Check holds on member deposits

Please do not take it personally when we place a 2 or 5 day hold on your check(s) deposited to your account. Here are the reasons for holds. First, the credit union does not receive full credit for that check item for at least 2 days ourselves. This is an issue of fairness in making funds available when they are available to us. Second, members do receive counterfeit check items from a variety of sources. "Secret shopper" schemes and "work from home" offers are putting these counterfeit checks into the hands of members who think that the checks are real. If members receive a check and are asked to send some of the money elsewhere, that would raise a huge red flag that the check item may be counterfeit.

We did have a long term member with over 15 years of good account history who unfortunately negotiated a large check believing that the item was legitimate. That check turned out to be a counterfeit and the member faced financial hardship as a result of being responsible for the check amount. We just cannot make hold decisions solely on how long members have had accounts with the credit union. Holds protect the member and the assets of the credit union.