Consumer complaint received 2023-06-26
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: VA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I received a call from a woman named XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) who claimed to be an XXXX of the XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and she stated that I had some international charges against me. So I had to pay for lawyers fees for international lawyers to fight my case. The name of the law office I was told was XXXX and XXXX, XXXX. They gave me a contract to sign and they gave wire transfer information as to where to send my lawyer fees over a month period of time. The wire transfers were as follows : Attorney Fees and Costs for them to take the case : {$7.00}, XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) Invoice Payment XXXX for them to do research for the case : {$7.00}, XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) Invoice Payment for case Fee # XXXX ( A fine they said I had to pay, a verdict that was given by the XXXX 's Justice System : {$39.00}, XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) Invoice Payment XXXX Added money to the fine I was told I had to pay : {$19.00}, XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) Invoice Payment XXXX Money they said I had to pay in order for them to work with my Bank to get my accounts unfrozen : {$7.00}, XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) Invoice Payment XXXX A closeout fee I was told I had to pay : {$10.00}, XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I found out it was a scam when I was given a court date to go before the judge on XX/XX/XXXX to sign some paperwork and close my case at the VA XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX. The judge that I was assigned was not a judge at that court building and nobody at the court building ever heard of my case or my name. I called XXXX XXXX and emailed the attorneys that I was assigned nobody was getting back to me. So I returned home and I called the XXXX XXXX XXXX and they stated that the person who I was in contact with, XXXX XXXX XXXX, was not an agent with their agency. 

I immediately told my bank what happened on XX/XX/XXXX, I bank with PNC Bank. They put in a report and explained in detail and showed them documentation of everything that occurred and they said that since I authorized the transfers that my money was not retrievable despite what happened under the circumstances. I was afraid and feared for my life I thought I was really going to face jail time and everything sounded legit. I just want all or some of my money returned to me for the money I was scammed out of was my entire life savings and I am at risk of living paycheck to paycheck and possibly being homeless. This money was left to me by my mother who passed away in XX/XX/XXXX and I was not only scammed financially, but I have had to deal with a lot of emotional distress and my mental health has taken a huge decline with grieving for my mother and fearful of the possibility of being told I would have to face jail time for an international crime. The money that I have left in my bank account has been used to pay for therapists and medicine for my mental illness. This money has sentimental value and I depended on it for survival. My mother was a military veteran ( XXXX of XXXX : XXXX ) who worked so hard to make sure that her children would be secure and financially stable when she was gone and now I am facing a major financial crisis that can cause me to lose everything. 

Also, my PNC checking account was frozen for about XXXX weeks after I was told my charges and I was not notified of the freeze and even after my accounts were unfrozen I was not told who instructed my accounts to be frozen. I just want to show how extensive this scam has affected me and how in depth it has attacked me. 

The documents I will be attaching will have everything that I stated above. Also, the documentation will include dates. I also saved a voicemail on my phone of the scammer who called me, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) and who I was talking to during the duration of this tragedy. Also, the bank instructed me XX/XX/XXXX to open a new account so the account that was involved with the scam is now closed to ensure the scammers do not have my account information but I do still currently have an account with them and would like any help that this complaint could do to help me get my money back or show PNC that I am the victim and have been suffering financially, emotionally and physically from this incident.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation