Consumer complaint received 2022-05-19
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: IL
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
This complaint is in reference to the official response letter that was received by PNC Bank via XXXX XXXX XXXX dated XX/XX/XXXX in regards to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Case Number XXXX. That initial complaint to the CFPB was to have returned to my mother {$11000.00} in scammed funds that PNC Bank stated on multiple occasions did not reach the hands of their customer and now accused felon, XXXX XXXX. 

During the attempt to retrieve these funds, PNC stated that our held funds were taken by the state ( XXXX ) in what is called 'escheats '. This is the term of when the state takes ownership of abandoned bank accounts or property after a 3-5 year period of abandonment. After my investigating this directly with the State of XXXX, this claim by PNC was confirmed as being FALSE. The state confirmed they never acquired these funds from PNC, and I would like an explanation as to why we were lied to by PNC Bank. 

PNC stated that they were only able to 'recover ' {$9500.00} of the {$11000.00} in scammed yet frozen/held funds and that amount was provided back to my mother by PNC directly on XX/XX/XXXX. PNC makes absolutely no mention of this recovery or this repayment in their CFPB reply letter of XX/XX/XXXX, and I believe this was not mentioned intentionally! The scammed funds amount of {$11000.00} is mentioned twice in the response letter from PNC, but is NEVER mentioned in the context of PNC having paid this amount back to us. Again, I believe PNC excluded this detail in their reply letter for a reason which I will discuss later in this complaint. 

After a few more escalations to PNC and promises to them of a legal civil case against the bank and XXXX XXXX XXXX investigative team involvement, did PNC also provide the remaining amount of {$1400.00}. So my mother received the total amount of scammed funds back, which was {$11000.00}. This is the total amount of scammed deposits that PNC Bank confirmed that they were able to freeze/hold the day of the scam XX/XX/XXXX. 

I wish to receive an updated letter from PNC Bank, with the admittance that they lied to me regarding our frozen funds having gone to the State of XXXX. I would also like to see an apology for this confirmed lie. Also, I would like to see a clear explanation of WHERE/HOW the initial amount of {$9500.00} was, as PNC stated , 'recovered ' and the exact circumstances as to the final {$1400.00} payment they made. I would like in writing that the remaining amount of {$1400.00} are PNC 's funds ( out of their own pocket ) that they are providing to my mother OR confirmation if these are original funds they were able to 'recover " as well. Basically am looking for an understanding if the last amount provided is our original frozen funds or is that last payment amount truly PNC 's own funds and they are providing to us. ( I understand per PNCs message I am not an authorized user of the accused felon 's bank account, I am only asking about my mother 's funds that were held by PNC outside of their XXXX XXXX account once the funds were frozen/held back the day of the scam XX/XX/XXXX ) If I do not receive this updated response letter from PNC with the requested content, I would like the CFPB to investigate what strongly appears to be PNC having tried to keep a fraction of the {$11000.00} in frozen/held funds by lying, using the State of XXXX  as a cover story as to where the funds went to, and that the Bank was only able to " recover '' the initial amount that they provided back to us ( {$9500.00} ). Which only after intense pressure on the bank did we receive the remaining amount which the Bank could be now passing off as a 'monetary relief amount to us ' when in reality that last {$1400.00} was our original confirmed FROZEN funds being paid back to us, just now under another lie. I am asking CFPB to get the clarity my family and I deserve here so that PNC Bank can not do this again to other elderly phone scam victims involving PNC 's very open and unsecure ATM deposit policies in the future.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief