Date Received: 2023-11-25
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Deposits and withdrawals
Consumer Complaint: The Company XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX On XX/XX/23 From XXXX XXXX On Behalf of Him and Another Business Partner, to Invest in my Invention and business. They contacted Citizens Bank a few times, To which the Bank isnt releasing my Funds. I will not stop until I get my funds from my Business account and Checking account that I had with them. Please kindly Help me. Thank you Sincerely XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 14207
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-25
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue: Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue with the application process
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/, I received another letter from Citizens Bank, where I have a checking account and two credit card accounts, telling me I am pre-qualified for a HELOC. I have received several of these letters but have mostly disregarded it. This time, however, I realized that my getting these letters was potentially a problem. Looking at the letter, it says that I am pre-qualified and given a prospective credit rate based on my " strong credit score '' and that the offer is " on the basis of [ Citizen Bank 's ] knowledge of you as a customer and your standard customer credit profile. '' This is a bit of a red flag to me, because, per Section 604 ( e ) of the FCRA, I opted to be excluded from lists that would provide credit information for such pre-qualifications for what the FCRA calls " a credit or insurance transaction that is not initiated by the consumer. '' It is possible that they are basing the pre-qualification based on information they have via my opened accounts, but they should not be able to get my credit score from an XXXX for this purpose. I called multiple customer service lines to get clarification and no one was able to offer it. I asked for a way to submit consumer complaints to the bank and no one was aware of any way to submit such a complaint. I am concerned for the potential for the following : an XXXX is providing my credit score in violation of section 604 ( e ) of the FCRA and/or Citizens Bank is compiling a credit score internally which I'm not sure is appropriate under the FCRA. They may also not be a credit score involved in this pre-qualification, just a risk score based on my accounts with them, but they were not able to verify that and their communication states otherwise. If there is no credit scoring involved in these offers, they should update their communications to be more accurate. Furthermore, I am concerned that bank employees are not able to answer that question and are unable to provide a means to submit a consumer complaint. I was also unable to find a way to submit a complaint online.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19460
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-24
Issue: Problem with customer service
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I, erroneously, mailed a check to citizens pay at the beginning of XXXX. The check was suppose to be sent to XXXX. When I recognized my error I requested a refund from Citizen pay. I was told it would take three days to receive it in a check. Today I called Citizens pay and was told it can take up to 45 days to receive this refund. I told the representative that I needed the refund sooner.
Company Response:
State: MD
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-12-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-24
Issue: Closing your account
Subissue: Company closed your account
Consumer Complaint: Unable to request information, according to the representative, the representative does not have the information as to why my account was closed and hence a manager will have to contact me. I was told on XX/XX/XXXX that a manager will reach out to me on XXXXXXXX.No call back received as of XX/XX/. I called Citizens Business Card Services again today and I am getting the same response-manager will call back. The card and my credit have been in good standing since it was opened with all balances paid on time.Citizens Business Card services has made no attempt to resolve this issue.
Company Response:
State: MI
Zip: 48183
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-24
Issue: Getting a loan
Subissue: Denied loan
Consumer Complaint: Applied for a loan refinance on XX/XX/2023. I was denied, without even a chance, because it could not verify my identity when it asked for several identification and was able to find my credit score. Then it reported false information according to my credit report that I had a delinquent account which has been paid and closed. I was not given and recourse, with the online system just a denial, based on generalized reasons. I would like to know why the report is different from my credit report when I have dispute the accounts, and why it said unable to verify identity, when my identity was verified by the online system. It does not make sense, I believe the decision to be unfair and would like recourse and more solid explanation from the bank.
Company Response:
State: AZ
Zip: 85024
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-24
Issue: Closing an account
Subissue: Can't close your account
Consumer Complaint: I have XXXX $ initial deposit XXXX $ of interest stuck in a Citizens Access Account. Without giving me any information, Citizens has removed my ability to extract my money, or close my account. XX/XX/XXXX : Opened Citizens Access Savings Account, transferred XXXX $ as an initial deposit from my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Direct Debit Payment ). XX/XX/XXXX : Tried to deposit more money into Savings Account. Error " Sorry, we can't schedule your transfer right now. Please try again or give us a call at XXXX. '' I called the number. They told me that they have terminated the account, without giving any more information. I had not received any notice of the cancellation via email or post, and have not to this date. I did not follow up, thinking theyd just transfer back my money eventually, which wouldve been fine with me. XX/XX/XXXX : No transfer has occurred. The account is still accessible via the online portal, but I can not extract any funds. I called XXXX again, wanting to close the account myself. They told me again that they have terminated the account ( without more information why ). They told me to transfer out the money I need my own bank to send a ACH Reversal Request or a Hold Harmless Letter. I contact my bank ( XXXX ). XXXX can not reverse the ACH transaction ( since its 4 months old at this point, and the transaction was valid ). XXXX has no clue what a Hold Harmless Letter is, and they can not send it. To further complicate matters, XXXX has switched their XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ) so my XXXX XXXX XXXX number has changed. I added my XXXX XXXX account as the link account to the Citizens savings account. XX/XX/XXXX : No transfer has occurred. I called Citizens again, telling them that my bank can not send these letters, as its not possible. Citizens can not give me more information. XX/XX/XXXX : Called again, same outcome. I was told they're opening a ticket and will call me back. XX/XX/XXXX : They call me back, just to give me same information that I've been told before, about the ACH reversal / hold harmless letter, and without any information as to why my account was frozen. I checked Citizens document center and found a notice of account freeze dated to XX/XX/XXXX ( notably, the freeze is dated before the notice of account details, which I received XX/XX/XXXX ).
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 946XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-24
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue: Confusing or misleading advertising or marketing
Consumer Complaint: We were contacted by a Citizens Bank XXXXXXXX XXXX ( where we do our private banking ) in the Spring of 2023 about the benefits of rolling an open HELOC into a mortgage on a property that is held in an irrevocable trust. I am the Trustee and Beneficiary of this Trust. I was adamant that we did not want to pursue a mortgage, as the Trust needed to remain intact. The Loan officer badgered me repeatedly and then contacted my husband- who is listed on our personal joint bank accounts ( NOT on the Trust accounts ) and badgered him about the Mortgage benefits claiming repeatedly that processing a Mortgage on the Trust property would not impact the Trust. In XX/XX/2023, he wrote " Your second concern is that the HELOC is held in an irrevocable trust. There is no effect at all to the trust or the taxes by doing this transaction. HELOCS and mortgages are treated the exact same way. Your title will remain the same and your tax write off will remain the same. '' He repeatedly noted that " he does this all the time, '' and then convinced us to pursue a Mortgage. We spent time and money going through the Mortgage application process, only to discover in XX/XX/2023 that the house would have to be taken out of the Trust in order to open the Mortgage, thereby breaking the Trust. At this point, I contacted our Family lawyer who explained that there was no way to take out a mortgage on this property in the state of Massachusetts without removing the property from the Trust. The Loan Officer lied to us, repeatedly. We halted the mortgage process immediately. At that point, we had already paid for an appraisal ( which we cancelled but still had to foot the bill for ) and then the cost of consultation with our family lawyer, who bills $ XXXX. We made financial decisions to consolidate other debt into the HELOC to roll into the Mortgage. We made these decisions based on the consistent and repeated advice of this Loan Officer for XXXX XXXX, an institution that we trusted. Since this incident, no one has apologized from the bank for wasting our time or the c. {$1000.00} we have spent on this process. This was the Loan Officer : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Citizens XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, MI XXXX XXXX Office XXXX Cell XXXX Fax XXXX citizensbank.com
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 02720
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-24
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Subissue: Overdrafts and overdraft fees
Consumer Complaint: I was charged overdraft fees without the account being overdrawn and while a dispute was going on for an account error with the card creating duplicate charges and fraudulent charges.Since I've gone to bank to resolve the issue only for the representative to take the card and have the card active. This created more issues and more fraudulent charges.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 442XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-22
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Deposits and withdrawals
Consumer Complaint: Im writing to file a formal complaint against Citizen Access Online savings bank. They have been holding my money hostage since XX/XX/XXXX through no fault of my own, and to date has not been released it to me. Below I will detail the events that have taken place to the best of my ability. Much of this is from memory, cross referenced with notices from Citizens and my own phone call records. Throughout this entire ordeal they have refused to give me anyones e-mail address or phone number to contact them, and I have had to go through their general customer service number anytime I needed to speak to someone, and their customer service supervisors have mostly only been available to call me back. They do record all of their phone conversations though, so Citizens does have a record of everything that was said in these phone calls which I will detail to the best of my ability here. I received a check in the amount of XXXX from a settlement awarded to me through the NYS Division of Human Rights, from an insurance company. Anticipating the checks arrival I opened a new saving account with Citizens Access due to their high interest rates. Citizens Access is the online only division of Citizens Bank, and as such, once I received the check, I deposited it on XX/XX/XXXX on the mobile app, the only way available to me. That same day I received a notice from the bank, all of my communications were set to electronic only, so these showed up instantly on the app. This was a notice of delayed funds availability, notifying me that the funds would be available on XX/XX/XXXX. This is the day I made my first phone call to them on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX and lasted for 5 minutes. I believe during this call I was told by a customer service rep. that it was just a large amount of money, so they placed an extra hold on it. The next day I received 2 notices concurrently, the first saying that they were extending the hold on my check till XX/XX/XXXX due to some check information is inconsistent with other check information. This was also the reason given on all the other extended hold notifications that would come in the future, so I dont repeat over and over again. The next notice, which arrived at the same time, was informing me that my account had been frozen, and all account services and related agreements were terminated when the freeze was place on my account. So I once again called them to find out what was going on. I called at XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and the call lasted for 6 mins. This phone call I was told by a customer service rep. that there was a problem with the check and I had to contact the issuer of the check to find out what was wrong. They refused to give me any more information than that, but also said that my account wasnt frozen or closed at that time. So I called the lawyer who represented me from the NYS Division of Human right and told him what they said and he reached out to the lawyer from the insurance company. At this time I believe it took a few days for him to get back to me, due to the holidays, but when he did I was told theres nothing wrong with the check and the insurance company said the check is good. I called Citizens access back again on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX for 9 minutes to reiterate what I had been told by the lawyer and at this time I had asked to speak to a supervisor because the regular customer service reps refused to give me any information what so ever, I was told one would call me back when they were available. The next two phone calls in my record were an incoming call from Citizens access on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX which lasted for 4 mins and an outgoing call to Citizens from me on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX which lasted for 22 mins. These are the from the same conversation, the supervisor had called me but we got disconnected so I had to call him back and go through the general customer service line again. Its during this call that I believe the supervisor told me that my deposit looked suspicious, and they were rejecting my check and choosing not to do business with me. When I asked what was wrong with the check, I was again given the line that Id have to speak to the issuer of the check, so I once again did that. So I called the NYS DHR lawyer again to relay the information I was given and he contacted the insurance companys lawyer to relay to him and the company. When the NYS DHR lawyer got back to me that day, he told me the insurance company again said the check was fine, and if the bank was rejecting it because my deposit in a brand new account looked suspicious, I should deposit it in my regular bank account. They also said they had never had anything like this happen and found it highly unusual. So on XX/XX/XXXX I call Citizens Access again, Im speaking to the same supervisor I had before and I tell him what I was told by the lawyers. I said, The insurance company and the lawyer told me that if you are rejecting the check, than I should be free to deposit it in another account then. So I want to make sure before I do that, I want to double check and make sure you did not cash this check, and that you are rejecting it. I was told by the customer service supervisor that yes, we are rejecting the check, it has not been cashed and I am free to deposit it in another account. In fact maybe youll have better luck depositing it in an established account. So being that the insurance companys lawyer told me to do that, and it was cleared and given the ok by the supervisor at Citizens, I did that. I attempted to deposit the check in my existing checking account with another bank, XXXX. The check was almost immediately rejected from my normal bank as well. And when I called them to ask why, I was given the same answer you have to speak to the issuer of the check. So I called my lawyer, who called their lawyer and everyone abound was dumbfounded. Nobody had any idea what was going on. The insurance company lawyer did say one thing, we can issue you a new check and you can try that, we just need you to return the one you have and we have to make sure this one hasnt been cashed. It turns out when the insurance company lawyer reached out to their finance department, they said that the check had in fact been cashed and they were unable to issue me a new one due to this. So now Im flabbergasted, and I can still see the check in my account pending. On XX/XX/XXXX I receive two more notices from Citizens, one telling me again my account had been frozen and terminated on the XXXX and the other telling me the hold on the check had been extended to XX/XX/XXXX. So is the account frozen and closed or is it still open and the check has a hold on it? I place several calls to Citizens that day and the next day, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, 6 in total. I dont remember each conversation individually but the gist of the important conversation goes like this. Out of the 6 calls, I believe I spoke to the supervisor twice, the first call and the last call. Basically during one of these calls he tells me that, YES, we did actually in fact cash that check even though I originally told you we were rejecting it. And no, you wont be getting that money. He tells me that when the hold in XXXX is lifted, that they will send the funds back to the issuer of the check, and no matter what, I will not be getting it from them, and they wont give me any more information on the matter or why. So I go back to the lawyers and tell them. And Im basically told that if/when they lift the hold on the check and if the insurance company does in fact receive the money, then and only then will they issue me another check. Because as far as they are concerned they have fulfilled their obligation to pay me, and the check has been cashed. I dont contact the lawyers or the bank again until XX/XX/XXXX, by which time the hold should have been lifted. By this time the bank has removed my access to view my account, so I cant even see if they money is still there or not. So on this day I called again, the call lasted for 30 minutes. Im told the hold has been extended and that they sent me a notice about it already in the mail. I tell them I received no such notice. They tell me the hold has been extended again until XX/XX/XXXX. Thats another 5 months. So I reiterate that Im not receiving these notices in the mail, and they swear up and down that they have in fact been mailing them to me, so I tell them to send me 3 copies of the last notice, I want to make sure I get it. It never arrives. The next call I make to them is onXX/XX/XXXX and I believe this call was about not receiving any of the communications they had been sending anymore. I finally get a hold of a customer service agent who understands whats happening when I tell her I no longer have access to the account, and that my preferences were originally set to digital only, so even though they think they are mailing them to me, they are in fact not, and they are going to an account I can no longer access. This agent tells me she is going to try and figure it out and change my preferences so I will receive them in the mail. On XX/XX/XXXX I receive a phone call from Citizens. Its a customer service supervisor telling me that they have granted me access to view the account again so I can read the communications theyve been sending me. But the account is restricted, so I cant deposit, withdraw or move any money. I say ok, thanks. On XX/XX/XXXX I call Citizens as the hold on the check should have been lifted, and when I look at the account in the app, it does in fact look like the check finally cleared. So I want to clarify this. And Im told that it did in fact clear, but the account is still restricted and I cant move or do anything with the money. So essentially, it made no difference that the check cleared; I still cant access the money. Over the next two months I place and receive 5 more calls to Citizens on two on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. All of these phone calls are related to trying to get Citizens to unrestrict the account so I can access and use my money. I am rebuffed at every call and told they are working on it. The last call I had on XX/XX/XXXX I actually talked to a different supervisor and I tell her this entire tale Ive laid out before you. I tell her everything, about the other supervisor lying to me and that all of it is backed up by their own recording system, and that will prove me right. She tells me she is going to see what she can do and they will call me back when the restriction is lifted and this is resolved. It now over two months later and I havent heard a word from them. Theyve had my money for almost a year now. I need this money, it was awarded to me because of my XX/XX/XXXX. And Im suffering without it and my life is made more difficult. I had planned on using it to put a down payment on a house so I could stop living in an apartment, which is difficult for me. And theyve been holding it hostage for almost an entire year, completely due to their own negligence and mistakes. Yet Im the one that suffering the consequences. A couple things Id like to add to all this. Throughout all these phone calls, their customer service staff and supervisors had mentioned their fraud department. I was told numerous times their fraud department was investigating or that they had finished their investigation etc. One thing I know for a fact, throughout this whole thing Citizens Bank never contacted my lawyer, the insurance companys lawyer, the insurance company or their bank, and I know they had their contact info; I gave them my lawyers at least. I know this because it was discussed among myself and the lawyers. Citizens Access never did their due diligence investigating anything concerning this check. The other thing is, and this is very important, that at some point during one of these phone calls and I cant recall which one, one of the regular customer service reps let it slip that the reason for all these extended holds, and the restricted account was because I tried to deposit the check in another account after I had already deposited it with them. Until this point, no one at Citizens would give me a reason to why all this was happening. Now I at least knew. So all of this has happened because in the beginning I was told the check was being rejected, and when I was advised to deposit it in another account, I called that same supervisor back to make absolutely sure that was ok. And he told me exactly that yes, we are rejecting the check and you are free to try and deposit it in another account. So he either lied to me, or was wrong, but either way I was told that this action was acceptable by Citizens themselves. As I said above, the customer service supervisor refused to give me an email address or direct line to call so I could get through to him to discuss this very frustrating drawn out thing. And because of that, I have none of this in writing from them. But as I also said, they do record all their phone calls, and everything I just said can be found on their own recordings, but I obviously dont have access to them. So hopefully you do. Ive included copies of my phone records; the black dots denote phone calls to and from Citizens Access customer service. Ive also attached copes of the notices they sent me.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 10704
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2023-11-21
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Problem using a debit or ATM card
Consumer Complaint: I filed a fraud complaint for unauthorized use of my debit card with Citizens Bank on XX/XX/2023 for a total amount of {$1800.00}. These charges were made between XX/XX/2023 and XX/XX/2023 at multiple businesses including XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX and XXXX XXXX. There were a total of XXXX charges ( Ive included a pdf of highlighted disputed charges ), and some were charged multiple times in one day. I do not use any of these businesses. I received written notification that my claim was denied dated XX/XX/2023. I called Citizens customer service to obtain more information about why my claim was denied and the representative told me someone from the fraud department would call me and explain why my case was denied and that after this call, my case would be reopened and reinvestigated. I never received a call from Citizens fraud department. I received a written notification dated XX/XX/2023 that the additional review of your claim and the original decision stands and the claim remains denied. I should mention that this is the third fraud claim I have filed with Citizens this year because my debit card has been compromised. The two other claims were determined that fraud did indeed occur and I was issued a credit to my account for the total amounts of the claims.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 11209
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2023-11-21
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A