Police and Fire Federal Credit Union
Police and Fire Federal Credit Union is headquartered in Philadelphia and is the largest credit union in the state of Pennsylvania. It is also the 34th largest credit union in the nation. It was established in 1938 and as of June of 2023, it had grown to 843 employees and 436,659 members at 17 locations. Police and Fire Federal Credit Union's savings rates are 8X the national average, and it boasts an A+ health rating.
Field of Membership Restrictions
Membership in Police and Fire Federal Credit Union is open to all residents of Delaware, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania through membership in the American Consumer Council. Membership is also open to active or retired Philadelphia Police officers or fire fighters, and to employees of Department of Treasury – US Secret Service, and over 400 Select Employer Groups. (membership requirements are listed in the credit union's online application)
See current membership details
Related Posts
7/19 - Top CD Rates in Pennsylvania at Police & Fire Federal Credit Union - PA Only
1/5 - Why Police and Fire FCU CD Rates Have Been So High
9/9/10 - Police & Fire Federal Credit Union Drops CD Rates
7/2/10 - Update on Membership Eligibility and CD Rates at PFFCU
6/28/10 - Top Long-Term CD Rates Continue at Police and Fire FCU in PA
5/2/10 - 4% (APY) 60
9/12/09 - CD Rates From 2% to 4% at Police and Fire FCU in Pennsylvania - Local Only
5/21/09 - 4.00% 9-Month CD at a Pennsylvania Credit Union (Police and Fire)
5/21/09 - 3.50% 24-Month CD & 4.00% 48-Month CD at Police and Fire CU in Pennsylvania
5/21/09 - 3.15% 15-Month CD, 2.75% 6-Month CD & Other High CD Rates at Police and Fire CU in Pennsylvania
5/21/09 - 2.50% 6-Month CD, 3.00% 24-Month CD & Other High CD Rates at Police and Fire FCU in PA
Very good local credit union
I have banked with PFFCU for the past 15 years. I have always had positive experiences with their customer service representatives. They were able to help me when I lost my debit card overseas. I have a checking and a savings account. The savings account does not have a high interest rate, but the checking account makes up for that, with a competitive 1% interest rate. There are no monthly fees and I have my account set up to decline transactions that would overdraft my account
Philadelphia Police and Fire -- the best place for your money!
Banking with Philadelphia Police and Fire Federal Credit Union has been a reliable and consistent pleasure. I have opened several savings accounts with PFFCU: CDs, general savings, money market, and a checking account. In dealing with the staff I have found nothing but pleasant interactions and people willing to help any way they're able. In savings rates, I have found no other banking organization able to compete. My current money market account is thriving and I am happy to have it as a source of savings. Recently I had a transaction at PFFCU and was informed of a fantastic benefit offer if I opened a checking account. It was too good to pass up free money for a no-cost checking account, and in time I came to only use this account. PFFCU is a delight.
Police and Fire Federal Credit Union
My husband and I are members of this credit union because his father is a policeman. Their rates were much more competitive years ago, but lately their focus has been more on expansion rather that serving their members. The rates are sometimes no better than conventional banks. We have nearly all of our accounts and loans there, from car loan to mortgage. We used to receive free checks and other perks, but now they have discontinued them. The customer service is less than ideal, and the website is slow and clunky.
Review of PFFCU
I really like banking with PFFCU because they are a simple banking institution meant for people who just need a place to hold your money. I have a checking and savings account with the bank and also have a debit/atm card. The bank is local to the Philadelphia area so I usually always have a great customer service experience when I forget my website login or something. Whenever I go into a branch location, the tellers are always friendly and down to earth, not super "businessy" like other large banks. My only complaint is that there are no local branches where I am for school, so I always end up getting charged a fee when I need to take cash out. I know other institutions have "fee forgiveness" where they refund up to 2 or 3 atm fees per month, but this bank does not offer that.
DO NOT DO ANY BUSINSESS WITH PFFCU!
