Date Received: 2016-05-01
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: After an IRA CD matured, Citizens Bank associates, advised my XXXX year old grandmother to deposit the money into her checking account instead of opening a money market IRA account. This caused her over {$4000.00} in taxes, about 1/4 of the worth of the CD. When I called to speak to the manager he was unapologetic and lied saying he personally helped her, when in fact, a female by the name of XXXX helped her. I 'd like Citizens Bank to pay my grandmother the taxes she had to pay, she does not have many assets and this tax bill was an extremely large payment for her to make. I understand that the bank can not give specific tax advice, but they can and should advise clients to seek the advice of a CPA or Accountant before making a transaction such as this one.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19426
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-05-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-30
Issue: Can't repay my loan
Subissue: Can't decrease my monthly payments
Consumer Complaint: My lender will not work with me in any way to make income contingent payments. My monthly loan payment costs more my wages for had of the month. This is causing undue burden on my family and making a living impossible.
Company Response:
State: NH
Zip: 034XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-04-30
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-29
Issue: Loan servicing, payments, escrow account
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: In XXXX, Citizens One Home Loans closed my home equity line of credit for further use. In XXXX I paid off this line of credit. Their Lien Release Department never released the lien from my title. I am in the process of refinancing my mortgage and ca n't do so until the Certificate of Satisfaction is filed. This was requested XXXX XXXX, XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, I was told they were in the process of preparing the certificate. on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I was told it was not done. How do I get them to clear my title? I have requested a Pay Off Statement, but since I do not owe any money, they will not do this. I can not close on my refinance until either the Certificate is file, my title is cleared, or I receive a XXXX payoff letter. Every day I call an am told someone will call me back but no one ever does. I understand it can take months for the jurisdiction to record the document, however, I ca n't get Citizens One to even file the document.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 10573
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-05-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-29
Issue: Using a debit or ATM card
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I found fraudulent charges on my checking account twice, citizens bank did not catch these transactions. After filing the paperwork to have them investigate these charges and opening a new bank account with citizens bank they placed the compromised account in " credit only '' status and the account had a XXXX balance, it was suppose to close 7 days later. This was XX/XX/2016, today is XX/XX/2016 and citizens bank informed me I owe them {$140.00} that has since been withdrawn/overdrawn. How did this happen? If it was at XXXX dollars, did bank fees cause this? More fraudulent charges? They ca n't tell me why, they are '' looking into it ''. To add insult to injury, I received a new debit card with the chip in the mail which I called to activate because it would n't work at an ATM. Customer service assured me that they activated the card. So I go grocery shopping and go to pay and the " transaction is not approved ''. I could n't use the new debit card as a credit or debit card. After 1.5 hours on the phone with XXXX different customer service representatives they believed I would not have any more problems. However this debit card was issued for the compromised bank account I thought I closed over two months ago. Needless to say the PIN number did not match and now they have to send me a pin reminder. Apparently today after another 45 minutes speaking with customer service that is what the problem is. I do n't believe any of them. And citizens bank is still claiming I owe them {$140.00} in order to close the other bank account. Is n't a bank suppose to protect your money and help their customers? I feel like between the XXXX branch that originally " closed '' my compromised account and card services that issued me a new debit card for an inactive, compromised and closed account what are they doing??? I do n't make a lot of money and yet they keep taking more and XXXX me!!! I have lost all faith in this institution and ca n't wait until the last couple of bills I paid clear so I can CLOSE my account and get out of there. I wonder how much money they take from people that are n't paying attention. These people are crooks and this is a crime! Citizens bank is awful, do not bank with this company!!!!!! There are so many banks out there, I am sure I can find one that is willing to protect their customers.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 18944
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-04-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-28
Issue: Application, originator, mortgage broker
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: This business does not communicate in a timely or effective manner regarding applications for home mortgages, or refinancing, which forced costumer to complaint and request information regarding the status of her loan application in an open Costumer Service comment box. To which the Loan Originator reacted in a rather unprofessional matter, costumer had to ask XXXX XXXX ( loan Originator At citizens One ) to lower his voice and to please transfer the loan application to another Loan Originator. Customer also requested to speak with a manager ( XXXX XXXX ) and made the same request. The Customer request were ignored and the lack of communication regarding the loan application continued. Customer made another post on the general Citizens Bank complaint box and immediately received a very animated call from XXXX XXXX telling the customer that she has been denied. This customer has documented all the attempts to try to get her loan application transferred to another loan originator given the lack of professionalism of XXXX XXXX, this customer discussed this transfer with XXXX XXXX who is the local Citizens Bank Loan specialist at the branch where this customer does her banking, XXXX XXXX seemed eager to help the customer get the loan application transfer to her until she contacted the Loan XXXX, XXXX XXXX. XXXX talking to XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX called customer to report that XXXX XXXX told her that the loan application could not be transfer, costumer has a voice message with this information. Now customer is extremely concern given thath all her sensitive financial information is with individual that have kept her in the dark about her loan application process, have disrespected her as a customer by yelling over the phone for having asked about her loan status, have been lied to not only by the loan originator but also by a manager. This customer is kindly requesting the neutral review of her loan application by an external agency as well as a the refund of the funds paid towards the home appraisal. I can not express enough how unprofessional and stressful this experience with Citizens One has been. Not to mention that my XXXX Credit score may be impacted by having this inquiry done, that can not be repaid.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 015XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-05-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: Yes
Date Received: 2016-04-28
Issue: Taking out the loan or lease
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I applied to Citizens Bank to take advantage of their Citizens Bank Education Refinance Loan I have never missed a payment on any credit issued in my credit history. I am up to date on all credits issued. I have a credit score of XXXX and I was denied an Education Refinance Loan. I feel that Citizens bank has violated the regulations of the Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Abusive Practices I feel they have Bait and Switched what they claimed would be a chance to repay my student loan in a timely matter. When I called to ask questions I was told by the person on the phone " Well it looks like you have XXXX options to repay your loan, borrow the money from a family member, win the lottery, or die '' I feel this was a way of them saying that they do not think that my life or my wanting to better my financial situation is worth the time to actually look at my credit report and see that I should have been approved for this loan, and with out a shadow of a doubt that repayment would be fulfilled according to the terms of the loan. I find the way that I was spoken to on the phone and the way that my application was denied with my great credit history and payment history again is violating the Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Abusive Practices regulations and a Bait and Switch scam.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 44137
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-04-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-27
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: In XXXX of XXXX I bought a new car. The dealer told me that I would be contacted by Citizen One ( then RBS Citizens ) about the exact amount of each monthly payment and about the exact date each payment would be due. Sometime shortly after that Citizen One sent me my first monthly billing statement. For the next 2 1/2 years Citizen One set a precedent and created an expectation by regularly sending me monthly billing statements. During that time I faithfully made each payment on time and, on several occasions, made monthly payments for several months in advance. For these reasons I relied on receiving my monthly billing statement from Citizen One to know the exact amount of and the exact due date of my next loan installment. In XXXX XXXX Citizen One suddenly and unexpectedly stopped sending me billing statements. I did n't notice ( I had been habituated by their monthly notices and I had been trained to think of sending a payment only after I was notified ) and, as a direct result of Citizen One 's failure to send a monthly billing statement, I was late with my XXXX payment. When their credit department contacted me I sent 2 months payments ( current + one month in advance ) and notified them that I had n't received a statement. Their customer service representative told me that I should have received a monthly billing statement, it was Citizen One 's policy to do so, verified my contact information ( which had n't changed ) and, under the circumstances, waived the {$20.00} fee I had been assessed for being late. She also assured me that I would start to receive monthly billing statements again. Unfortunately, I did not. Nor did I notice. As a result of that failure on the part of Citizen One I was again contacted in XXXX by their credit department that I was late again. I immediately made 2 months payments ( current + one month in advance ) and pled with their customer service department to please get a monthly billing statement to me. Mail it, fax it, e-mail it - I did n't care. Just get one to me. This time they promised to mail me a paper statement and e-mail me my reminders. To date I have n't received either. As a result I was late again in XXXX. I am not accusing Citizen One of intentionally withholding my monthly billing statements but I find it very suspicious that all of my other mail is delivered without incident. I am never - and I do mean never - late with any of my other bills. I also find it convenient ( and profitable ) that Citizen One gains from their own failure! They are now refusing to waive XXXX {$20.00} late fees. Something is very wrong on their end and it is entirely unfair that I am being penalized for not being sent a monthly billing statement which serves as notification that a loan payment in a specific amount is due. Furthermore, I should not be charged {$20.00} fees when my payment is late as a result of neglect or failure on Citizen One 's part to send me a monthly billing statement. I suspect that I am not the only customer of Citizen One with this problem. I have made exhaustive efforts to remedy this issue with the bank but they are intransigent and so I am filing this compliant to get this situation resolved and, on the principles of being fair and taking responsibility for their part in creating this problem, get the outstanding late fees waived and ensure delivery of a monthly billing statement.
Company Response:
State: IN
Zip: 46060
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-04-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-26
Issue: Shopping for a loan or lease
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I received a preapproval from XXXX XXXX. The letter stated that due to my creditworthiness I could receive a personal loan at 5.99 %. With the letter I also received an " Invitation Code. '' So, naively I went on line because I was preapproved! Well, no one receives a 5.99 % rate or a rate close to that amount. I was offered a rate of 12.75 %! I have excellent credit so I was confused as I was preapproved. I called and spoke with XXXX VERY RUDE customer service employees and was told that they can change the rules at any time! So now my credit score will drop due to the inquiry and of course I am not interested in a loan at 12.75 %. This letter is extremely deceptive and is nothing but a scam.
Company Response:
State: CT
Zip: 060XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-04-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-26
Issue: Loan servicing, payments, escrow account
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Dear Sir or Madam, I am hereby submitting a complaint to Citizens One Home Loans and their escrow waiver fee policy. For the past three months, I 've been trying to cancel and waiver my escrow service with Citizens One Home Loans. However, before I am able to do so, I must pay Citizens One an escrow waiver fee of approximately {$960.00} in order to cancel my escrow service. In review of my signed documents ( the good faith estimate and truth in lending documents ), there is no mention of an escrow waiver fee and this was further confirmed by Citizens One 's own review. In addition, no mention of an escrow waiver fee was informed to me by my loan officer at any point of the mortgage process, either in person, phone or by email. Despite of all this, Citizens One Home Loans insists that I pay an escrow waiver fee in order to cancel my escrow service. As a result, I am submitting this complaint that Citizens One is unfairly demanding a fee for which I had prior knowledge of and/or accepted as part my mortgage loan agreement/contract.
Company Response:
State: VA
Zip: 22180
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-04-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No
Date Received: 2016-04-22
Issue: Problems caused by my funds being low
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I opened a checking account at Citizens when I turned 18 years of age and received a debit card with the account. I was using my debit card and not realizing Citizens was approving my transactions even when I did n't have any funds on my account. At the time of my account opening I was working and had direct deposit going in so whatever debit transactions I was purchasing whether or not I had money on my account my direct deposit would be able to cover the money owed and overdraft fees. In XXXX 2015, I no longer had direct deposit as I no longer was working. I bought something online for myself and again my debit card was approved but by XXXX XXXX 2015, my account balance was negative ( XXXX ) of which {$310.00} were overdraft fees. The following month I received another statement and my account balance was negative {$1000.00} of which {$780.00} were overdraft fees. My account was not used for the month of XXXX but my balance kept increasing. Three months later my account was sent to Collections called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I went to see one of the customer service person at Citizens yesterday and they told me my account has been sent to Collections and they could n't do anything about it and it was my fault even though my account was n't used for two month and in the matter of 2 months my account received {$780.00} in fees. The same day which was shocking to me and should be ILLEGAL I found out every 4 days the account is overdrawn Citizens charges XXXX in overdraft fees, monthly maintenance fees and some other fee that I do n't remember. This was too overwhelming for me as a XXXX year old, XXXX from XXXX XXXX this year, that a bank will do this something like this to someone who just start learning about banking products. Out of everything what bothers me the most is at account opening the customer service desk never explained the opt in and opt out ( I still do n't know what that means ) by my new local bank explained that to me in layman terms and I know now. But Citizens just automatically signed me up for allowing my debit card to go through when I did n't have money to cover the charge. I need for CFPB to do something about this illegal business that Citizens is doing to younger people/ students like myself.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 01757
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2016-04-22
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: No