Consumer complaint received 2023-06-24
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: RI
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I made a Realtime transfer from my XXXX checking account to my Citizens Bank checking account in the amount of {$60.00}, transaction # : XXXX reference # : XXXX XX/XX/XXXX shows it went through on my XXXX account. About 10 minutes later, I checked my Citizens checking account online, and my transfer showed it was received and took care of a negative balance of XXXX, and showed a positive available balance of XXXX XXXX. The next day I realized my Citizens bank debit card wasn't working so I called Citizens Bank customer service line on Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX. I was told by a female that because my account was on hold, she had to unlock it and then issue me another debit card. She stated since she saw the deposit of {$60.00} and my account was now in a positive status, she unlocked my account. She asked if I would like the card shipped express for {$12.00}. I replied yes and had to add money to my account. So with the female customer service rep on the phone, I did another Realtime transfer from my XXXX checking account to my Citizens Bank checking account in the amount of {$20.00}, which also showed immediately as completed on my XXXX online checking website with transaction # : XXXX reference # : XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. I then logged into my Citizens Bank account and saw the transfer for the {$20.00}, so I had an available balance of {$20.00}. The female stated she saw the positive balance as well and debited my checking account the {$12.00} for the express shipping for the debit card. I immediately saw she debited my Citizens Bank checking account the {$12.00} and we finished the call. On Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX, I received my new Citizens Bank checking debit card by XXXX XXXX. I went to activate my card at the Citizens Bank ATM machine and it said I needed to contact Citizens Bank. I went inside the branch and spoke to a female with XXXX XXXX I believe it was. She stated that my account was actually closed that day and charged off, but if there was a transfer made, it would have been sent back to my XXXX checking account. For a few days going back and fourth with XXXX and Citizens Bank, each bank telling me I had to call the other bank for this I was upset and filed a dispute with XXXXXXXX XXXX for the two transfers, one for {$60.00} and one for {$20.00}, since Citizens Bank was telling me they were never received in my account and they didn't see anything pending coming in. XXXX claimed both transfers were complete and received by Citizens Bank. On XX/XX/XXXX, I filed my dispute with XXXX XXXX, my claim number for the dispute is : XXXX. They responded on XX/XX/XXXX with a letter that stated that on XX/XX/XXXX, their investigation was complete and showed that both transfers were indeed complete and received by Citizens Bank. They left a phone number of ( XXXX ) XXXX. I can't tell you how frustrating this is, and it's not over yet... I filed a complaint with Citizens Bank on XX/XX/XXXX and a female named XXXX from Citizens Bank Chairman 's Office called me and said she will look into this, her phone number is : ( XXXX ) XXXX. On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with XXXX again from Citizens Bank Chairman 's Office and she said that she couldn't any transfers coming in. She advised me to contact XXXX XXXX and file a claim with them. I explained that I had already did and I explained the letter they provided me. XXXX asked that I email that letter to her at : XXXX, which I did immediately. XXXX verified the Citizens Bank checking account number with me, and she asked me for the trace numbers for each transfer, which I gave her, which were the transaction and reference numbers that were provided on my XXXX Checking account statement. I also included these with the original complaint I filed with Citizens Bank, so I don't know who told XXXX they didn't have them and needed them. XXXX stated with the new information I provided, she will look into it more and see what she can find out. I also let XXXX know I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, from XXXX XXXX from the Asset and Recovery Department with Citizens Bank that stated I owe a balance of {$59.00}, but would accept a one time payment of {$47.00} to consider my account settled in full and report that to XXXX. The phone number in this letter is ( XXXX ) XXXX. So now, I have this reported on XXXX!!! I know it's only {$80.00} total, but it's now become an issue of business practices and service. I called XXXXXXXX XXXX again later on Friday XX/XX/XXXX at about XXXX or so at the phone number that was on the dispute results letter they provided to me : ( XXXX ) XXXX. I spoke with a female who I explained everything to and my frustration with the whole thing especially the dispute results letter that didn't have any name of the person from XXXX who investigated my dispute claim. After awhile, the young lady asked me to hold at about XXXX, and while listening to music for ten minutes, at XXXX, it sounded like someone picked up the line and hung up on me. All these calls are supposed to be recorded by XXXX and Citizens Bank and someone really needs to listen to these calls and what I have been told, playing ping pong between both banks and can't figure out why they can't just speak with each other and try to find where my two transfers, totaling {$80.00} went to. My Citizens Bank checking account should never had been charged off as the negative balance was due to a mistake a company made on XX/XX/XXXX by taking out a payment that should have been stopped in XX/XX/XXXX. When I filed my claim about that with Citizens Bank, Citizens wrote me a letter stating that that claim was closed and found in my favor and corrected my account, which left the {$59.00} ov.er and I made the transfer on XX/XX/XXXX for {$60.00} to cover. This should have not gotten to this point. I don't know who else to contact. I've emailed consumer complaint line with XXXX XXXX XXXX News. If there is anything else I can do, please let me know.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief