Consumer complaint received 2022-08-28
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: TX
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Other personal consumer report
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing issue
Sub-issue: Was not notified of investigation status or results

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX I arrived at the BBVA Bank ( Now known as PNC Bank ) around XXXXXXXX XXXX or XXXXXXXX XXXX located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, TX XXXX. 

I drove straight to the drive-up teller. I sent my settlement check and my driver 's license through the machine to the teller. I waited. The woman teller comes on the speaker and says " Are you making a deposit today? '' I replied, " No, I would like to cash the check. '' After about 3 to 4 minutes or so, she replies, " I can not cash this check, I can only deposit it. It will have a branch hold placed on the check for 7 days due to the amount of the check. '' I replied, " That's okay, I have bills I need to pay by today, thanks. Just send it back. '' She replies, " Just to let you know, anywhere you go they would put a hold on the check. The only bank that will cash this check is the bank on the check. '' I said " Okay, thanks. '' I retrieved my check and driver 's license from the machine and I drove off. 

I pulled over to search the bank on the check which was XXXX XXXX. I found that this is not a local bank, so I drove over to my regular check cashing place, XXXX XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX in XXXX, TX. They told me they couldn't cash my check because they kept receiving an error on their end. I get back in my car and drive all the way to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, TX. The agent told me she couldn't cash my check and I grew frustrated and asked her " Why?! '' She stated " We are unable to cash the check it's showing as unauthorized, you should try cashing it at your bank. '' I replied, " I just left my bank, they wanted to place a hold on it, but I have bills due today. '' I ended up leaving there and driving all the way back home. 

When I got home I saw that I received many email notifications, app notifications, and missed phone calls from BBVA Corporate Fraud Department. I returned the calls to find out that the lady at the bank reported my settlement check as fraud. She also froze my bank account and reported me to the bank. The woman on the phone said she noted " that you tried to cash a fake check at the drive through today. '' My heart dropped. 

I had just taken the check out of my mailbox and went straight to the bank. I explained this to the BBVA Corporate Representative that I spoke with. I told her the check is not fraud, it is a settlement check from an employer that I applied for in XXXX. I was discriminated against and refused a job and the court settlement just settled last month for the case. I told her the entire encounter with the bank as well and asked why would the woman determine my check is fraud because I declined to deposit it? The representative told me she was unable to unfreeze my accounts and only the bank who placed the freeze would have to unfreeze my account. 

When I got off the phone with BBVA Fraud Department I called XXXXXXXX XXXX. XXXXXXXX XXXX  was the bank listed on the check. I spoke to a woman at their corporate number. I explained the situation and told her my bank reported my check as fraud. She asked for the check number and account number at the bottom. I gave her the information and she stated " The check is real, it's payable. It is not fraud ma'am. '' I called BBVA Corporate back and gave them the information I received from XXXX XXXX. I also asked why didn't the teller just call the bank on the check instead of lying on me. She said she wasn't able to determine why the teller did not verify the check before entering it as fraud. She advised me to go back to that bank and clear my name otherwise they would permanently close my bank accounts for good. 

I returned back to the BBVA Branch around XXXX XXXX. or XXXXXXXX XXXX. I asked to speak to a branch manager regarding the XXXX discrimination I received earlier in the day. I sat down and spoke with a man named XXXX. He claimed to be a manager there. I explained to him the situation and all he really did was make excuses for the teller stating things like " We can't call to verify everyone 's check 's ... '' " I will have a meeting with her to find out why she flagged your check as fraud without verifying it ... '' I gave him the check and told him " it took literally 4 minutes to verify! '' He gets on the phone and calls XXXX XXXX and verified it. Then he made more excuses like " You're the second person to come in with a check with this exact amount from the same company. '' I replied, " It clearly says settlement check, meaning the mount out the settlement is divided evenly with all parties of the discrimination lawsuit and this looks like another one. You're making up excuses when this is your first time seeing the check! '' He proceeded to make copies of the check, he deposited it, and unfroze my accounts. I left. 

One day later my accounts were unfrozen. However, the damage was already done. I was XXXX profiled for declining to cash a check. Stress levels through the roof. The teller flagged the check where it could not be cashed anywhere. I could have been falsely arrested at both XXXX places because of the false flag of the check and accusations made against me. XX/XX/XXXX, I ordered my kids clothing online at XXXX their system took my payment and denied it within 5 minutes stating that my financial institution is showing them fraudulent activity. I explained the situation to the woman at XXXX, she stated that she couldn't do anything about this order because it is automatic to prevent fraud. They automatically refunded me {$230.00} for the declined transaction. More embarrassment and humiliation! 

I called BBVA Corporate and filed a complaint. A lady called me back XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX, XXXX stating she was a supervisor. I explained the situation all over again. Did I get a true apology? No. This lady started scanning through my bank statements stating things like " Let 's see what I can do for you, I see you have a lot of XXXX XXXX Deposits and Unemployment Deposits and lots of Overdraft fees. '' She refunded about {$160.00} worth of overdraft fees that were extremely OLD and already taken care of by me. Then she states " I'm sorry this happened, I will contact the branch to find out why this happened and give you a call back next week. '' I never heard from anyone from BBVA again after that. More attempts to humiliate me. My bank statements and what I purchased or received had nothing to do with being discriminated against and XXXX  profiled. The tone in her voice was almost condemning. She did not know how to resolve the problem clearly! 

The key to proving my innocence was going back to the same bank who flagged the check as fraud and having them deposit it. 

I am seeking justice regarding this matter. Justice sends a message. Think before you act. No one else who visits the branch should have to go through this. It's clearly a habit. The XXXX reviews for this bank are more proof by consumers that they profile people. I have proof of the check and the fraud notifications I received that day. Til this day it still hurts to remember.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation