Consumer complaint received 2026-05-26 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Delay in processing application
Company: GOLDEN 1 CREDIT UNION, THE
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint regarding what I believe may be discriminatory and unfair lending practices during my application process with Golden 1 Credit Union. During the underwriting process, I was repeatedly asked to provide excessive and highly sensitive documentation despite already submitting valid identification and current pay stubs verifying my income and employment. The process continuously changed without clear explanation, and the underwriting requirements appeared inconsistent and subjective. I have prior paid auto loan history and established credit, yet I was treated as though my income and identity were inherently suspicious. I found the questioning and escalating documentation demands to be intrusive, excessive, and inconsistent with my prior experiences with other financial institutions. As an XXXX American consumer, this experience raised serious concerns regarding whether I was subjected to disparate treatment during the lending and underwriting process. The banking and lending industry has a long documented history of discriminatory practices, including redlining and unequal access to credit for minority consumers. Federal fair lending laws exist specifically to prevent lenders from applying different standards, heightened scrutiny, or subjective barriers based on race or perceived demographic assumptions. I believe Golden 1s handling of my application may implicate violations of federal consumer protection and fair lending laws, including but not limited to : * The Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ), which prohibits discrimination in any aspect of a credit transaction on the basis of race and other protected characteristics; * The Fair Housing Act and broader federal fair lending principles prohibiting discriminatory lending conduct; * Unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices prohibited under federal consumer financial protection laws. The repeated requests for additional documentation after sufficient proof of income was already provided created the appearance that my application was being subjected to a higher level of scrutiny than similarly situated applicants. I am requesting a formal investigation into whether Golden 1 applied consistent underwriting standards and whether my application was handled in compliance with federal fair lending requirements. I request : 1. A full written explanation of the underwriting decisions and documentation demands ; 2. A review of whether fair lending laws and internal compliance procedures were followed ; 3. Preservation and review of all underwriting notes, internal communications, and decision-making records related to my application ; 4. Assurance that discriminatory or disparate treatment did not occur during this process. Consumers should not be subjected to arbitrary, inconsistent, or potentially discriminatory treatment when applying for financial products.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation