Deal has ended, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here.
Update 9/10/22: Deal is back and valid until November 28, 2022. Hat tip to Phil P
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $200
- Availability: Anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Baltimore City
- Direct deposit required: Yes, $500+ for two consecutive months
- Additional requirements: See below
- Hard/soft pull: Hard pull, possibly soft pull now
- ChexSystems: Unknown, not sensitive
- Credit card funding: Unknown
- Monthly fees: None
- Early account termination fee: Six months, bonus forfeit
- Household limit: None listed
- Expiration date:
October 31st, 2019May 25, 2022
Contents
The Offer
- MECU Credit Union is offering a bonus of $200 when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements for two consecutive months after account opening:
- Set up and receive direct deposits totaling $400 or more
- Make 12 or more debit card purchases
- Opt in to paperless eStatements
The Fine Print
- This offer is valid for new consumer CashBack Checking and RewardChecking accounts. This offer is intended for new checking members only. You are not eligible for this offer if you are a current owner of a MECU consumer checking account as of June 20, 2019. Business and Fiduciary accounts are not eligible for this offer.
- To receive a $150 bonus, open a new, eligible MECU consumer checking account with a minimum opening deposit of $25 by October 31, 2019. All account applications are subject to approval. For two consecutive months after account opening, complete the following qualifying activities: 1) receive a cumulative monthly total of $500 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the checking account; 2) complete 12 or more debit card purchases; and 3) enroll in paperless e-Statements. A qualifying direct deposit is the member’s salary, pension, Social Security, or other regular monthly income, electronically deposited through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) by your employer or third party.
- We will deposit the bonus into your new checking account within 30 days after meeting all offer requirements. The new checking account must remain open with a balance of $1 or more to receive any earned bonus payments. You are responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes due on the bonus and we will report as income to the tax authorities if required by applicable law. Consult your tax advisor.
- If the checking account is closed within six months of account opening, MECU reserves the right to deduct the bonus from the account at the time of closing. Offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with other offers. This offer is subject to change and may be discontinued at any time without prior notice. Membership eligibility required. Other restrictions may apply.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
Neither account has any monthly fee to worry about
Early Account Termination Fee
Bonus needs to be kept open for six months otherwise bonus will be forfeit
Our Verdict
We need to know if it’s a hard or soft pull to open before determining if this worth doing or not. If anybody goes for this bonus then share your experiences in the comments below.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To ChexSystems
- Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
- What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
- How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
- Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
- How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
Closing account options… in-branch, mail, fax, or secure message, but you have to upload/send a signed letter and “photocopy” of the ID card. I sent a photo of it.
William Charles
SM response:
In order to close your account, you can
– Visit a MECU branch (by appointment scheduled at http://www.mecu.com when you click Locations)
– Write a letter stating that you would like to have the account closed with your signature.
The letter can be faxed, mailed or uploaded through this service. With the written letter include a photocopy of your ID.
ATTN: Operations Support Services
Fax #: 443-927-3749
Mailing Address-
MECU Credit Union
One South St
Baltimore, MD
21202
ATTN: Operations Support Services
Hoping to churn it someday…
Eligibility: Must reside in Maryland, Washington DC, Deleware, PA, or VA – Various Museum Memberships won’t work if you are OOS per MECU.
I got rejected for the same reason as above. Don’t try OOS if you are OOS.
Three years later and no fake DD DPs?
Called them up. No hard pull. Going to apply for it.
This $200 bonus is back and good thru November 28, 2022
I still have my MECU account from 2019, and would now be OOS otherwise since ACC option is gone. Trying to get P2 signed up using me as a household member, and hoping it is possible to avoid the Hard Pull. Froze Equifax and Experian, then submitted the application. (They can have TU if they want it)
Even though D/L was uploaded during the app, the final screen says:
Thank you for your interest in joining MECU. In order to complete your application, we need to confirm your identification.
You will receive a text within the next four (4) business hours (8:00am -5:30 pm, M-F) requesting validation of your state issued ID. Please complete this process within 10 minutes of receiving the request. If you do not complete within this time, notify us via the application portal so another ID verification request can be initiated.
Normally I know better than to apply with credit reports frozen, and they will likely say she has to thaw, but that’s how DP’s are found. Still no CC funding.
“You will receive a text within the next four (4) business hours (8:00am -5:30 pm, M-F) requesting validation of your state issued ID. Please complete this process within 10 minutes of receiving the request.”
Sounds like taken from a James Bond Movie.
Gadget - Bank Bonus Geek , please let us know if the text self-destroyed itself after the time was up…? 😉
Yeah, that did seem odd. I guess everyone sits and stares at their phone all day? P2 may or may not be able to drop everything in the middle of a workday to exchange texts with a bank.
With EQ and EX frozen, P2 denied.
Thank you for your interest in joining MECU Credit Union. Unfortunately, we are unable to continue processing your request for membership as there is a consumer block/security freeze on your credit file. Please access a copy of the Consumer Report that is included with this notification. Once the consumer block/security freeze is removed then you can re-apply online.
MECU Credit Union
Adverse Actions Report is downloadable, but what report they were seeking was not marked off. (Form has check blocks for EQ EX TU & Chex, but not filled in)
Just going to thaw and try again and let the HP take place. This is why I normally never freeze reports. It’s not worth the hassle, and likely going to take another Chex hit. Watch them deny her for Chex next!
Resubmitted application. KBA questions at the end of the application didn’t happen yesterday (loan amounts, year born, Astrological Sign, LOL) Still got the message at the end to expect a message within 4 business hours.
P2 was approved the next day (yesterday).
NO HARD PULL was done. I think by now I would have seen it pop. Used CreditKarma & Experian app yesterday night, and MyEquifax tonight. Not even a soft pull, on Equifax anyway.
William Charles
Chex was pulled one time, on the first application attempt only.
The 10-minute self-destructing ID Verification message was just a Docusign request, where P2 had to upload her ID again, front & back, and digitally sign for the account.
A couple of hours after completing that Docusign via text message, there was an additional Docusign to complete that arrived via email.
Online access was able to be set up last night using the Member number that was in the 2nd DocuSign.
Plaid funding from Fairwinds CU is already in MECU online banking showing as available. Posted 04/28/2022 as “MECU CREDIT UNIO ONLINEACCT”.
I can only speculate why I got a HP in 2019 and P2 did not. I know I opted out of overdraft. Maybe I just had a hardcore worker that was trying to find a reason to get rid of me? Hopefully, it was just a change in the way they process the application.
Jay - ⒿⒶⓨ 🙈 🙉 🙊 
Desert Rat 
Mike
P2 would be my most recent account. Opened Cash Back Checking.
04/28/2022 MECU CREDIT UNIO ONLINEACCT $100 (opening deposit)
05/02/2022 PAPER STATEMENT FEE -$2 (got it refunded – signed up for estatements)
05/06/2022 ENT CU FUNDSXFR (ENT CU ACH Push to MECU $600 deposit)
05/09/2022 DBT PURCHASE (USAA $1.xx charges x 11)
05/26/2022 DBT PURCHASE ON 05/25 @ 04:51 / CASH APP load $240 (screwed up and did it too late in the month to count for debit rewards.)
05/26/2022 CASH BACK REWARD CREDIT $0.38
06/01/2022 Real DD $400
06/09/2022 12 USAA & Cash App debits totalling $250+
06/21/2022 CHECKING THANK YOU $200 BONUS!!!
06/29/2022 CASH BACK REWARD CREDIT $7.50
I was actually surprised this one paid out, because either the two months of consecutive DD’s is not enforced, or the ENT CU ACH transfer counted as a DD.
I’d be interested to see your dates. The big thing with this credit union is the monthly cycle statement cutoff dates are strange and caught me off guard even though I was aware of them. It’s easy to forget. https://www.mecu.com/Personal/Checking-Savings/Checking-Debit-Card/CashBack-Checking
She never did get a Hard Pull for opening. They have been soft-pulling Experian to keep tabs on her/screen for offers.
PeeWee Did you get a hard pull?
Membership thru ACC is no more….sad
There are some other charities listed, though. Would making a small donation make you “affiliated with” them? I don’t see any language saying you must live in a certain area in the promo specs or membership application, altho putting in OOS zip code may bring that up, or they may not pay the bonus if you’re OOS.
But Gadget’s post from 10/2019 says it was hard pull, which would make this not worth it for me, I guess, even if I could qualify OOS.
Anyone knows if this is hard or soft pull?
Deal is back and now at $200
William Charles 
Chuck
Link: https://www.mecu.com/Beyond-Basic
Nice, seems like only 1 month of qualification is needed now:
Bonus Requirements: To receive a $200 bonus, open a new, eligible MECU consumer checking account with a minimum opening deposit of $25 by May 25, 2022. All account applications are subject to approval. By the end of the next checking cycle after account opening, complete the following qualifying activities: 1) receive a cumulative monthly total of $400 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the checking account; 2) complete 12 or more debit card purchases; and 3) enroll in paperless eStatements. A qualifying direct deposit is the member’s salary, pension, Social Security, or other regular monthly income, electronically deposited through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) by your employer or third party. Enjoy an extra $200 with checking that gives you more.
Applied today. No instant account number given. Loanspq application login shows instant approved, so that gives me (a false sense?) some hope.
DP: No CC funding – Funding options included:
– ACH from an external bank, up to $1000. Must manually type RTN & Acct number. No Plaid/Yodlee link option.
– Transfer from an existing MECU account.
– Mail a check.
You do have to put at least $5 in savings, and $25 in the checking. Like many credit unions, that $5 in savings is probably untouchable until you close out your membership.
No HP alarms upon submitting the application.
Selected American Consumer Council member as part of the application. As
IS250 mentioned, says you must reside in Maryland, Delaware, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania or Virginia.
Per the instant e-mail from MECU, they will e-mail me in “4 business hours” with next steps. Per the last page of the application, I should expect to have to sign Docusign documents. So, I suspect I will not know anything until Monday. I will report back how it goes. FYI
William Charles
DP: HP EQ – not Chex sensitive. Not footprint sensitive as long as you reside in the 4 states listed or DC.
This afternoon, I got prompted via e-mail to e-sign documents. Says my account was opened on Saturday, 10/05. Submitted signature, and a few minutes later, received Welcome to MECU e-mail. Included were vague directions to download the app, and signup for Online Banking using your member number from the application, in backwards order. Not my 1st rodeo, but some people would probably have issue, because you also had to create an e-sign login that was separate from online banking.
I got all that setup without issue. And suddenly, hours later, I get a Credit Karma alert. “Municipal Empl Cr Un Inquiry from Oct 07, 2019” was added to my Equifax.
Part of me wants to call and complain about the HP, but I know they will say it’s just part of the application process that I agreed to. And I can’t really dispute it AFAIK.
So, DP: Hard Inquiry – Equifax (Not Experian like
IS250 was told.)
William Charles
Not Chex Sensitive. 5/3, 8/6, 20/12, 43/24, for Chex. FYI
Recv Debit Card today. Activated no problem. You set your own PIN over the phone while activating, so no waiting on a perforated pouch.
Sent an SM asking:
1. If promotion was attached (because there was no clear promo code to use online)
2. If I need to completed my transactions (DD & Debits) this month and next month, or since I just opened, do I need to complete them in November and December? Glad I did:
Response:
“Our records indicates that your account was opened in October, therefore as long as you meet the promotional qualifiers in November and December, the promotion bonus will be credited in January.
Please see the Promotional Qualifiers below:
1) Set up and receive a cumulative monthly total of $500 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the checking account;
2) Complete 12 or more debit card purchases;
3) Enroll in paperless e-Statements.
The promotional qualifiers cycle dates are as follows
Oct 30 – Nov 26 for November
Nov 27 – Dec 26 for December”
I like their transparency… unlike Wells Fargo where we debate calendar, statement, or rolling 30 day months. Hopefully it is good intel. FYI
William Charles 
IS250
But, I spoke with a representative and said it was HP with Experian for a checking account.
—————————
American Consumer Council: You can qualify for membership if you choose to support our partner nonprofit, American Consumer Council (ACC). When you select this option, MECU will make a one-time support payment to ACC at no cost to you. You must reside in Maryland, Delaware, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania or Virginia.
It says on the opening page it’s baltimore city only…
I don’t see where it says ONLY for Baltimore City either on the opening account page or the bonus fineprint. Baltimore City is just one eligible way for membership while ACC is also an option to choose from which expands the footprint of availability.
Anyway, if the representative is right about a HP, then it’s not worth it.
Can’t remember where I saw it, maybe I’m wrong though!