Guardian Credit Union
Reviews and Complaints

Guardian Credit Union is the worst credit union ever! The customer service is terrible and they don't even tell you that you'll have a savings account when you open a car loan. They put my money in an account I didn't know about. Now I can't get my money back without an account number! I never used or knew about this account! They should be closed down right away!

Horrible customer service. They answer fast for new accounts. Getting them on the phone after the sale is near impossible. You'll get lost in phone prompts and spend hours on the phone. Don't ever expect to speak with anyone at the branch either. No direct numbers at all. All calls are through the automated system which is outdated and makes mistakes sending you to the wrong departments. I just spent 2 hours on the phone and accomplished NOTHING. They have lost touch with genuine customer service.

I told Guardian about my situation and that I was trying my best to make payments. I hardly ever had to miss a payment, but this time something tragic happened and I had no choice. I explained that I had to miss a payment and why, but the lady was really rude! I'm gonna tell everyone to never use Guardian because Max Credit union is much better! I'm done with Guardian!

My father recently passed away on 2/21. Unfortunately, his identity got messed up. I had an autopsy done on my father, so it took a while to get a death certificate. As the only next of kin, my brother and I were appointed as Executors of my father's estate. However, Guardian Credit Union didn't cooperate and refused to provide us with any details about my father's accounts. They let the account stay open and let others access it.

I deposited 4 checks on 4/29 at 9:23am for 1,585.00. My balance became 2,163.86. Checks were put on hold 2 hours later. I deposited 4 checks on 4/29 at 9:23am for 1,585.00. My balance was 578.86 before that. When I tried to pay bills, my debit card got declined. They took the whole deposit out and put it on hold for 3 days, even though there was enough money to cover the other 3 checks. I never had any issues until about a year ago. I just don't get it. How can they hold my deposits and then lie about it? None of my checks have ever bounced. EVER!

My account was fraudulently used by unknown people to make $7000 in transactions to Wise Transfer without my permission or knowledge. I filed a dispute and waited two months to be told that *** sent in supported information and they couldn't do anything about it and I would have to dispute with ***. I already tried to dispute with *** who told me they couldn't even find the transactions. I gave this information to Guardian and they still say they can't do anything about it. My money was stolen and you all allowed it. Even after the company admitted they couldn't find the transactions or who they came from. I plan to report you all as soon as possible.

I went to Guardian Credit Union to open a checking account because my family members recommended it. When I arrived, I was told to wait for *** to finish helping another client. However, just as *** was finishing up, a man walked in and *** immediately started assisting him, even though I had been waiting for 15 minutes already. After 35 minutes, *** finally finished helping the gentleman and called me into her office. She asked how she could assist me today, and I mentioned that I had initially wanted to open a checking account but was now unsure after being kept waiting for an additional 35 minutes while someone who arrived after me was helped first. *** left the office and returned with the branch ***. In a rude manner, she threw my DL and SS card across the desk and told me to open an account somewhere else. I believe I was treated this way because of my disability.

Me and my hubby opened an account with Guardian Credit Union when I bought my ride and they were the ones who lent me the dough. Unfortunately, my hubby got locked up in 2019, leaving me to deal with two loans all by myself. I went to their branch and had a chat with one of their peeps, asking for any help to keep paying off the loans. But guess what? They turned me down for a loan extension, refinancing, or even suspending one loan while I focused on the other. I somehow managed to keep up with the payments until recently. It's been a real pain to get in touch with them 'cause my work hours don't match up with their banking hours. Finally, I had to find someone to cover for me at the clinic just so I could make a call. I told them that I'll be getting some money from a family member's death in a month, but they still won't work with me. And to top it off, they keep taking payments from my account without giving me any notice.

Deceivin practices: I started financing my car since 2016. I always had just liability insurance and until now they change the policy and charge me $200. I have been dealing with this for 2 months and called guardian at least 8 times. Every time I called they changed the story and they either didnt have something or needed something else. Until last Friday 2/14, someone finally gave me the correct information and told me I just needed to add collision and comprehensive on my insurance and that was the reason I was being charged the extra $100 a month. So you waited for 3 years to realize I didnt have collision and comprehensive? And tell me you sent notices? So, why wasnt this addressed during all the times I called? Why until the last time I call? So you can keep charging me this unnecessarily? I want my $200 refunded.

One day, I visited the local bank branch to request a replacement debit card. The branch was having printing issues, and after several attempts, I was advised to visit another branch to pick up my card. They mentioned a profile was created, and I just needed to inform the staff at that location to print it. At this branch, I had the opportunity to select my pin multiple times. The associates at both locations were great, and I appreciated their service despite the long travel time between branches. On Friday June 25th, I attempted to use the new debit card, but none of the pins worked, including my previous and newly selected ones. I contacted Guardian and they suggested visiting the downtown branch, but I refused due to prior inconveniences and being charged for a non-functional card. I also wanted to avoid the downtown location because of the staff's poor attitudes. I have made considerable efforts to obtain a new card.

The transactions were from March 1 through March 8. It was cash app transactions that I didn't do. Someone had my phone and made the transaction payments to their cash app. I filed a dispute with cash app and the bank, but both were denied. I called the bank again to see what I need to prove that I didn't do the transactions. The bank said it was out of their hands and to contact cash app. I kept filing a dispute, but kept getting denied. So, I called the bank again asking what I need to do and they said file a police report. I did that and asked if I can give it to the bank, but they said no. I have to solve this on my own. I was upset because that's a lot of money to just let go. I told them over and over again that I didn't do this, but it's like whatever. I was still doing transactions in between because I didn't realize this until it was too late and the person doing it stopped coming around me. I haven't heard from that person, so I just want my money back to my account. I wouldn't keep trying to call and file a complaint if I did this. The bank also told me that I have to get my money back from cash app.

I visited the main branch drive-thru of Guardian Credit Union in Alabama to make a deposit. I have a savings account shared with my girlfriend, which I've maintained for over 18 years. On December 17th, I deposited money but learned my account was in collections. They accepted my deposit but allocated the funds to another account. At my usual branch in Montgomery, Alabama, I discovered my girlfriend's name is on her nephew's delinquent account, which I was unaware of. Consequently, my deposit was used to cover his overdue payments. This man has no connection to me, and the credit union knows the funds are mine. As a social security recipient, this mix-up was distressing. I've had loans with them before and always repaid them. My girlfriend was added to my account in 2012 for emergency management, but I married in 2013 and became a widower in 2018. I didn't realize her name remained on my account. I'm disappointed with Guardian Credit Union for misusing my deposit and hope they prevent future occurrences.

I've had a checking and savings account with Guardian for a couple of years and I've been happy with the customer service I received when I opened my account. When my daughters started working and got jobs, I went and opened accounts for them. I was told that because they were minors, they could only have accounts in their names with me as a co-signer. They have separate account numbers that are different from mine. I was never told about the right of offset. Recently, I became briefly unemployed due to taking two weeks off to take care of my husband, who got very sick with COVID-19 during an outbreak at his automotive plant job. We fell behind financially. My daughter, who will be 16 years old in August, is an honor roll student and has been working part-time for almost a year now. She has been very responsible during this difficult time. She received her paycheck two weeks ago and put $*** in savings and had about $*** in her checking account after making a few back-to-school purchases. Guardian took ALL of her paycheck that she worked for. When I called, I was told that this is legal due to the rule of offset. My personal checking account was overdrawn and the bank took my child's paycheck without any notice of the actions that would be taken when my personal checking account was overdrawn. After I spoke to a representative, she explained that my account is now closed and they can legally do this. She also said that now that we have spoken and set up arrangements, my daughter's account will not be touched again. I asked several times if my daughter's account would be taken from again without notice or consent and was told that this would not happen again. After being told that the money could not be returned, later that night my daughter told me that the $*** from her checking account had been returned. I checked and this was true. However, the $*** was never returned. Two weeks later, her entire paycheck of $*** was taken again.

On April 9, 2023, I did my account stuff online. I wanted to pay my monthly bills, so I sent $38.07 from my Guardian Credit Union account to Primo/Crystal Springs Water. But for some reason, instead of taking $38.07, their system took the whole $66.17. I noticed this and contacted customer service the next day, on 4/10/23. They saw the transaction and I told them I only wanted to pay $38.07. I asked if they could separate the payment, but they said no because it was already being processed. I told them I used the "How much do you want to Pay" box, so why did it take the whole amount? They seemed confused too! So I asked if they could reverse the charge, and they did it while I was on the phone with them on 4/10/23. They said it might take 5 to 8 business days for the money to be back in my account, depending on my bank. But now it's June 1, and the money is still not in my account. I followed the instructions given by the Guardian Credit Union staff, but there's still no solution. They emailed me a claim form, which I filled out and sent back. Then I got an email from someone named *** who said she needed more info. I sent her the invoice from the company and asked her to fax it. But they never got it on the other end. On 4/27/23, I took the documents to another branch and talked to *** (on 4/27/23). He asked me to wait while he faxed the info again and got a receipt before I left. But still, nothing happened! I tried again and went to the branch on May 15, 2023, with the same documents. Since then, I paid the invoice, but I'm still waiting for the reversal in my account.

