Consumer complaint received 2022-03-25
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: WI
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
We were originally banking with BBVA bank and did not get the documents from PNC back in XXXX that BBVA had been bought by PNC bank and they were transferring our bank to PNC. So all of a sudden the weekend of XXXX we were without any access to our bank account. When we couldn't even log onto our bank account we called BBVA who informed us that there had been a merger and that we were now with PNC and to call PNC as they have all the info we would need. We had no idea who PNC bank even was because there is no branch anywhere near where we live and there also aren't any ATM 's near us for PNC. After being on hold with PNC for hours on Saturday we still didn't really have any answers. BBVA kept telling us that they literally couldn't see any info about our account. PNC said to try to go to an ATM and that would give us the exact balance in our account. We didn't even know how much we had in our bank account. They also said that our debit cards would work fine. We tried the ATM trick and couldn't access it at all. Plus we were going to be charged a fee just to check our balance. We also tried using our debit cards and they didn't work. 

So we called back again and spent hours on hold, in which time we asked that they transfer us to a supervisor because of the confusion and the info they gave wasn't working. They refused to transfer me to a supervisor saying the info they gave was correct and we can go to an ATM. They didn't believe us that we had tried it. I finally got to a supervisor because I have worked in call centers before, I knew he had to keep me on if I wasn't being abusive so I made loud noises until he transferred me to a supervisor. It was juvenile but we needed to talk to someone who knew what was going on. I also would be on hold and the hold music would stop and it would say it was transferring us to a rep but then would go back to ringing again. I could not actually get on with anyone for a long time, spent all of Saturday and Sunday trying. PNC didn't believe us and said everything was going super well and we were wrong about the problems. Meanwhile if you go online there were tons of people with the same complaints as us. One post was from an elderly lady who was stuck on the side of the road and couldn't get a tow truck because her card wouldn't work. Many, many really horrible stories like that when I checked # PNC. 

I got to a supervisor who told me I was wrong about the calls not being transferred to a rep, until I made her stay on hold with me trying it and then believed me. I spent the entirety of my weekend off work trying to get answers. I have a severe anxiety disorder and them doing this type of thing to us was making me have XXXX XXXX. I told them this, that not knowing how much money I have and if I could use it is not a decent way to treat their customers. The entire time both BBVA and PNC didn't want to help us. They did a merger over a long weekend, causing thousands upon thousands not have access to their bank account. And when my spouse talked to PNC 's CEO he told us we should thank him for how well the merger went. 

Then when we did finally have access to our bank account PNC showed a large payment we made to XXXX  as having been debited out of our account. I even checked with XXXX to make sure they had received the payment. So we made a grocery trip to XXXX and then on Monday we were hundreds of dollars negative. When I called PNC they couldn't even tell me what put us over. I spent hours again figuring it out. Apparently PNC will take out a debit and then will just put it back into the account if the person you made the payment to doesn't take it out right away. I was told that I was supposed to still be using a leger for keeping my debits tracked, even though I have online banking and therefore should not have to deal with a paper leger and keeping track of my debits, that should be what the bank does now that it's the 21st century, and I don't write out checks. We have been with and made payments to XXXX  for 7 years previously and no bank had ever done this to us before. Any bank right now should have the technology to show debits and the amounts of available balance we have accurately, again it's the 21st century. We hadn't had a negative bank account in years, we check our bank account every morning and throughout the day, so we are very diligent to make sure we have enough money in our account. But the fact that PNC couldn't even tell me what put me negative is really not good. I should be able to at least accurately given that info by my bank. 

We then made a complaint against PNC and BBVA for the way the merger happened and our negative bank account. We asked that whoever reviewed the complaint listen to the calls we made to both BBVA and PNC. The complaint came back that nothing had been done wrong by either bank. No mention that any calls had been listened to. My spouse asked again when he talked to someone that they listen to them and they stated they couldn't. I have worked in a call center as well as live in WI which is a one party consent state so the calls are definitely able to be pulled and listened to. Meanwhile PNC sent us to collections for the negative bank account even though we called them and told them we'd gotten the notice and it's literally illegal to send someone to collections while a complaint is ongoing. 

After multiple complaints to PNC all of them have come back either stating nothing was done wrong by PNC or BBVA or they just haven't responded to us at all now. My spouse keeps calling and leaving messages and we are not getting any calls back. They are also supposed to respond in a 30 day period but that did not happen. 

Then on XX/XX/XXXX the XXXX XXXX, WI police came to our door ( our local police ) stating that my spouse had threatened self harm and XXXX mutilation when they were talking to PNC bank. Truth be told we haven't been kind at all to PNC. They have been nothing but abusive and horrible to us since all of this started. We have been lied to and talked down to by pretty much everyone we've talked to. So my spouse was not kind, but I know for a fact that they did not threaten self harm or anything like that. I was literally on the couch next to them when they made the call. Also, we spoke to the XXXX XXXX police recently and they stated that they received the call on XX/XX/XXXX but the last time we talked to PNC was XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX responded the same day because they are legally required to for a wellness check. So PNC didn't call the police because they were concerned about us, if they did they would have called back in XXXX when we talked to them. We believe, after investigating with the police in XXXX XXXX that we are being targeted by PNC bank. Every time we tell a friend or relative about it they completely agree, why else wait a month to call for a wellness check? The cops too think it's really strange and told us to get a copy of the call. To date PNC has refused to either give us the call recording ( which they legally have to do ) I checked into it ), or tell us the person who made the call to the police so we can make a complaint against them. As I mentioned I have severe mental health, the police randomly showing up at my door was incredibly scary and again I had a major XXXX XXXX. I also found out hours after my grandma had passed away and when we talked to PNC they were so nasty to us. 

At this point we want the call recording so we can make a complaint against whoever called the cops at PNC because that could have ended badly. Not to get political, but it's pretty much every day we see the police using force against citizens, so it's not the best idea to just call and say a bank customer is acting crazy out of spite. That seems to be the only reason for the call, spite. 

Below I listed the complaint number, it's the same complaint ID for every complaint, we kept rejecting it as PNC clearly did wrong in this situation. 

Complaint XXXX submitted on XX/XX/XXXX Received feedback on XX/XX/XXXX ( response to complaint should be received within 30 days, this was well over that. I spoke to a supervisor in the complaint department who told me this info. ) Complaint XXXX was reopened after we received the feedback.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation