topic Re: Navy Federal Conscience in Credit Cards

Navy Federal Conscience

UpAndComing74 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:15:36 GMT

My wife got a membership through a sponsor with Navy Federal. He is retired Marine. It was done online and I felt sponsorship was enough. Low and behold they are supposed to be related or roommates. They arent related and if they are roommates....he gopt some "splaining to do. Soooo. she emailed the bank and told them and they said she needs a relative. She offered here cousin and they said cousins arent immediate. They said find an immediate or they will close the account and refund her deposit. Her deceased Uncle was military but do not know info. She sent that in and no response. Meanwhile I, yes me! has opened up an account and Been APPROVED for the Platinum Card. I opened up under marriage to a member. What do we do now? Close it all down or what? I do not want to cheat. Plenty of CU out there i can research to find a credit card. Please advise

Thanks,

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

AllZero — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:25:33 GMT

@UpAndComing74 wrote:
My wife got a membership through a sponsor with Navy Federal. He is retired Marine. It was done online and I felt sponsorship was enough. Low and behold they are supposed to be related or roommates. They arent related and if they are roommates....he gopt some "splaining to do. Soooo. she emailed the bank and told them and they said she needs a relative. She offered here cousin and they said cousins arent immediate. They said find an immediate or they will close the account and refund her deposit. Her deceased Uncle was military but do not know info. She sent that in and no response. Meanwhile I, yes me! has opened up an account and Been APPROVED for the Platinum Card. I opened up under marriage to a member. What do we do now? Close it all down or what? I do not want to cheat. Plenty of CU out there i can research to find a credit card. Please advise

Thanks,

@UpAndComing74 Daisy chain. If still alive, immediate relative related to DW cousin can become a member. Then, that relative can sponor your DW or any other relatives until their relationships are immediate with DW.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

M_Smart007 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:33:12 GMT

I am pretty sure @AllZero is correct on the daisy chain method

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

BearsCubsOtters — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:34:12 GMT

Unfortunately, I do not believe an Uncle will be a proper way in-especially if cousin was not.

I get that NFCU is the biggest credit union in the world, and they cannot spot check each and every application for membership, but maybe if they operated a bit more like USAA, situations like this would not happen because your wife would not have been allowed past the eligibility screening.

Please do not use your new NFCU card until this situation gets settled; NFCU can be draconian when it comes to clawing back memberships and any loans etc that were opened after membership was deemed invalid. The roommate way in (and I know that is not what your wife entered) has always been closely monitored by NFCU and garners further scrutiny.

If either you or the Mrs. had a grandparent, parent or sibling that served in the military, you should be eligible for membership; otherwise, I do not see a legitimate, verifiable way in.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

coldfusion — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:40:03 GMT

@BearsCubsOtters wrote:
Unfortunately, I do not believe an Uncle will be a proper way in-especially if cousin was not.

I get that NFCU is the biggest credit union in the world, and they cannot spot check each and every application for membership, but maybe if they operated a bit more like USAA, situations like this would not happen because your wife would not have been allowed past the eligibility screening.

Please do not use your new NFCU card until this situation gets settled; NFCU can be draconian when it comes to clawing back memberships and any loans etc that were opened after membership was deemed invalid. The roommate way in (and I know that is not what your wife entered) has always been closely monitored by NFCU and garners further scrutiny.

If either you or the Mrs. had a grandparent, parent or sibling that served in the military, you should be eligible for membership; otherwise, I do not see a legitimate, verifiable way in.

You can have a chain of membership, as long as each person ahead of you in the chain is a member you can qualify.

Uncle -> parent (sibling) -> you or Uncle -> spouse -> sibling (parent) -> you

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

UpAndComing74 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:40:17 GMT

Yep, no immediate family here. We told them that via secure message on the website and they insist we find someone. THe best probably is to voluntarily close the accounts and be free and clear. Ill have to find another CU that has an easy in and leave Navy for the vets. Interestingly the sponsor said they it used to be you need an immediate family. Even he is mistaken.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

UpAndComing74 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:41:50 GMT

Unless I can say we are all from Adam and Eve!

