Consumer complaint received 2025-11-10 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill — Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship
Company: LAKE MICHIGAN CREDIT UNION
State: MI

Complaint narrative:
I am filing a complaint against Lake Michigan Credit Union ( LMCU ) for repeated unfair and inappropriate treatment during a verified medical hardship, which has caused severe damage to my credit score and subjected me to public humiliation.

Membership and Payment History : I have been a loyal member of LMCU for over eight years. I have had more than seven loans, including personal and car loans, and have never missed a payment. I have paid off all previous loans early, demonstrating consistent financial responsibility. I am planning to pay off my current loan and credit card in full, just as I have done with all past loans. 

Medical Hardships : Car accident in XXXX resulted in temporary inability to work and lost income. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX. My XXXX  has placed me on full XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

Since my injuries, I have been completely off work and without income, yet I continued to make payments whenever possible, often using all available funds. 

Interactions with LMCU / Loss Prevention Misconduct : LMCU has not provided hardship assistance. Loss Prevention staff stated I did not qualify because I currently have no income. 

I offered to provide proof and documentation from my doctors and hospitals to verify my medical hardship. LMCU explicitly said this was not necessary, yet continued to report missed payments. 

Specific Incident Representative XXXX : During a call, XXXX asked about my schooling, degree, and skills. 

I explained I could only afford {$50.00} per month, which was all I had. 

Instead of working with me, he told me what I should do to make money to pay the bank, including making furniture to sell on XXXX XXXX or doing XXXX. 

This advice was completely inappropriate, dismissive, and insensitive given my verified medical hardship and inability to work. 

Branch Incident XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX ) : At the branch where I make most of my payments, LMCU staff took me into a private room and forced me to speak on a recorded line with Loss Prevention in front of my XXXX son, publicly embarrassing and humiliating me. 
I stated immediately that I did not want to be on a recorded line, but staff forced me to stay in the closed room and speak on the call anyway. 

Other Issues : Locked out of online banking account.

Required to speak with Loss Prevention on a recorded line every time I make an in-person payment. 

Despite verified medical hardship, LMCU has reported numerous missed payments to credit bureaus ( 14 on credit card, 15 on personal loan ), severely damaging my credit score.

Requested Resolution : Cease all phone contact and communicate in writing only. 

Allow in-person payments without recorded calls or harassment. 

Review and correct all negative credit reporting related to this verified medical hardship. 

Provide a written acknowledgment of my hardship and outline a clear communication policy for future interactions. 

I am attaching supporting documentation, including medical records, work restriction notices, and a screenshot of my XXXX  report, to verify my claims.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation