Alternatives Federal Credit Union

Poorly run credit union. Highest loan rates in town. Look it up, CFCU has much lower loan rates. Also very low deposit rates. Again CFCU has better rates. Look it up. Claim to want to help poor people but have the worst rates.... Hypocrites!!!
9 years ago (09-04-2017)

For those of you considering being a customer of Alternatives FCU or who already are.... I wouldn't normally say that I hate anyone or anything, it is not in my nature, however I HATE Alternatives! Here is why.... 1. Many years ago I had a HELOC through the bank. For about 6 months I had the HELOC paid off in full, there was a zero balance on the account. Then, while applying for a mortgage at a different bank, I find out that Alternatives had reported me to the credit bureaus for being 6 months late on my payments! I didn't owe anything! There was no payment due! I almost lost the house I was trying to buy! 2. They constantly record the incorrect check number in my account. The check number could be 1287 but they would record it as something totally different, like 89. Sometimes they even use the same number. It has made balancing my check book extremely difficult. 3. Speaking of checks, I am exempt from their check hold policy because I have been a customer for almost 2 decades. Their tellers CONSTANTLY place holds on my checks by mistake. Sure its nice that I qualify for that exemption, however 3 times now this has happened.... I'll deposit a check on a Friday, I dont notice that they placed a hold on the check, I spend money and write checks over the weekend, notice it Sunday night, Call them right away at 9am, they say they will fix it, it gets fixed in the afternoon... but not before I accrue $75 or more in overdraft fees. 4. I returned a security deposit to a tenant via check. Alternatives removed the money from my account once then, 4 months later, they gave the former tenant the money again. Both transactions showed the same exact check number and amount. They didn't catch it. I saw it and had to bring it to THEIR attention. 5. My wife and I have an auto loan with them. We set up automatic payments. Even if we make the payment ourselves, their system automatically takes the payment out again and they aren't able to/wont return the money. 6. Then, just last month, on that same auto loan, we were under the impression that we were ahead a month. Yet they just reported to the credit bureau that I was 30 days late on my payment. And no, not for the full payment... FOR $3!!! Yes, on my credit report it now says that I had a $3 payment that was 30 days past due. I never received an email, phone call, or letter, nothing. I have tried to contact them many times regarding this. A month has passed and no one has returned my phone calls or emails. I disputed it on my credit report and Alternatives refused to change it. Avoid them! Dealing with Alternatives is like dealing with children playing an adults game. They have absolutely know idea what they are doing. Worse, they will harm your business and credit. They have screwed up my finances and created an enormous amount of stress in my life.
9 years ago (10-05-2017)

Been with them since 2006. They are a great personal bank.
9 years ago (19-02-2017)

Brian Zapf is amazing with tax service I had quite the confusing amended returns and he was patience and very helpful with getting me in contact with irs and held my hand the way through with the process ! Amazing team highly recommend them!
10 years ago (10-08-2016)

Own a business locally nearby and ran out of change. As my personal vehicle was in the shop for repairs, I could not travel to my own bank. This was my first time ever stopping in this institution,and I asked to change 200.00 for 5's and 10's. After waiting in line for 10 minutes,while one of the two tellers on duty was carrying on a personal conversation with someone at the counter, I was treated rudely and told unless you are an "exclusive member here, we can not make change for you". Needless to say, I left with a very poor first impression. Not a way to do business!!!!!! So I continued across the road to their competition, the Tompkins County Trust Co., where they were friendly and more than happy to accommodate my needs. Kudos to TCT! Shame on Alternatives!
13 years ago (06-09-2013)