Consumer complaint received 2026-01-07 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: GOLDEN 1 CREDIT UNION, THE
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint regarding Golden 1 Credit Unions failure to resolve a {$36.00} ( later decided to settle for {$30.00} ) debit card chargeback dispute that has been ongoing since XXXX of XXXX, despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue through both the merchant and Golden 1 Credit Unions customer support channels. 

The disputed charge relates to an annual plan that I paid for with the merchant using my debit card. After I canceled the automatic renewal, the merchant subsequently downgraded my account from the paid annual plan. I was not informed of this downgrade, nor was I provided notice that my service level had been changed. Despite downgrading my account, the merchant retained the full annual payment. 

I attempted to contact the merchant directly to resolve the issue, as well as the associated payment processor. These attempts were unsuccessful. Support access was either blocked or unavailable, and I received no response to my inquiries. As a result, I initiated a chargeback through Golden 1 Credit Union.

Golden 1 Credit Union denied my initial claim on the basis that there was no proof of cancellation. However, I submitted documentation showing that my account had been downgraded after the renewal was canceled. This downgrade demonstrates that the merchant altered the service level while retaining payment, which is the basis of my dispute. 

I am concerned that this approach effectively allows a merchant to retain funds by simply failing to provide or acknowledge cancellation documentation, later modifying the service provided, and relying on the absence of a cancellation receipt to prevail in the chargeback process. This places an unreasonable burden on the consumer, particularly when the merchant controls access to records and support channels. 

I requested a rep to filed an appeal with Golden XXXX following the denial on XX/XX/XXXX. I've already provided the relevant documentation. Since submitting the appeal, I have received no updates, written determination, or resolution from their XXXX business days policy ( It is currently XX/XX/XXXX at the time of this writing ). 

In parallel, I have contacted Golden 1 Credit Unions customer support numerous times. During these calls, I am required to repeatedly verify my account information, transferred between departments after long hold times, and often informed that I have reached the wrong department. In many cases, I am placed on extended holds long enough that I am forced to hang up due to time constraints, requiring me to restart the process later. 

When I attempted to escalate the matter, Golden 1 Credit Union failed to correctly transfer me to or facilitate contact with higher-level representatives, including the Head of Operations. Instead, I was either denied escalation or transferred to representatives who stated they had limited authority and were unable to take action to resolve the dispute. On multiple occasions, representatives stated that internal requests or internal complaints were being filed on my behalf ; however, no confirmation, follow-up, or action has occurred. 

The dispute remains unresolved. 

This complaint represents XXXX of XXXX unresolved disputes I have been attempting to resolve with Golden 1 Credit Union since XXXX of XXXX and reflects a broader pattern of inadequate dispute handling, communication failures, and ineffective escalation processes.

Company public response: Company believes complaint represents an opportunity for improvement to better serve consumers
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief