Consumer complaint received 2022-10-22
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: MI
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I am writing to announce and describe a confirmed instance of fraud which occurred through a breach of PNC Bank 's Online Banking platform. 

On Monday, XX/XX/2022, my PNC Virtual Wallet checking account was breached and numerous fraudulent transactions took place by means of XXXX which falls under the classification of Electronic Funds Transfer. The account was breached through online banking. 

The following unauthorized, fraudulent XXXX transactions totaling {$2500.00} took place : {$15.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$35.00} XXXX XXXX to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$50.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$100.00} XXXX transfer to XXXX XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' XXXX XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$100.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$15.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX XXXX {$35.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$50.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022 XXXX XXXX EST {$100.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX XXXX {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to XXXX XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to XXXX XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$150.00} XXXX transfer to XXXX XXXX XXXX '' XXXX XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST {$50.00} XXXX transfer to " XXXX XXXX '' on XX/XX/2022, XXXX EST I noticed the transactions around XXXX EST and promptly called PNC customer service to report the fraudulent activity. After spending over an hour on the phone speaking to various support representatives, we were informed by a XXXX XXXX XXXX that no actions could be taken while the transactions were in a " pending '' state and that we would need to wait until the transactions posted to our account before they could be disputed. 

On the morning of Tuesday, XX/XX/2022 around XXXX EST I filed a police report with the XXXX XXXX Police Department regarding the matter and was issued case number XXXX. 

Following filing the police report, I again called PNC customer service to continue working towards a resolution. I was able to be connected to the same XXXX XXXX Supervisor from the previous night. This representative did file disputes on each of the fraudulent transactions which took place. Upon attempting to receive a provisional credit to my account for the stolen funds, I was told that it was the policy of PNC Bank to not issue any provisional credits that were related to " XXXX scams ''. As I proceeded to explain that this issue was not necessarily a " XXXX scam '' but rather a breach in PNC Banks online banking platform, the representative continued to stand behind the policy of PNC Bank not issuing a provisional credit. The duration of this phone call was 5 hours and 45 minutes and included being transferred to multiple departments, speaking to a multitude of representatives, and being placed on hold numerous times. Each time I was transferred to a new representative I was expected to explain the incident from the start, and furthermore, was made to feel as though I was an incompetent user of online banking as though this breach was somehow due to negligence of my own personal doing. One of the representatives that I spoke to had actually informed me that just the day before they had worked on a similar fraud case where the same amount of fraudulent XXXX transactions took place, even down to the exact order and amounts that my transactions took place ( {$15.00}, {$35.00}, {$50.00}, etc ). They said that they would note this as part of a bigger issue, but still continued to tell me they could not offer a provisional credit. Nothing was achieved to my benefit in terms of customer support for the duration of this day. 

On Wednesday, XX/XX/2022 I received a phone call from an Executive Client Relations Specialist at PNC Bank. This individual called me to tell me he was the representative assigned to further investigating my claims and although he did not have any updates at the time, I would just need to remain patient and that he would keep me updated throughout the process as it continues. The fraud investigation could take up to 45 days. Then, and only then would I possibly receive a credit to my account, assuming that the investigation was concluded with the decision that the transactions on my account were in fact fraudulent. 

On Thursday, XX/XX/2022 I contacted PNC customer service again to continue my attempt in remediating this issue and have a provisional credit applied to my account. I was not able to reach the Executive Client Relations Specialist from the previous day, but I was able to reach a Support Operations Specialist who assured me he in fact had more authority than the previous representative and would work tirelessly to resolve my issues. He explained to me that after reviewing all the internal notes on my account that the reason I was not eligible for a provisional credit to my account was because the Security and Fraud team had advised against it due to the fact that the " fraudsters '' could potentially still have access to my account and would just take the money out again. With this being the only apparent reason that I was not able to receive a provisional credit to my account, the Support Operations Specialist and myself decided on a coordinated plan that would include him funding my account with a provisional credit while I was physically present in a local PNC Bank location long enough to be able to withdraw my funds in cash immediately and then he could follow up by re-locking the account until the conclusion of the investigation. This plan would take place the following day as the time of this decision was too close to the end of the business day and the local PNC Bank branch was going to close. 

On Friday, XX/XX/2022 I received a called from the same Support Operations Specialist from the previous day and he informed me that he was working with another internal team on gaining approval for the provisional credit. He told me that the hold time would likely be about an hour long, so he decided he would call me back when he heard back from that team. Several hours have passed and I have not heard back from this representative. I called this persons direct line numerous times with no response, and even left two voicemails throughout the day. I finally received a call back from this representative at XXXX EST, after local bank branches have closed. The representative informed me that he would simply not be able to apply a provisional credit to my account per the PNC Bank policy regarding XXXX transactions and that I would need to wait the full 45 days for the conclusion of the fraud investigation. It was a bizarre conversation given all the confidence and assurance I had received prior this final decision. 

After several hours spent throughout the week working towards a resolution, I have lost faith in the customer service of PNC Bank and have decided to seek other forms of recourse. PNC Bank has neglected to offer any sort of positive customer experience to me in this matter. They have neglected to perform due diligence in terms of applying comprehensive security policies that would prevent this type of breach from occurring. 

PNC Bank is required under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to repay customers when funds are illegally taken out of their account without authorization. They are failing to recognize this and uphold this commitment. 

I have the names of each PNC Bank employee that I had spoken to and have much more documented detail to this issue.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief