Date Received: 2021-08-03
Issue: Closing on a mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I am the listing agent on a property that was to be conventionally financed by Citizens bank. This loan has gone over the 45 day closing period and at 60 days Citizens was still not ready to close and were completely avoiding contact with all parties ( including the borrower ). The loan office would NOT communicate with anyone ( including the borrower ) about the status of the loan. We went weeks without any communication and now they won't release the appraisal to the buyer/new lender. We have had to ask my seller for 3 extensions - he is still continuing to pay his mortgage through all of this. I should add, this is a $ XXXX plus contract.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 442XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-08-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-08-03
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Information belongs to someone else
Consumer Complaint: I have these accounts that are not mine and i want them to be removed from my credit report. 1. Identity Theft XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX This is not mine. 2. Identity Theft XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX This is not mine. 3. Identity Theft CITIZENSONE Account Number : XXXX This is not mine. 4. Identity Theft XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX This is not mine.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-08-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-08-02
Issue: Other transaction problem
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I moved from XXXX to XXXX in XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I used Citizens ' Bank website to open a Checking and Savings Account and utilized the option on their website to transfer {$1000.00} into each account ( {$2000.00} total ) from my VA bank ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), which just changed to XXXX XXXX XXXX ). One week later, I tried to access the accounts online to make sure the transfers completed ok, but my logins did not work. I called Citizens bank for assistance, and they advised my accounts had been closed and I would receive letter in the mail shortly with an explanation and a cashiers check for funds deposited. About a week later, I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX stating we can no longer do business with you, with no further explanation. The letter stated they would mail a cashiers check on XX/XX/XXXX. When no check was received, I called the bank again and they told me to allow more time for the mail. When I still received no check, I called Citizens bank again and was told the account was closed because money was never deposited into the account. However, my bank statement from XXXX ( the sending bank ) shows the withdraws and no return deposits. XXXX at Citizens instructed me to come into bank so we could call the back office together to determine what is going on. I went in and we called the back office but was told the funds were transferred back to XXXX and to follow up with them. Citizens provided no tracing codes/dates or any identifying information provided for follow-up with XXXX. I talked with XXXX XXXX at XXXX who confirmed XXXX has no record of the funds being return. They stated Citizens or their the passthrough company they use for online transfers needs to provide information on the funds return so XXXX could track that return. XXXX further provided trace numbers on the transfer of funds from XXXX account as well as the Citizens bank ID numbers from when they withdrew the funds. She suggested I contact the company Citizens used for money transfer and provided her information on that company : XXXX XXXX XXXX. Frustrated and not sure how to proceed, I asked my Mom to help. On XX/XX/XXXX, we contacted XXXX but was advised they dont keep any information as they are just a passthrough. They directed me to contact the bank. My mom conferenced us, XXXX/XXXX and XXXX/Citizens in together. XXXX wanted me to come into bank again to call back office again. My mom said No, she has come in before, it resulted in nothing. Furthermore, my daughter is overwhelmed and needs my assistance to get answers and Im not going up to XXXX from XXXX to get the same answers she received before. This needs to be resolved here. XXXX at XXXX advised XXXX at Citizens that funds were not deposited back into my account and they have no record of return. XXXX asked for date of return and related tracking numbers to verify, but XXXX could not provide. XXXX advised she needed to contact ACH Back Office to get details and would call back. No call received. On XX/XX/XXXX, Mom and I called XXXX at Citizens again. XXXX stated the only information she can provide is that no funds were ever put into the account, and Citizens closed the accounts and cancelled the transfer. She could not provide a tracing number/cancellation number or any information to follow-up on. She advised next recourse was to submit an Office of the Chair Complaint ( OCC ) on my behalf, and we would be contacted by someone within 24-48 hours. On XXXX there was still no response, so we called XXXX again. She advised the OCC status showed Assigned but no name assigned as working it. She advised there was no way for her to escalate this aside from her sending another email. So, she emailed a note for someone to call us by end of day. On XXXX, we still did not receive a call. We tried to call XXXX again, but were told that she was out of office until Friday and no one else could assist in her absence. So, we contacted Citizens corporate Customer Service at XXXX. We went through several hands and disconnections, until we finally reached XXXX with the Immediate Customer Resolution ( ICR ) Team at XXXX ). We asked him about who handles the online transfers for Citizens bank whether it is Citizens directly or if they use a 3rd party transfer company. XXXX believes transfers are handled internally by Citizens, not a 3rd party. He tried to reach out to initial parties involved with cancellation of the accounts ( Fraud Department ). No one was available due to late hour after all our previous attempts to reach someone. He advised he emailed those individuals and that hed be out tomorrow ( XXXX ), but that we may hear from someone in the Fraud depart directly. On XXXX, we reached out to the District Attorneys office in XXXX, MA for help. They advised that, since Citizens is a national bank, that we would need to submit a formal complaint to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ( OCC ) online. We submitted a complaint with OCC. To date, we have not heard anything back on this aside from a confirmation of complaint receipt. On XXXX, I received call from man at Citizens who did not identify himself. He simply said that Citizens cant help me and to have XXXX file a claim. Also on XXXX, I exchanged a series of emails with XXXX at XXXX. ( She has been the only one who really seemed to want to help us. ) She asked if I had a cancellation number, and I advised again that we were never able to get any transaction numbers from Citizens. All we were given by Citizens is that XX/XX/XXXX was the date they cancelled account and rejected the funds transfer. She asked for my Citizens bank routing number and advised she will try to contact Citizens ACH back office to try and resolve. She firmly believes it is with Citizen or their bill pay. Despite Citizens assertations that it was cancelled and therefore they wouldnt have any tracking numbers, XXXX insists it was NOT cancelled or it would not have pulled from my account. She said it could possibly have been refunded, but if so, it did not make it into my account. A refund should have created a new tracking/trace number which Citizens should be able to provide. She advised she would get back with us once she has any information. Later in the day, XXXX sent me another email, saying she tried to call Citizens but was transferred to a phone number she couldnt use because it is for Citizens customers. She advised that she would try to prompt a response from them via a Proof of Authorization ( or permission to return the two items withdrawn from my account ) letter and see how they respond. She also recommended I file a complaint with the Federal Reserve. XXXX My mom contacted the Federal Reserve to get information on filing a claim. They directed us to File a claim with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) instead, as Citizens fall under them. So, that is what I am doing here. At this point this is becoming a desperate situation for me. I am a young person starting out on my own and am running out of money. I really need these funds ASAP.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-08-05
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-08-01
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I am writing to request correction of the error described below in regard to the mortgage on my property. My mortgage company failed to credit the payment I made on XX/XX/2020 debited from my Financial Institution ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) via XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2020 in the amount of {$4700.00} as of the date of receipt. This was to cover the following said period mortgage payments : XX/XX/2020 - {$1100.00} XX/XX/2020 - {$1100.00} XX/XX/2020 - {$1100.00} XX/XX/2020 - {$1100.00} I have enclosed a verification letter from my Financial Institution as to said funds have not been returned along with a copy showing where the funds have been debited from the account.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 32526
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-08-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-07-28
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Subissue: Overdrafts and overdraft fees
Consumer Complaint: This compliant is against Citizens Bank. I have a checking account with them. Some time ago, I made a mistake by using my Citizens Bank checking account as the source to pay off one of my credit cards ( I intended to use another checking account ). Because my Citizens Bank had insufficient funds for the credit payment at that time, I was charged for a later fee. That late fee is understandable because it was my own mistake using a wrong checking account for the credit card payment. However, I also have multiple monthly recurring transfers between my Citizens Bank and another bank. Citizens Bank then charged me the late fee seven time ( {$30.00} for three times and {$37.00} for four times ) because the credit card payment brought the Citizens Bank checking account to negative. Over a relatively long time, Citizens Bank did not alert me for the late fees by any means. When I found this issue myself, I was already charged the late fee for seven times. I believe that Citizens Bank should inform the customers once a late fee is repeated charged rather than be silent. I have contacted Citizens Bank to ask for a full refund of the late fee. They refunded me two out of the seven later fees charged. However, I am not satisfied with that. I am OK to pay for the first late fee, but Citizens Bank shall refund me for the remaining four late fees ( because they failed to inform me regarding the repeatedly charged late fees, which they should really do ).
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 45211
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-07-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-07-28
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/2021 I reached out to CITIZENS BANK in regards of applying for a consumer credit transaction. At my request, I gave notice to the mortgage loan officer that I was asserting and reserving all rights under the ECOA ( Equal Credit Opportunity Act ). Pursuant to : " Use of Credit History Information -- 12 CFR 1002.6 ( b ) ( 6 ) '' This request was made verbally by phone, also through via email and USPS Certified Mail. ( Please see all attachments for confirmation ) Through correspondence with the mortgage loan officer via email, she stated that my ECOA ( Equal Credit Opportunity Act ) request is being forwarded to her supervisor, her supervisor then informed me by via email that this matter was being forwarded to their legal department for review. I have not heard back from the mortgage loan officer on any updates or status transparency, nor have I been granted the opportunity to apply for this transaction.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 44122
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-07-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-07-27
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Information belongs to someone else
Consumer Complaint: I ha ve these accounts that does not belong to me and i want them to be removed from my credit. 1. Identity Theft XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX This is not mine. 2. Identity Theft CITIZENS BANK Account Number : XXXX This is not mine. 3. Identity Theft XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Account Number : XXXX This is not mine.
Company Response:
State: NJ
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-08-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-07-27
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Banking errors
Consumer Complaint: This madness has been going on a while with this bank! Constant fraud alerts text to me, having to file claims for transactions, they apply debits and credits knowing when I get DD and when I dont whenever they want, they charge me fees for their error, then credit me the fee. After that if I ask for a credit for a fee Im told I have to many credits for fees. It is constant double talk and doing what they want with my account. Today I see I am being charged for ATM cash withdrawal and a fee for that. How did I withdraw the cash if it wasnt there? A supervisor XXXX told me they will let me withdraw money at their discretion. I asked her three times, she said the same thing. Still does not make sense. I also see a charge for a lawyer service today. I explained to XXXX I have a receipt from the merchant that it was paid XX/XX/21 today is the XXXX. She said that transaction was never on hold or shown to transact. I reminded her of the receipt. She said she didnt know why. She reminded me that I have to pay these charges. Something is fishy here. Always has been with this bank. Now Im faced with over {$400.00} in charges that have to be cleared by XXXX XXXX tonight or I will get more fees. Something is not right can you please help.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 14612
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-07-27
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-07-26
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: My brother XXXX XXXX and I purchased this home using an FHA loan through CitizensOne ( Citizens Bank ) in XXXX of 2019. We always paid our mortgage on time, never missing or late to a single payment. When Covid19 hit, Citizens offered a forbearance program which allowed us to withhold our mortgage payments for a few months until business came back. We were skeptical about this ( due to having a balloon payment after the forbearance was over ), but Citizens promised us time and time again that there would be payment plans, this would not effect our credit, there would be no late fees, and we would not pile up interest. After the forbearance program was over we fully paid everything back and caught back up on the loan. Although there were a lot of headaches and minor inconveniences during this process, for the most part everything was running smoothly until we decided to refinance through another institution ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). When XXXX and XXXX first started to gather info for our refinance ( XXXX of this year ), they asked for our FHA number which we did not know. We came to find out that Citizens hadn't sent our loan to HUD to get FHA backing before the forbearance period. Since they sent it to HUD during the forbearance period ( and not long beforehand like they should have ), HUD thought we were in default and did not give us FHA backing. Citizens promised us there would be no negative consequences to utilizing their forbearance program, so clearly they didn't properly explain the situation to HUD before sending them our loan. We were never sent a single document explaining this FHA situation, and it took us trying to refinance to figure out that Citizens has been pocketing our monthly Mortgage Insurance money ( and therefore our up front MIP payment as well ). To make matters worse, we paid our XXXX mortgage payment of {$4700.00}, and then received a statement saying we have an overdue payment with late fees / interest. The money has clearly been pulled out of our account, and when we call, we get bounced around on the phone for HOURS. Someone told us that there was a check sent out to us because they rescinded the payment ( since we were refinancing ), but refused to give us any info on tracking the check. We then received a foreclosure statement from Citizens (? ) and when we called to ask about it, they told us they never actually did send out a check for our XXXX payment, and that we need to talk to a supervisor. When we agreed to talk to a supervisor about our situation, they said there were none available, and they would have to call us back within the next few business days. This has been a complete nightmare, and we feel like we have been heavily taken advantage of ( especially during a global pandemic ). *EDIT* - Since typing this original draft, we told Citizens we would be submitting a complaint, and ended up getting the check for our XXXX payment. We still received foreclosure paperwork from them though ( even though we are already fully done with refinancing through XXXX XXXX XXXX, and Citizens loan was / is being paid off ). We are also disappointed in them pocketing our PMI, and would like this to be refunded to us since they never actually got us backed by FHA. This led to an enormous amount of time, energy, and resources trying to get refinanced as well.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 01880
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-07-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-07-25
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Banking errors
Consumer Complaint: I opened a Citizens bank account in XXXX. According to the bank 's policy, I should be rewarded with a {$400.00} bonus. But the bank only gave me a reward of a {$300.00} bonus.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19143
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-07-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A