Over the weekend, nearly half a million customers of Patelco Credit Union, a prominent financial institution based in Dublin, Alameda County, faced significant disruptions. A “serious security incident” caused the credit union to halt various banking services, leaving customers unable to access their money, make purchases, or check balances online. This incident affected customers across California, including those in the capital region.
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Patelco Credit Union
In response to the security breach, Patelco Credit Union’s president and CEO, Erin Mendez, communicated with customers via email on Sunday. She informed them that the credit union had shut down several day-to-day banking systems as a precautionary measure. Although the nature of the security incident was not disclosed, Mendez assured customers that cybersecurity experts were working diligently to understand the breach and restore services. However, she could not provide a clear timeline for when normal operations would resume.
In her email, Mendez detailed the impact of the incident on various banking services. “We are writing to let you know that on June 29, we experienced a serious security incident. This required us to shut down some of our day-to-day banking systems so that we can remediate the issue and contain the impact, including online banking, our mobile app, and our call center,” she wrote. As a result, electronic transactions such as transfers (including Zelle), direct deposits, balance inquiries, and payments were rendered unavailable. Furthermore, debit and credit card transactions were only functioning in a limited capacity.
Customers expressed their frustration on social media platforms, reporting their inability to withdraw cash or complete debit transactions at certain ATMs and vendors. In response, Patelco informed customers on X that some ATMs within the credit union’s extensive Co-Op network, which includes over 30,000 shared branch ATMs across the U.S., should still be operational. However, the company admitted, “Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an ETA on when those systems will be running as expected.”
Despite numerous inquiries, Patelco did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday. The credit union, originally established as a financial institution for Pacific Bell employees, has multiple branches in areas such as Arden Arcade, Elk Grove, Folsom, Citrus Heights, and Roseville. The company assured customers that its 33 branches in the Bay Area and capital region would be open on Monday, ready to assist during regular business hours.
The responses from Patelco did little to soothe concerned customers. One Reddit user reported that the outage began around 7 a.m. and mentioned that only some customers could use ATMs from “branch partners.” The user questioned, “What are we supposed to do besides reporting it to the NCUA?” referencing the National Credit Union Administration, which insures deposits at credit unions similarly to how the FDIC insures deposits at commercial banks. Another customer on X criticized the credit union’s delayed response, stating, “It shouldn’t have taken your team 36 hours to respond with an official statement. Also — no mention of the safety of our assets? Ridiculous.”
Patelco continued to address customer concerns through their web platforms, reiterating their commitment to resolving the issue. “Rest assured our teams are working to get this taken care of for our members as quickly as possible. We understand this is an inconvenience, and we offer our sincerest apologies,” the company stated.
Founded in 1936, Patelco Credit Union operates as a nonprofit financial institution and serves over 456,000 members, primarily in Northern California. With around $9 billion in assets, Patelco has grown significantly since its inception, maintaining a strong presence in the region.
As the investigation into the security incident continues, Patelco’s customers remain on edge, awaiting the full restoration of services and more detailed information about the breach. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that financial institutions face in the digital age and the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect customer assets and maintain trust.
