Date Received: 2022-09-15
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Subissue: Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/2022, I called Citizens Bank to set up a new Savings Account. The phone number on their online banking portal- XXXX is not a Citizens Bank phone. It belongs to a different company that asks you for your personal information. This is a deceptive as it is not disclosed that it is not a Citizens Bank line. I hung up and called their general line and they had no idea about it. Regardless, they were unable to help me because they Citizens Bank can not open an account over the phone - Misleading advertising! Lastly when I was in the middle of setting up the savings account online, I was directed to their disclosures page where there was an offer for a credit card. This is a very deceptive page as the offer to decline is not as prominent and the option to continue without accepting is not allowed. I pressed continue which then brought me to the screen saying my credit card offer was approved and I would be getting a card in the mail. I DO NOT want a credit card from Citizens Bank and I want this inquiry to be removed from my credit report. Furthermore I want Citizens Bank to look into its deceptive practices and fix this credit offering. Also the false advertising of an incorrect phone number belonging to a different company needs to be fixed.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 01545
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-15
Issue: Opening an account
Subissue: Account opened as a result of fraud
Consumer Complaint: Someone opened a checking account at citizens bank in my name today XX/XX/22. I called and talked to their fraud department and they closed the account.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 184XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-15
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Fee problem
Consumer Complaint: Hello, I bank with Citizens bank for a few years now. I recently overdrew my account on XX/XX/XXXX and Citizens overdraft policy states that if the deposit is made on the account on the second day after the account is overdrawn then the fee will not be assessed to the account. I made the deposit and Citizens bank still billed me the fee. I spoke with a customer service agent today who told me something different. The agent told me and I quote : " In order to avoid any overdraft fees, the account must be brought back and stay in a positive balance by the end of the same business the account became overdrawn. '' It appears Citizens has one policy posted on their website and is enforcing another rule via the agents. I asked the agent twice and this is what the agent shared with me. However Citizens send me an email informing me of something else. The email is attached below. The email states that once the account is overdrawn then you have until the next day to make the deposit. This is the most recent email they sent me, but for some reason they did not follow this rule on XX/XX/XXXX The current balance in your account ending in XXXX did not cover one or more transactions on XX/XX/XXXX, which has overdrawn your account by {$140.00}. Mistakes happen we know; were people too! And were ready to help. With Citizens Peace of Mind, if you overdraw your account, you get extra time to cover it. Then, well rebate any associated overdraft fees as if they never happened. How much time do I have? You have until XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to make an eligible deposit or transfer. How much money do I need? You need to deposit or transfer enough funds to cover the overdraft, plus any new transactions such as automatic payments or debits due before the deadline. Can you please assist me to have the fees that was charged in a deceptive manner rebated. Thank you.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 01905
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-16
Issue: Fraud or scam
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I received payment of {$200.00} for car service from one XXXX XXXX of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ri She then went to her bank I believe citizens and falsely reported it as fraud resulting in money being taken from me
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 02148
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-14
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Subissue: Problem with rewards from credit card
Consumer Complaint: I closed my credit card with Citizens Bank because of how they sneak people into signing for online billing statements and then charge exorbitant fees when the person didn't consent to the fine print and doesn't realize they are late on payments. The CFPB should have a class action law suit on our behalf. In any case, I received my final bill from Citizens Bank credit card for purchase made from XX/XX/22 through XX/XX/22. Since my card was still open, I should have received reward points of 1.8 % on my purchases. I received XXXX.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 193XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-14
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Banking errors
Consumer Complaint: Citizens Bank has adopted the highly questionable practice of creating what is labeled as an account statement, and looks like an account statement, except it shows an erroneous, altered account number. Not only has the bank deleted the complete and true account number from account statements, it will not or can not provide the account holder ( even when asked ) the same account statement showing the complete, true account number. All account statements must show the true account number.
Company Response:
State: RI
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-14
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-13
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Banking errors
Consumer Complaint: Checks that I did not authorize was deposited into my account I called citizens bank because I did not recognize the checks I asked them to stop it they told me they couldnt stop the checks yet because they have to wait for the checks to clear now they are trying to get me to pay the money because the check was deposited they telling me that I had to pay bounce checks back to them that I never even use in their people couldnt even take out my accountXXXX my account is closed I cant open a bank account until the money gets paid
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19135
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-13
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-12
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Deposits and withdrawals
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/22 I attempted to make a cash deposit of {$170.00} to a Citizens Bank ATM located within XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, MA. I deposited the cash and the machine began counting the money. This process seemed to be taking a little longer than usual and than the ATM popped a command prompt error message and than shut down. The ATM hung there for a moment and than seemed to go into a booting screen/animation of some sort. I waited for several moments but it didn't seem to be coming back on. I went to the XXXX XXXX XXXX customer service XXXX ( it was Sunday and the Citizens Bank within the XXXX XXXX XXXX was closed ). I told someone at the desk what had happened and he responded that the XXXX XXXX XXXX didn't have anything to do with the bank and I would have to call the hotline. So i dialed the Citizens Bank phone number and after several prompts was told by the automated response that the current wait time was over an hour long. I went back to the ATM and the screen still showed the same booting animation. So i went back to the customer service desk and asked for a XXXX XXXX XXXX manager. They told me the same thing the employee told me, id have to call the hotline. So i went back to the ATM checked one last time and there had been no change to the screen. Frustrated I unfortunately had to leave as I had no way of knowing how long it would take for the ATM to come back online or what had happened to my funds. I went home and called the Citizens Bank phone number and waited for over an hour for someone to answer. When they finally did, I explained the situation to them and gave them my info. At that time the {$170.00} was not shown to have been deposited into my account. They filed a claim for me, told me I would most likely get a credit put into my account, and should see it in a few days. A few days later a credit for {$170.00} showed up in my account. I assumed the problem was resolved. Than on XX/XX/22 I got a letter from Citizens stating the investigation had been completed, they found no error, and the credit of {$170.00} would be taken out of my account on XX/XX/22. I called the Citizens Bank phone number again right away. After another hour long wait I got a representative on the line who couldn't hear me over the phone and hung up on me. So at my wits end, the next monday I was forced to take my morning off of work losing valuable hours/pay and go into the Citizens Bank XXXX XXXX XXXX & XXXX where the incident had taken place. I talked to a manager who told me there was nothing he could do and i would have to call Citizens again. I refused telling him what had happened when i tried and eventually he took me into his office. He called through a employee line and while he was waiting to connect he checked the ATM logs. He told me he didnt see the bank being out of balance that week that the incident took place. The manager mentioned that what might have happened was when the ATM came back online the {$170.00} was spit back out and someone probably took it. Of course at the time I had no way of knowing that would happen or when the ATM would come back online if at all. When he got through to Citizens he explained what was going on and they told me they had sent out a letter requesting more info, which i never received, and that he would fax over the form for me to fill out there. I filed out the info, which honestly didnt make sense as it was the same exact info i had already given during the initial complaint. The manager faxed over the form saying the claim would be escalated and relooked at. On XX/XX/22 I got another letter stating Citizens had conducted an additional review of my claim and the original decision stands and that my claim would remain denied. This makes very little sense to me as if they had looked at the security cameras it would clearly show me there that day making a deposit as well as some indication in their system that the ATM encountered an error that day and shut down. Which i would have no way of knowing unless i was there at that time making a deposit ... which never showed up in my account. Thus leading me hear to file this complaint.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 02150
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-13
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Hi, I am writing regarding a total sum of {$880.00} in missing funds that we are trying to reclaim from Citizens Bank, and I am seeking a resolution to have these funds returned to us. The missing funds are due to a series of problematic withdrawals that Citizens Bank had made to our account. The earliest is a transaction from XX/XX/XXXX, where {$880.00} has been subtracted from our escrow account with only the description " Misapplied Funds ''. This is likely stemming from another error that Citizens Bank had made last year, where they actually sent a homeowner insurance payment to our insurance company XXXX from another bank customer 's account. After working with the insurance company to get the funds returned to Citizens Bank so that they can repay the other bank customer, it seems like Citizens Bank ended up withdrawing this amount directly from our account, instead of using the returned funds that they should have received from XXXX. The second is a transaction on XX/XX/XXXX, for a total of {$910.00}. This was supposed to pay for our quarterly property taxes, but our Department of Finance had never received this check, and hence we ended up being charged a late fee of {$6.00}. Citizens Bank had finally refunded us the missing {$910.00} on XX/XX/XXXX, but we are requesting a refund of the late fee that we had to pay due to Citizens Bank 's negligence. The last transaction is also on the date of XX/XX/XXXX, where our escrow account listed that {$6.00} in taxes had been paid, but on our local Department of Finance payment history website we found a matching payment at {$6.00}. We are willing to subtract 2 cents from what Citizens Bank owe us due to this. Summing everything, we're owed a total of {$880.00} + {$6.00} - {$0.00} = {$880.00}. We have repeatedly reached out to Citizens Bank in the past regarding this issue but unfortunately our efforts have not been met with a resolution yet. We have sent them our row-by-row analysis and cross-reference of our escrow account 's transactions, along with our properties ' public payment history records from our local Department of Finance website . We are hoping that filing this CFPB complaint can help us resolve this issue. Thank you for your help.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 11201
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-13
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-09-11
Issue: Charged fees or interest you didn't expect
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Fraudulent line of credit opened in my name. Charged my credit card.
Company Response:
State: MO
Zip: 64804
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-09-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A