Meriwest Credit Union

The Meriwest on Cottle has a deceptive and apathetic staff who are incredibly impersonal and unhelpful. This particular woman who helped me today decided that she had the authority to take money from my account while I was not present. The staff at this location are horrible. Do not go to this location.

I have been a member since I was 16 years old and they were the IBM Credit Union.
Meriwest is terrible!!! They freeze your cards without notice. The one time they did notify me was at 3 am via email to let me know my card would be frozen due to a potential security risk. It was frozen immediately and I was out of luck and embarrassed at the grocery store.
They deducted my mortgage payment TWICE one month and caused my checking account to be over drawn– this was 100% their fault and so they deducted the overdrawn fees they charged me, gee thanks. They really messed up my checking account and all they said was sorry.
Their customer service is horrible. They are rude on the phone and at the branches– which are disappearing! There isn’t even a branch near my house since they shut down all San Ramon, Dublin branches. I would ditch Meriwest all together except my mortgage is with them, unfortunately.
This credit union has been declining steadily since the 80’s.

I’ve been with Meriwest since before it was Meriwest. (The old IBM Credit Union). In 2002 I tried to take my cash to Wells Fargo… big mistake. I came running back. Meriwest over the course of the last 15 years has merged several times with many other CU’s. I don’t know if that is the cause of the deteriorating quality of this CU.
Over the last 5 years it seems as if Meriwest is crumbling! For example, I usually call ahead before I go out of state because these guys love freezing cards! (Yes I know it is to the members benefit, but lately it seems too extreme). I went on a Caribbean Cruise earlier this year. As I am now accustomed too, I called and notified the Meriwest. I stated I would be on a cruise, and gave them a list of countries I would be visiting. Well sure enough I went to use my card in order to activate my Cruise drink card. Card got declined! I had to contact Meriwest using a cruise GPS satellite phone and asked the rep what the problem was. The rep stated there was a transaction made from international waters using some sort of Satellite system which the bank red flagged. I screamed, «I’m on a Cruise Ship! I notified you of that». The rep followed that up with, «Ahhh, I see, and I also see you made the notification.» Obviously an extreme example, but there have been many more blunders which are a hassle to me.
I was out golfing with buddies this past Saturday and had my card declined. I called Meriwest who were closed, the generic rep i spoke to stated he would have to transfer me to card services. That Rep told me that Meriwest requested a freeze. So of course I had to wait until Monday morning to speak to someone.
Monday I come to find out that Visa had some sort of Security scare and notified all of their Banks. Well Meriwest felt the best way to handle this was to just plain and simply freeze their members cards. With no notifications! I asked the Meriwest Rep if they have any form of notification systems inline for such instances, and the rep told me they send out notifications via snail mail, alongside new cards. (I’ve had to replace cards in the past and it usually take 7 – 10 business days). So for 7 – 10 business days I would potentially be in the dark as to my card being cancelled, or be forced to phone into the bank to find this out. I asked the rep why not have an automated email or telephone system in order to get such vital info out to it’s members. He said, we just aren’t set up this way. I then asked him if my new card in the mail will be outfitted with new visa chip technology. He stated that Meriwest Execs are still not on board with the cards. I felt bad for yelling at the Rep and apologized, but my honest opinion is that Meriwest is stuck in a technology stone age, and is losing touch with its members. The Vehicle and home loan rates are never anything great, and they aren’t the friendliest lenders. I have purchased a few cars, and have high 700 credit, with low income to debt ratio, long credit history, but I’ve never been able to get decent loan approvals. I’ve decided to begin shopping for a new Credit Union. A CU who isn’t fading away. (Lets not forget to mention they have at most 4 locations, and once I find a decent spot, they close it down a month later). Farewell Meriwest. I have been a loyal customer for 25 years, but you are slowly but surely letting me down.

Great customer service. Always friendly. Been a member for 10 years now. Easy parking and there is food in the nearby parking lot. Bank is always clean and usually pretty slow so you can get in and get out.

I recently became a member and was extremely dissatisfied. We asked for overdraft protection but they didnt add it to our account. Then we ended up with 6 overdraft fees of 35 each, despite having adequate funds in a linked account. They refused to reverse this, insisted they made no error. This is how we they treat new members? Pretty despicable if you ask me.

