please call ************, press # during the main menu and then 3030.
For future updates, continue to refer to our email communications as well as our dedicated webpage: www.patelco.org/securityupdate.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this cyber-attack has caused for our members. We truly do appreciate your membership, your patience and most importantly, your support during this time.
Sincerely,***************************
Senior Member Experience SpecialistInitial Complaint
Date:07/07/2024
Type: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 filled out a loan application and I got denied due to my my credit on my Experian how did you run a credit check with my credit file frozenBusiness Response
Date: 07/22/2024
July 22, 2024
Dear **********************,
We received your complaint from the Better Business Bureau on July 8,2024, regarding a denied loan application. Upon receipt, a review of the credit application was completed, and the outcome is as follows:
Our records indicate you submitted a Personal Loan application through our website on July 7, 2024, and noted this was for business purposes. Patelco does not currently offer personal loans for business; therefore, the application was declined. As a result of the credit freeze you had set up, no credit report pull was completed.
Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to review this matter.
Sincerely,
***************************
Senior Member Experience SpecialistInitial Complaint
Date:07/06/2024
Type: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 became a patelco credit union member in 2023 in May of 30 of 2024 patelco credit union bank sent me a email stating that if I wanted to continue with my application for membership that I would have to go in person to a branch and provide and id social security card proof of address which don't make no sense since I did all that when I opened my account in 2023 well they restricted my account didn't expect my ID nor my employer requesting for my direct deposit back because I couldn't touch my money they denied my employer the ability to do that now I'm getting evicted about to lose my job all because they did this this bank is the worst ever I'm talking them to court because they refuse to close my account and want to keep my moneyBusiness Response
Date: 07/23/2024
July 23, 2024
Dear ************,
We received your complaint from the Better Business Bureau on July 8, 2024. Upon receipt, an investigation was completed, and the outcome is as follows:
Our records indicate a Patelco membership application was submitted online on 1/28/2024 for 2 *************** accounts using a CA Drivers License number ending in 5561. However, an application for an additional *************** was submitted online on 3/1/2024 and another for a Free Checking on 3/2/2024 using a Drivers License number that mismatched your previous application.
On 5/25/2024, you made a $412.50 mobile deposit with a check payable to a third party, ****** Szutu, who is not listed on your account. Most of these funds were used upon an ATM withdrawal and various purchases this same day. The following day, on 5/26/2024, you completed another mobile deposit for a $2146.52 with a check payable to a third-party,************************* Funeral Home. This activity triggered a fraud alert, and a review of these recent mobile deposits were conducted. Both deposits were reversed from your Free Checking account ending in suffix 10 on 5/28/2024 and led to a negative $329.50 balance.
Due to the conflicting identifying information used during your application process and the third-party deposits, a restriction was placed on your membership on 5/28/2024. A Fraud Prevention Analyst sent you an email on 5/29/2024 notifying you that you must present specific identity-verification documents in person at a branch for you to be able to continue using your Patelco membership. These documents included your State/Federal ID, SSN card, and proof of residence.
In response to the email sent from Patelcos Fraud Prevention Analyst, you visited a Patelco Branch to provide documents. During this visit, you presented a CA Drivers license image stored on your mobile device that was not a match to either CA Drivers Licenses input in your January and March 2024 applications. You also provided a Social Security card and a PG&E bill for proof of residence. The team member who assisted you advised you that your physical CA Drivers license would need to be provided in lieu of the image presented on your phone. You returned later that day with a US Permanent Residency Card.
All the identifying documents were provided to our Fraud Prevention team, and it was confirmed these documents provided were inauthentic. You were advised that the documents you presented were not sufficient to verify your identity, and the account would remain restricted.
On 5/30/2024, a direct deposit from Caymus Vineyards in the amount of $1607.87 was received and posted by Patelco Credit Union. Once you were advised that your identifying documentation was not sufficient, you requested Patelco to return the direct deposit in the amount of $1607.87 to Caymus Vineyards. This request was denied because you were unable to positively confirm your identity.
************, we regret to hear about your hardships as a result of the inability to access your direct deposit; however, we have provided you with clear instructions on how to resolve this situation. If you are unable to provide authentic documents proving your identity, we would recommend you work with your employer to request the return of your direct deposit. For Patelco Credit Union to return the remaining funds from the direct deposit, Caymus Vineyards must provide us with an Indemnity Agreement requesting the return of funds. As of the date of this letter, I have provided a form to Caymus Vineyards to complete.
Alternatively, Caymus Vineyards can put the following information in an email request and Patelco Credit Union will mail a check directly to them based on the instructions provided.
1.)Date of Deposit
2.)Amount of Deposit
3.)Name of Account ************************
4.)Account # where deposit was sent to
******** name and address of where the check should be sent with the reason.The email should be sent directly from Caymus Vineyards to **************************************.
Thank you for the opportunity to address this matter with you.