I was receiving a barrage of letters from Police & Fire, however my loan has always been on autopay and there was never a situation with late or missed payments, so these letters ended up in the garbage bin alongside the other piles of letters I got.
Roughly four(4) weeks ago, a rep at Police & Fire named Brian Baker called my work number and immediately threatened me with repossession of my vehicle due to insurance surcharges they placed on my account. Upon asking for more clarification, I was notified that it was around a $100 fee. Bewildered, I insisted he must be out of his mind to threaten repossession over a mere $100 that I wasn’t valid to begin with. I ended the conversation with asking him for the contact information to send over proof of insurance, and insisted that Brian does not call my place of business ever again.
I compiled my insurance information and faxed it as well as mailed it to the address provided by Brian.
Brian ignores my demands and proceeds to call me at work multiple times per day.
I ultimately asked one of my employees (Mitch McDavid) to tell Brian to stop calling, at which point Brian asserted that he had a right to do so because I’m the business owner.
On February 17th, I received a collection letter in the mail. I assumed Police & Fire didn’t process my insurance information yet, and when they do everything will be fine.
On February 22nd, I received another letter, attached, where it issued me credit for the time I provided insurance proof for. Upon noticing a gap remaining, I compiled additional information on my insurance and mailed it to Police & Fire.
Also the letter said that my monthly payment will go up by $200 because of the insurance gap. I figured I can just resolve it with insurance and sense they are acknowledging receiving my insurance paperwork. I am in the clear with any kind of collection, especially because I have never been late on payment.
On March 8th around 11:00pm, my car was repossessed out of my driveway.
I called Brian and left him an emotionally-charged message around 9:00 am, admittedly with some foul language and threats to sue. He did not call back.
I waited about two(2) hours and then called him again around 11 and was told he is in a meeting until noon.
I waited for a few more hours, and then called again at 2:30pm. At this point, I was told he is not taking calls, and the associate on the phone said he remembers me from calling earlier, and that he will go into his office to see if Brian can take the call. I was told that Brian is finishing up lunch and will be free in forty(40) minutes. Associates name (Art Grial)
It became obvious that I was being purposefully ignored, so I immediately went to my attorney’s office to get him involved.
While meeting with my attorney, Brian called me back and I put him on speaker. He claimed my payment bounced and was currently in default. I informed him that there were two payments for that month from two different accounts, one did bounce but the other was successful. He also told me that in order for me to get my car back, I’d have to send him multiple pay stubs to provide my employment. I asked why, considering I’m the business owner (which he himself confirmed). His response was a deflection and he again asserted that I cannot get my car back unless I prove my employment.
I left the attorney office trying to figure out how I can provide my company’s bank statements showing I am getting paid.
Only about 5-10 minutes later a woman called claiming to be a manager. Her name was Sharol Brady. She informed me that this matter was escalated to her, and that at this time she will be calling the police and filing charges against me for threatening to come to their office and shoot everyone there. I was immediately in shock and told her I would never say anything like that. I said I was going to “sue the fuck out of you”, which is a common phrase with the word sue, and not “shoot the fuck out of you”, which I’ve never heard once in my life before. It became clear that this woman was trying to threaten me into submission.
She quickly shifted to the topic of me being in default and having missed payments. After some arguing back-and-forth, I asked her to just tell me how I can get my car back. Her answer was that the only way I can get my vehicle back is by paying the loan balance in full, within five(5) days time; otherwise the vehicle is lost.
I told her fine, I’d buy it out right now. She seemed taken back; unprepared to receive that answer. I firmly believe they were convinced I would not be able to pay and they could just steal my vehicle from me. With the car prices sky-rocketing I can easily make over $20k right now by selling it.
I asked her how much I owe, and after quite a bit of fumbling she finally said $31,496 with all the fees. I asked her how I can pay now and she said I can’t and I will have to go to the branch to do it.
I asked her for my loan number so I can create an online account and see my records and she said she cannot provide it to me. I told her I will be arranging a buy out tomorrow.
I called the collection number and a woman asked if I’d like to pay, I said sure but first I have my loan number. Although I have my SS she said she needs to talk to someone before she can do anything.