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

Remedios — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:43:21 GMT

@coldfusion wrote:
@BearsCubsOtters wrote:
Unfortunately, I do not believe an Uncle will be a proper way in-especially if cousin was not.

I get that NFCU is the biggest credit union in the world, and they cannot spot check each and every application for membership, but maybe if they operated a bit more like USAA, situations like this would not happen because your wife would not have been allowed past the eligibility screening.

Please do not use your new NFCU card until this situation gets settled; NFCU can be draconian when it comes to clawing back memberships and any loans etc that were opened after membership was deemed invalid. The roommate way in (and I know that is not what your wife entered) has always been closely monitored by NFCU and garners further scrutiny.

If either you or the Mrs. had a grandparent, parent or sibling that served in the military, you should be eligible for membership; otherwise, I do not see a legitimate, verifiable way in.

You can have a chain of membership, as long as each person ahead of you in the chain is a member you can qualify.

Uncle -> parent (sibling) -> you or Uncle -> spouse -> sibling (parent) -> you

Who would ask half the family to join credit union just so they can join credit union? 🥴

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

M_Smart007 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:44:24 GMT

@UpAndComing74 wrote:
Yep, no immediate family here. We told them that via secure message on the website and they insist we find someone. THe best probably is to voluntarily close the accounts and be free and clear. Ill have to find another CU that has an easy in and leave Navy for the vets. Interestingly the sponsor said they it used to be you need an immediate family. Even he is mistaken.

Sorry to hear this,

You might open an account with PenFed CU and start the relationship with a bank acct.

You do not have to be Military related.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

AllZero — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:48:42 GMT

Immediate family members alive or deceased such as grand parents will work too.

ETA https://www.navyfederal.org/membership/become-a-member/eligibility.php

Department of Defense Civilians

Our field of membership also covers DoD civilian personnel, who support our armed forces. This category includes:

DoD civilian employees
U.S. Government employees assigned to DoD installations
DoD contractors assigned to U.S. Government installations
DoD civilian retirees and annuitants

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

M_Smart007 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:45:08 GMT

@UpAndComing74 wrote:
Unless I can say we are all from Adam and Eve!

LOL

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

BearsCubsOtters — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:48:39 GMT

@UpAndComing74 wrote:
Yep, no immediate family here. We told them that via secure message on the website and they insist we find someone. THe best probably is to voluntarily close the accounts and be free and clear. Ill have to find another CU that has an easy in and leave Navy for the vets. Interestingly the sponsor said they it used to be you need an immediate family. Even he is mistaken.

He is correct. Prior to February 2017, NFCU was very difficult to join-even retired veterans could not join! NFCU was only open to active duty (or those who joined when they were active duty-I guess that is a different way to say the same thing) or immediate family members of current NFCU members were allowed to join. That, and the risky roommate sponsorship and a long ago, no longer active, backdoor way in.

Sorry that it did not work out for you, but there are other excellent credit unions out there. As someone else mentioned, give PenFed a try.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

UpAndComing74 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:53:19 GMT

@M_Smart007 wrote:
@UpAndComing74 wrote:
Yep, no immediate family here. We told them that via secure message on the website and they insist we find someone. THe best probably is to voluntarily close the accounts and be free and clear. Ill have to find another CU that has an easy in and leave Navy for the vets. Interestingly the sponsor said they it used to be you need an immediate family. Even he is mistaken.
Sorry to hear this,
You might open an account with PenFed CU and start the relationship with a bank acct.
You do not have to be Military related.

I did that. Still have the account. But was DENIED for their CC and do not know how to recon! So seems Im stuck! a Lot of accounts I have at different banks! lol

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

K-in-Boston — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 02:03:09 GMT

Unfortunately it does seem that neither of you are eligible for membership, and the cards will have to be closed at some point. Unless you or someone who is an immediate family member wants to enlist or get commissioned? (Alternately taking a civilian job that qualifies.). Even as a veteran, I couldn't join until 3 years ago.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

randomguy1 — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 02:30:19 GMT

@Remedios wrote:
@coldfusion wrote:
@BearsCubsOtters wrote:
Unfortunately, I do not believe an Uncle will be a proper way in-especially if cousin was not.

I get that NFCU is the biggest credit union in the world, and they cannot spot check each and every application for membership, but maybe if they operated a bit more like USAA, situations like this would not happen because your wife would not have been allowed past the eligibility screening.

Please do not use your new NFCU card until this situation gets settled; NFCU can be draconian when it comes to clawing back memberships and any loans etc that were opened after membership was deemed invalid. The roommate way in (and I know that is not what your wife entered) has always been closely monitored by NFCU and garners further scrutiny.

If either you or the Mrs. had a grandparent, parent or sibling that served in the military, you should be eligible for membership; otherwise, I do not see a legitimate, verifiable way in.

You can have a chain of membership, as long as each person ahead of you in the chain is a member you can qualify.

Uncle -> parent (sibling) -> you or Uncle -> spouse -> sibling (parent) -> you

Who would ask half the family to join credit union just so they can join credit union? 🥴

Someone named Daisy from what I read.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

UpperNwGuy — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 13:19:41 GMT

I think your "sponsor" hasn't been tracking the rules changes at NFCU over the years. I don't think you could ever could sponsor a person who was not otherwise eligible under the stated membership criteria. The only backdoor was Navy League membership, and that's been gone for a number of years.

Because NFCU is the largest credit union, they are under constant pressure from the banks, from the NCUA, and from their rival credit unions to slow down their growth. Adding the Army and Air Force to their field of membership, and later the military retirees, caused their membership to soar. That's when they had to stop admitting those who joined the Navy League.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

UpAndComing74 — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 01:56:23 GMT

Looks like they will let us stay.

[Mod cut: @UpAndComing74 I have removed your screenshot; please replace it and this note with an image that does not contain personal information. - KiB]

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

AllZero — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 01:24:23 GMT

Congratulations on your membership!

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

coldfusion — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 01:38:05 GMT

@Remedios wrote:
@coldfusion wrote:
@BearsCubsOtters wrote:
Unfortunately, I do not believe an Uncle will be a proper way in-especially if cousin was not.

I get that NFCU is the biggest credit union in the world, and they cannot spot check each and every application for membership, but maybe if they operated a bit more like USAA, situations like this would not happen because your wife would not have been allowed past the eligibility screening.

Please do not use your new NFCU card until this situation gets settled; NFCU can be draconian when it comes to clawing back memberships and any loans etc that were opened after membership was deemed invalid. The roommate way in (and I know that is not what your wife entered) has always been closely monitored by NFCU and garners further scrutiny.

If either you or the Mrs. had a grandparent, parent or sibling that served in the military, you should be eligible for membership; otherwise, I do not see a legitimate, verifiable way in.

You can have a chain of membership, as long as each person ahead of you in the chain is a member you can qualify.

Uncle -> parent (sibling) -> you or Uncle -> spouse -> sibling (parent) -> you

Who would ask half the family to join credit union just so they can join credit union? 🥴

Compared to some things I know involving friends and their families this would be quite mild.

Re: Navy Federal Conscience

coldfusion — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 01:52:27 GMT

@BearsCubsOtters wrote:
@UpAndComing74 wrote:
Yep, no immediate family here. We told them that via secure message on the website and they insist we find someone. THe best probably is to voluntarily close the accounts and be free and clear. Ill have to find another CU that has an easy in and leave Navy for the vets. Interestingly the sponsor said they it used to be you need an immediate family. Even he is mistaken.
He is correct. Prior to February 2017, NFCU was very difficult to join-even retired veterans could not join! NFCU was only open to active duty (or those who joined when they were active duty-I guess that is a different way to say the same thing) or immediate family members of current NFCU members were allowed to join. That, and the risky roommate sponsorship and a long ago, no longer active, backdoor way in.

The last day that backdoor was open was 5/4/2017 and I was one of the very last members who used it to join; I didn't want to wait the several months necessary to get a copy of my father's DD-214. The CSR was obviously aware of the impending change but not exactly when it was supposed to take effect as she doublechecked that it was OK to finalize my application.