*************************
Director, Member Experience and Financial Well-BeingInitial Complaint
Date:07/04/2024
Type: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 have been trying to make a payment for my loans and credit card. I have nit been able to access my account ******** mobile app or the *** or the branch itself. How am I supposed to post payment if I CANNOT access my accounts?Business Response
Date: 07/11/2024
Good afternoon, *************************,
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns during this challenging time. We deeply regret the difficulties youre experiencing due to this ransomware attack. Rest assured, we are here to support you and all of our members as we work to bring our systems back online safely.
Based on the information I can access, your Passage Rewards Mastercard is not due until July 15, 2024, and your Personal Loan is not due until July 20, 2024. Each of these loans comes with a 10-day grace ******* It appears both loans are paid via an external transfer (ACH). These types of payments are being posted, so you should expect to see those debits from your other financial institution early next week. If you decide you would like to make a check payment, the branches are able to accept checks for loan payments.
I would also like to share some good news with you. We have recently stabilized our network and have begun processing transactions.Once this process is complete, and we achieve full banking functionality,members will be able to access their account balance and accounts as they typically would under normal circumstances. I cant share the exact date yet,but we are continuing to march diligently forward to full restoration. Continue to check our website dedicated to the security incident at: *************************************************** where we will share the announcement when systems are restored.
We recognize the position our members are in and appreciate your patience and understanding as we prioritize our members through this difficult time.
Warm Regards,
*************************
Director of Member Experience
Patelco Credit Union
Customer Answer
Date: 07/11/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*********************Initial Complaint
Date:07/03/2024
Type: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 cant check my balances in my bank. Nobody can look up my balance! We are not able to check or see our numbers (money/balances) going on day 5! Its crazy. Over half a million people cant see their money at all, or call. Not even the bank can retrieve our balances!Business Response
Date: 07/08/2024
Dear Ms. *************************************************************** is in receipt of your complaint to the BBB. We appreciate the feedback you have provided and want to thank you for being a member with Patelco Credit Union.
As you are probably now aware, on June 29, 2024, Patelco experienced a cybersecurity incident, which we have now confirmed (July 1) was a ransomware attack. Unfortunately, this incident required us to proactively shut down some of our day-to-day banking systems in order to contain and remediate the issue.
Please know that we have engaged a leading third-party cybersecurity forensic firm to help us to investigate and recover as quickly as possible. Please know that our team and third-party partners are working around the clock to get us back up and running, which will allow you to see your balances. We are committed to providing transparent and frequent updates to the best of our ability.
******************, we sincerely apologize for the stress and disruption this cyber-attack has caused for you and our members. We truly appreciate your patience and support during this difficult time.
For the most recent updates, please visit our Security Incident Update page at patelco.org.
Warm Regards,
*************************
Director of Member Experience and Financial Wellbeing
Patelco Credit Union
******************************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/01/2024
Type: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.
My one 800 number is listed on their website and on ****** and on BBB One ************ is register to my business AmericanGreaseTrappers.com Ive called them many times and tried to contact them to no avail. I get plagued with their Unhappy customer phone calls 10 to 20 times a day. This is extremely unfair. Please take their phone number off as it is mine!!Business Response
Date: 07/19/2024
Dear Mr. *** Filippo,
Patelco Credit Union has identified the area in which our business number was documented incorrectly as ************, versus ************. We are taking the necessary steps to update this information to prevent further unnecessary calls from being directed to your business.
Thank you so much for escalating this issue, and allowing me the chance to address it for you.
Sincerely,
*************************
Director- Member Experience & Financial Wellbeing
Patelco Credit Union
Customer Answer
Date: 07/19/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
**** San *******Initial Complaint
Date:06/29/2024
Type: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 have savings and checking with Patelco and just recently have been concerned about their systems. Today, 6/29/24, their entire system is down. You cannot use any of their services at all. And while I realize technology is NOT perfect, Patelco has not made any actual customer service agents available to quell concerns. It is very un nerving to have zero access to funds and no communications other than, we are working on it and apologize for the problems. This is a huge inconvenience and they need to have a back up plan in place.Business Response
Date: 07/08/2024
Dear *********************,
Thank you for contacting the BBB and sharing your concerns regarding our recent outage.
As you are probably now aware, on June 29, 2024, Patelco Credit Union experienced a cybersecurity incident, which we have now confirmed (on July 1) is a ransomware attack. Unfortunately, this incident required us to proactively shut down some of our day-to-day banking systems in order to contain and remediate the issue.
Members can still access cash from ATMs and in branch. Currently, members can access the funds from their direct deposit by writing a check, using an ATM card to get cash or make purchases. Our branches and call center are open and operating regular business hours, although members can expect longer than usual wait times. Please note, Patelco employees have limited access to individual account details at this time.
For the most recent updates on the incident, please review our Security Incident Update page at patelco.org. This page will be updated as information becomes available.
Thank you so much for your valued membership with us. I appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
Warm Regards,*************************
Director of Member Experience and Financial Wellbeing
Patelco Credit Union
Customer Answer
Date: 07/09/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference tocomplaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
*****************
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