Then she came back to me saying she cannot give it to me, although she was able to apply for it before. This is a tiny office with the same people picking up the phone.
I dug through my emails and found my loan number. Was able to create an online account and login to my account.
When I created my account and logged in I was shocked! First, I owed $30k not $31,500
Second, March’s payment was applied, making my amount owed at $29,000. Then, on today’s date(at the time March 8th), someone actually went in and moved that payment from paid to a different bank account. PF requires you to create a bank account in order to have a loan with them.
So someone actually on the same day, March 8th, moved my payment to that account making my March payment invalid. I took screenshots of all the records. I never missed a payment and the records and audit trail proves this, in addition the payment was never applied and was then taken out with money being moved to this placeholder account. This looks to be done maliciously in order to ensure I defaulted and the company could seize my vehicle. Money was moved literally on the same day they repossessed my car!
March 9th 9:20 AM I called the collection again and was told they cannot talk to me and I have to talk to Brian Baker if I wanted to buy out my car. I took down his email. While recording my conversation I asked the same lady to look at my account and explain why my payment was taken out and moved to a different account. She said she cannot explain it and when I pressed for answers she said I can only talk to Brian Baker. I emailed Brian Baker as soon as I was off the phone. I attached screenshots to the email asking him why the money was moved.
11:40 AM and still no answer. A little bit of digging and apparently Police & Fire credit is an affiliate of TrueCar.com so it kind of makes sense. They are a small company. They repo your car to make it impossible for you to buy it out and then sell it making a ton of money!
Now I have to pay my attorney to try to get my vehicle back plus to actually sue them!
Member For 38 Years
Was great when it was all cops and firefighters or their family members. Then they opened the doors. Have seen personally my own family members and friends have issues with PFFCU. First daughter was late on her PFFCU VISA and when she was paid they took it out immediately. Which I agree, but they froze her debit card after they took money out. Then a friend of mine told me she owed them 25.00, they withdrew it and closed her account on her. She showed them a print out proving she paid it from their website and they acting like jerks. After 38 years I'm switch to the navy yards credit union for military veterans and their families. Taking my family with me. Like pffcu use to be.
No ATM Accepts Deposits Into PFFCU Account
The person selling this credit union came to my place of employment. She indicated though there isn't a branch within 100 miles of my North Jersey home, banking could be done at no cost through a Wa Wa or 7-11 ATM. The interest checking was competitive, so I signed up.
Not only is there no way to deposit money into a Wa Wa or 7-11 ATM there is no way to deposit money into a PFFCU account from a bank ATM either!
I called customer service from each of the ATMs that would not take a deposit. They had no suggestion as to how to put money into the account from an ATM other than driving 100 miles to a branch office.
I've no plans to be less than 100 miles from a PFFCU branch office in the near future.
I rate this Credit Union Zero for misinformation
Worst CU In The Area
PFFCU is the worst CU in the area. They constantly make mistakes, they take fees for services from the wrong account and they do not follow all of the policies and procedures required by the ABA. (I used to be a bank regulator.) The staff is rude and when they make a mistake you get an attitude when you ask them to fix it. I will be moving my hard earned money to a FI that I trust and will give me the services that I pay for,
Sorry PFFCU but our 30+ year relationship is over.
Health Grade Components
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| NCUA # | 2551 |
| Year Chartered | 1938 |
| Employees | 843 |
| Primary Regulator | |
| Profit Margin | |
|---|---|
| Return on Assets - YTD | 1.32% |
| Return on Equity - YTD | 7.95% |
| Annual Interest Income | $171.4MM |
| Assets and Liabilities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Assets | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $8.50B$7.88B |
| Loans | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $6.13B$6.01B |
| Deposits | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $7.03B$6.53B |
| Equity Capital | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $1.40B$1.28B |
| Loan Loss Allowance | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $0$20.9MM |
| Unbacked Noncurrent Loans | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $8.2MM$7.7MM |
| Real Estate Owned | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $0$0 |
