Seattle Credit Union

They used to deny charges if there weren't enough funds to cover them. Now they're charging a $28 penalty if this occurs. It was mentioned that previously they had just been rejecting the charge, but they evaded the topic. It was very difficult to extract this information from them. I had to print a screenshot of their own rules. They said that you'll get a charge either way when they hadn't been doing that. My other bank does not charge a penalty; they just reject the charge. It seems dishonest to me.

This used to be a good credit union. It is not now. After someone forged my check and SCU waffled around for months, they sent me a denial for reimbursement because it was after 60 days. If they had responded in a timely manner, this would never have happened. It's like being slapped then slapped again for amusement. Take your money somewhere else!

Seattle Credit Union uses a third party for credit cards. My account was compromised on February 5, 2024, and they placed a hold on my account. Despite this, on February 6, 2024, two transactions went through. I now have to pay for these transactions.

This is the second compromise in 14 months.

I do not recommend doing business with Seattle Credit Union.

I absolutely love this credit union. I joined Seattle Credit Union in 2016 after they came up with a vehicle refinance rate *half* of the closest bank or credit union anywhere else when I used the rate searching service Rate Genius. Since that time, I have opened their credit card, credit lines, moved my mortgage, HELOC and checking/savings there. Why? Because unlike any other bank or credit union I have ever used, they actually treated me like a human and earned my business. Like many people, I have had some student loan issues in my past. When I got my car the best they could find was 11 pct. — but when I started looking into refinancing, the Rate Genius agent said “there is one credit union that will offer you refinancing at 5% — everyone else is at least 9 — and that is Seattle Credit Union”. I immediately moved the car there — and then noticed the Feel Good Checking, which gives you 6 pct. on the first $500 on checking and a few percent after that — no minimum balance and no fees — so I figured I’d give it a shot… my previous bank refused to give me an overdraft protection line of credit due to the previous student loan issues — Seattle Credit Union offered me a very generous one.

Since then, I have ended up moving my primary banking relationship there. The student loan credit issues I had are now gone, and I am in a much better financial place — but Seattle Credit Union still has my business. I have *never* felt judged or belittled or talked down to by these people unlike various other banks or credit unions (WSECU, Twinstar)… they simply have amazing rates and their underwriters understand that sometimes things happen. Their online banking is excellent, and they provide pretty much every banking service I’ve needed. They don’t play games about delaying funds. My only complaint? Sometimes it takes a while on hold to reach someone… big deal. Where is this not the case these days? The people and service make up for it.

If you are shopping for a new financial institution, I seriously can’t recommend these guys enough. When you read financial advice that says “look into a local credit union, they may be able to provide lower rates and more flexible underwriting” — SCU is exactly that.

Left hand doesn't know what right hand is doing. "Managers are in a meeting."
Been having an issue trying to pay my car loan with SCU for 2+ weeks. They send me whackoid emails saying my account "is now available to view." Huh? So what? They use a third-party to handle their transactions..why? Because they're incapable of doing it themselves? And due to my "returned" payments my credit score is taking a hit. TERRIBLE Customer Service!

Terrible customer service, I was hung up on by a rude Spanish speaking woman! She treated me like a kid!! Terrible interest rates as wel!

I pay all of my bills with my Seattle credit union visa card, i get points that I can turn in for cash or travel or work out equipment or electronics.
I pay it off every month and just bank my points until spring training starts then i redeem them for air travel.

They make it very difficult to make a credit card payment you can't just log in and pay with your debit card. You have to go in to a office or pay by mail.

Wish I had financed with literally anyone else. First off, incredibly confusing customer facing software. Online banking doesn't really exist. The make a payment portal is really weird to get to, and it doesn't show you why your amount is what it is (Ie car installment august, car installment september). The customer service isnt great either. In my experience they just walk circles around what you actually want help with. You cant change your payment date over the phone, but need to fill out a paper form? Which is entirely inconvenient when you live 30 minutes away from the closest branch. Also, you don't get notifications if your payment didn't go through for whatever reason. If you're like me, and occasionally put money into the wrong bank account you could be defaulting on a payment and wouldn't know until a month later. I would literally rather take a cheese grater to my own feet, swim an Olympic marathon in lemon juice, and then take a refreshing walk on a hot bed of coals than I would deal with Seattle Credit Union.

I have been with Seattle Credit Union since I was a kid, and I have never experienced such bad banking experiences until these last few months. Although it's still pandemic, it's the only bank that I bank with where you can only bank through drive thru (Georgetown) to this day. All other places, I can go in person, with all the safety measures, to get service. The drive thru line is extremely slow, and takes 40 min to an hour or more to even reach the window.

On my most recent experience, when I went to withdraw money from the drive thru, the bank shorted me $30, and when I called bank, they said that they were not short on their till and essentially called me a liar. I have never been so frustrated and upset. I've never been called a liar, and for a credit union that I have been with for four decades, I am extremely disappointed and frankly insulted to be called this. I don't recommend banking with Seattle Credit Union at all.

UPDATE 5/5/21: A customer service rep called and was extremely helpful, understanding, and actually listened. Raising rating from 1 star to 3 to reflect customer service rep, but keeping it at 3 because of my overall experience at the branch.

They got an insurance pay out and a gap insurance pay out on February 20 2020 for my auto loan. the remaining balance was 68.00 $ I never received any bill or notice. by February 25 2020 they added 22.00 $ interest, a 25.00 $ late fee, and also tried to charge my bank account a 438.00 $ amount which is over 300.00 $ more then what I owe! I paid 30.00 $ to the bank to deny the payment and then seattle credit union added a 45.00 $ fee for a returned payment. plus once I pay the final bill they want an extra 35.00 $ to release the title to the vehicle that has been paid off. I feel like they are trying to steal from me what they are doing does not feel legal. especially trying to take 300.00 $ more out of my account, without my permission or any kind of notice

This is for my car loan. They got an insurance pay out and a gap insurance pay out on February 20 2020 for my auto loan. the remaining balance was 68.00 $ I never received any bill or notice. by February 25 2020 they added 22.00 $ interest, a 25.00 $ late fee, and also tried to charge my bank account a 438.00 $ amount which is over 300.00 $ more then what I owe! I paid 30.00 $ to the bank to deny the payment and then seattle credit union added a 45.00 $ fee for a returned payment. plus once I pay the final bill they want an extra 35.00 $ to release the title to the vehicle that has been paid off. I feel like they are trying to steal from me what they are doing does not feel legal. especially trying to take 300.00 $ more out of my account, without my permission or any kind of notice

We've been with SCU for many years now, but ultimately we are planning to switch to another institution. We are not satisfied with many of their practices, including withdrawal & deposit ordering, overdrafting, credit card policy, auto-pay systems, bill pay, and lack of technological advances including mobile wallet and fraud detection. Really in almost every area we've had an issue at some point.

Many of their policies seem fee-focused, and actually perpetuate debt instead of helping members out of it. We can't recommend SCU to anybody at this point.

Huge fan of my credit union - I have never felt like an obstacle the staff had to contend with the way I always did at Bank Of America. They go out of their way to help with my banking and there is never any unwanted hard-sell of products I have no need for. There are four branches in Seattle so I can usually find one close by if I need it and as an added incentive they've had coffee and cookies available to customers a number of times I've been in.

If I had any complaint it would be that they have a long way to go with online banking services, it isn't close to being on a par with what big banks have.