I have been a member (Bank of America has customers, Credit Unions have members) since 2004 when I got my first car loan. I have been impressed ever since. About 3 years ago I decided to open a checking account also. I have no complaints there are no secret hidden fees.
The lines are quick and customer service is awesome!

Do not use Meriwest Financial services. They are a rip off. They put your money to risk without regard to your financial impact. Never take one of their offers as they can get very large commissions whether your investment is successful or not. This «nothing to lose» policy should be avoided. Find other more caring lower commissioned financial companies.

This Meriwest is located in the plaza with OSH, I find it to be convenient location for the ATM.

Great customer service! I’m in and out like a breeze. I love meriwest bank. Been a customer for 6 years and have never had a single problem.

Meriwest is terrible!!! Go to Bank of America.
Meriwest will only acknowledge $ 100 of a cash deposit at their atms.
Sunday night I deposited $ 130 CASH into my account so that I would not inquire any overdraft fees. Come Monday morning I check my account and I am negative $ 80 since $ 30 of my deposit was put on hold. So not only did I give this bank the only money I had… they are now charging me $ 60 in overdraft fees. Me -$ 80 Meriwest +$ 60… (negative $ 80 because they already withdrew the $ 30 withdrawl fee from the first item) And let me tell you … this is not the first time this has happened and I am fed up! Closing my account as of today and opening one with Bank of America.
Bank of America recognizes CASH deposits at atms, and funds are available immediately!
Oh, and «MOST» of the staff at Meriwest are stuck up and unfriendly. Especially at the branch on Cottle Road.

I have been a long-​time customer (since I was a kid, as this was once the Pacific IBM Employees Credit Union and my father was an IBM employee) and I’m now leaving for Ally Bank in frustration.
I was recently sent a new debit card (as my previous one had expired), and my PIN didn’t work on the new card. When I called the bank, I was told that the PIN had not changed, and that I would have to send a request in writing to get a new PIN. Next, a certificate account that was paying a decent interest rate auto-​renewed at the fabulous rate of 0.1% despite my written instructions, and numerous other indignities. Staff are now rude and unhelpful, and the rates and products are very mediocre compared to other options. I don’t know why anyone would choose to bank at this credit union compared to the other options.

I would never become a Meriwest Credit Union customer.
My husband asked me to call them to get the balance on his truck and they wouldn’t give me the information and became rude and hung up on me.
More often then not when I have had customer service with any other company they have worked with me to help solve the problem. Meriwest Credit Union person did not even try.

I’ve given a more extensive review on Meriwest’s Chesbro office, but this office is newer and closer to my home and where I have started going on a regular basis now.
While this location is more of a satellite office I don’t really know what they couldn’t do here that you would need at the Chesbro location, as I’m able to purchase cashier’s checks when I need them, deposit or withdraw funds, they have an ATM outside and I’m able to request a new debit card for a new account here as well. All things I’ve needed and been able to do while walking a short distance from my home.
The staff is always friendly and professional, but I find this true of most banks/​credit unions in general and they have a self serve coin changer machine here as well which is great.

I walked in here with bad credit, a bankruptcy, and a bad track record with other banks.
I walked out of here the next day with 500 bucks.
I get to pay it back at 12.50 a month for like 2%APR.
If you need cash without a credit check this is the place to go.
They don’t actually check your credit. They check you out on something called echecks and if you come back clear then they offer you a 500 dollar line of credit available within a few hours. I couldn’t believe it.
They should have a sign out front that says «Get 500 bucks right now!»
The staff is friendly and opening the account requires 25 dollars but it can be a check or cash. 5 dollar fee to open the account and you can pull out the other 20 about 10 seconds after you establish the account.
They should put me on the payroll for this review but damn, if you need 500 bucks within 24 hours WITH bankruptcies, bad credit, ex wives, bookies, or retarded phone bills, this is the joint to go to.
They have a few other locations throughout San Jose that all offer the 500 dollar credit line.
All in all I love this place cuz I got some money to put in the gas tank now (Boo!).

After passing by Meriwest for several months, it finally opened today (coincidentally on my birthday). Now I don’t have to go to the Chesbro center, which would require me to go on the freeway (SCARY) and most likely cause an accident (even WORSE)!
Meriwest is located in the plaza with OSH and right next to Dream Dinners.