There were some mistakes with the amount listed on my account and credit reports for the products included in my new auto loan refinance. I called on 5/13 to inquire about the increase in my refi, which I'm not scheduled to pay until 07/12 (I understand interest accrues daily). They told me the increase was due to insurance in case I couldn't pay the loan. I mentioned that this was already included in my loan initially, as confirmed by the loan officer and underwriter. The loan officer said I was billed for these services because I hadn't made a payment yet, and if I wasn't happy, I could remove the services to lower my loan payments. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't paying for a service that was supposed to be included, and that the billing had increased my loan amount on my account and credit reports. Both the loan officer and loan manager said it was their billing practices, so I asked why their practices had to increase my loan amount. They both said it was due to accrued interest. I explained that I understood interest, but I was billed for two types of insurance, not interest. They sent me a modification form to stop the included service on 05/13, with a reduced payment amount, but not a new loan form stating the new loan amount. When I spoke to the loan manager, I told her that I was given different amounts by the loan officer and underwriter (loan officer: 468 to 428, underwriter: 499 to 515). Now, in addition to the loan amount of 515, I'm told I have to pay an extra 70 for two required insurance products (I have no idea about their billing practices). I asked her to listen to all the recorded conversations between me, the loan officer, and the underwriter, but she kept mentioning accrued interest and their billing practices. Neither the loan officer nor loan manager has provided me with an updated amount in writing or verbally if I decide to remove the so-called required product that is already included in the signed loan, but is now being billed separately. When I spoke to the loan manager, she said her manager told her that the products are billed at the end of the loan and it was valid. Well, tough luck Guardian, you've misled me from 04 until today, 05/15, and now you want me to pay for your misrepresentation. I don't think so. All I ask is that you honor your statements and if I remove the so-called required products, reduce my loan amount completely, not just my monthly payment. I wish I had checked here first, it would have saved me a headache.

CPI HAS BEEN ADDED TO MY LOAN FIVE TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF 2 YEARS. In 2018 CPI insurance was added for $500. I was given several different reasons as to why, one being GCU was not listed as lienholder. Then an additional $600-900 was added again, then I furnished proof through Monique once, and Karen twice, but instead of removing the full CPI add-on in 2019 they adjusted it leaving a remainder of $300. So fast forward, February . I went into the branch, where I met with the branch manager several times. Who printed my information and went over my account, she told me she she's where I had insurance, we spoke for about an hour. That's also when I found out GCU was no longer in partnership with the insurance company who added the $500 CPI. She told me she would take care of it. A week later after not hearing back, I went back and spoke to her, and that's when she pulled my account up and told me CPI was because my account was reflecting a SIX MONTH GAP OF NO INSURANCE for the months 01-07. She assured me that for the other amount she had someone working on the email to get it taken care of. But that they needed proof of insurance for the six month gap. March they added $100 several times for CPI. I emailed proof of prior insurance for the months of 01-07 and uploaded current insurance March 31. By that point I called the insurance company myself, I spoke to *** twice on April 2, and April 6. Who gave me his email to send documents over after stating the company hadn't received them yet. *** stated that documentation was sent to GCU on April 1. I called back April 7, this time I got ***, who was more informative. It was through her that I found out exactly when the begin business with GCU dating April . I begin to question why more CPI had been added and where are these large amounts coming from. She stated, something I wasn't notified about or aware of... THEY DON'T OFFER GRACE PERIODS, IF INSURANCE LASPSE FOR EVEN TWO DAYS AN ADDTIONAL $100 IS ADDED, GRACE PERIODS ENDED 1/31 WITH THE PRIOR COMPANY. She told me that I would need to contact GCU about adjusting my loan amount and to get the contact number for the old insurance company who added the $500. I asked if I could have all documents mailed to me b/c I keep getting different reasons behind the added insurance, and was never aware of the new insurance company until Feb 2020. I called GCU April 8, and spoke to April S. who told me she couldn't give me the number to the prior company b/c GCU no longer does business with them. She then told me I was billed for no proof of insurance for June - June and to send documentation to her email. I asked how come I was never notified of the new partnership with Alli, or made aware of the new rules. She stated that they sent out notifications by mail to customers.