Golden 1 Credit Union

That’s it, I’m SO done with Golden 1! Currently in the process of switching all my personal & family business interests to another local credit union (Self Help FCU). Rewind to Christmas Eve ’15…last minute Christmas shopping @ Wal Mart and the bank shuts down my ATM card due to «fraud concerns.» It wasn’t fraud, it was ME! It was off-​hours, so there was no way to contact the credit union at that moment to remedy. Had to issue I.O.U.‘s on Christmas for gifts, a major embarrassment. And this smart-​chip ATM card you recently sent me is good for??? Best response they could muster was, «We’re sorry.» That’s not near good enough. I’m sorry for YOU, as you just lost a great customer. Take that sorry & stick it where the sun don’t shine Golden 1!

Literally the worst «bank» ever. So bad, in fact, that they sent me screaming back to Bank of America (the only bank I’ve known).
1) Old school style ATM outside wasn’t accepting cash deposits for OVER A WEEK. That is 1 week longer than an acceptable timeframe for getting that machine fixed. This isn’t a third world country, guys. It is, however, the only Golden 1 branch in Vallejo, so I guess too fucking bad if you want to use your cash and you happen to show up after hours.
2) ABSURD HOLDS: Can’t even deposit a check within your first 30 days of having an account without a hold of a week or more. What’s the point? And why? This is one of those small things that contributes to the feeling that they’re afraid you might be a criminal, so they need to be EXTRA sure you won’t fuck them over. Like how if you get a secured credit card, you give them $ 375 but can only use $ 250 of it, and then, because secured credit cards are for people trying to rebuild their credit, I am assumed to be a risk great enough to un-​enroll me from the program that will cover debits to your checking account if they put your balance below $ 0. Instead, for degenerates like me, «restrictions» on the secured card mean that the charge is simply REJECTED, a.k.a. returned check fee + late fee on top of the overdraft fee everyone would pay. Increased chance of missing payments to my creditors seems like exactly what someone looking to rebuild their credit needs.
This is a basic service of most banks. This is what you keep your money there for: To be able to have luxuries like that available in better managing your money. Besides… they have the balls to hold onto my money as long as they damn well please, meanwhile I can’t do simple bank things without some secret fee or complication or fine print.
3) HOLDS in the form of unacceptably slow delivery of debit card and checks when opening an account. Are they shipping these from Siberia? I have a hard time believing they need 14 days to print a piece of plastic and send it in an envelope. Just amazing to me how they’ll take their time when you’re the one who has to wait for the money, but when it’s them, they’ll make sure they get their money right away! Anyway, I didn’t anticipate waiting quite so long when I opened my account, so my first week as a Golden 1 customer was spent cursing them because I gave them a large sum of cash to go in my account, and I thought I’d be able to use by now. I know Golden 1 *can* do better — anyone can — but like everything else I’ve observed, the only thing these scam artists seem to be concerned with is keeping their costs down.
4) Impractical and inconvenient compared to most other banks. Kinda feels like they’re stuck a decade behind everyone else. Their telephone reps are only available until 7 PM. WTF? This is the year 2015 — any credible financial institution has a 24-​hour support line. TD Bank is open until 6 or 7 at most branches. GET WITH IT, GOLDEN 1.
5) Reps on phone (and on online banking, unless you view details) give inaccurate balances that got me in trouble. They give you the balance before all those pending transactions — so, whatever your balance was 2 days ago, since nothing from the past 2 days has posted yet. BofA reps, however, always gave me the balance considering any pending transactions. Since, you know, that’s the number that is actually relevant to the customer. Very tricky,
6) And finally, I could do without the attitude that comes across where they are suspicious of us and basically just assume we are morons who
And stop treating customers you say you want to help like they’re morons and criminals.
No thanks. I had no idea what I took for granted at BofA. Maybe all the people who like Golden 1 have literally never had a bank account before. 13 years at BofA proves that banks are snakes as we thought all along, but that’s to be expected — they don’t have to be snakes AND have unacceptably poor service. If BofA can post transactions on the same business day when received before 8 PM, Golden 1 can do a whole lot better than this 2 day business hour racket that is clearly designed to maximize the VOLUME of fees you are charged, despite those fees being «low.»
STAY FAR, FAR AWAY. I don’t usually rant like this but these people are thieves, plain and simple.

They have the most incompetent service I’ve ever dealt with. They give me wrong information all the time, their staff appears to be clueless. I’ve had to mail several forms to them, repeatedly because they don’t know what they are doing. Their online services are atrocious and doing anything that doesn’t deal with them taking your money is worse than being dragged against a bed of nails!
They might as well not even suggest that they can do online banking, they can’t. Don’t expect a competent banking system with this credit union.

I truly wish zero stars was an option. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE. Always a line, usually only one teller working at any given time and the other staff look at you derisively and dismiss any suggestion they get off their ass from behind a desk and actually do something to help. The ONLY reason I ever come here is to make a deposit in a client’s account, and that’s only because I have no choice. Not only that, this is the only financial institution I have ever dealt with that requires photo identification to make a deposit. Not a withdrawal, a DEPOSIT. The name and account number are correct, just put the money in. Also… what’s with the hand written carbon copy receipts? This is the 21^st century, get with it.

After being a Customer at Golden 1 for a few months now my views have changed. Recently I had a problem with Direct Deposit. The People at my Golden 1 Branch in Vallejo did a fantastic job getting everything straightened out. Thanks Golden 1

So I bought a new truck last month and the dealership sent me to golden1 to do my loan with them. At first I wasn’t too sure. I’ve always had the same bank for everything. So I thought ok this time I’ll try something new. To my surprise I’m actually very happy with the bank. All the ladies there working are very nice and know their stuff. I’ve been helped by different people and I always get the same answers. Everyone seems to be on the same page. Very happy so far.

A horrible horrible bank. Uncaring and unhelpful. A friend had to leave town for his dad’s funeral and asked me to deposit his check. They put a hold on all but $ 200, and since it was the Friday before a holiday weekend, the «two day» hold basically meant he would not get his money till Wednesday. A five day hold. And no one in the whole system cared – not the 877 number not the teller, not the managers. And of course they did not tell me there would be a hold… he had to find that out, three thousand miles away. And I had to drive around all day trying (unsuccessfully!) to work it out. A horrible horrible place. Do not bank there unless you really do not need your money in case of an emergency. (I use bank of the west and mechanics bank. Both have been awesome in similar situations)

Absolutely worst place around. I left my debit card (from another bank) in the ATM. The branch manager could care less… She confirmed my card was there but it’s a «rule» if you don’t bank there even with ID that they can’t give it to you? Now I have to run around town to get another card. I called corporate and got another person who didn’t care either. I work in retail management and this was the worst service and biggest inconvenience. I will tell all my friends and family to never bank there or even use a machine of theirs. I get the fraud aspect but really? Showing your sympathy might go a long way rather than the nasty attitude! Horrible! Horrible! Horrible!

Rarely I go to a teller. Everything I do is electronically or online. It happens during this visit I needed to do a minor complex transaction that an ATM or online banking can’t do.
As I entered, there was only one person ahead of me and I didn’t wait that long. Speaking with the teller was an easy experience. She did exactly what I needed to be done and I was on my way. That’s the kind of service I like.
There’s nothing special about this particular branch, but overall I’ve been pleased with the services they provide. I’ve been banking with Golden1 for years and ever since I will never consider going back to a non credit union. I only wish they had more branches, but then again they are affiliated with other banks that can serve you as well.

they need more employees

Do not get an Auto loan with Golden1

My experience with this branch was equally as pleasant as their Fairfield location. My FIL drops by here as well if necessary when we’re in the area. ATM located out front too.
Golden 1 keep up the good work…