Consumer complaint received 2018-08-07
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: LA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Can't close your account

Complaint:
I called Citizens Bank to close my checking account on XXXX. My balance was at {$0.00}. I was instructed by the representative to go to a branch ( I moved 1500 miles away, there is no Citizens Bank for 500+ miles ) or buy something and make it a {$0.00} balance ... .all over XXXX XXXX. I immediately transferred the money out via XXXX pay over the phone while on the line with the rep and brought it to {$0.00}. I was told by the representative that the debit card was now canceled and the account was closed. 

On XXXX I checked the account and saw it was - {$10.00} from a debit charge from XXXX from that same day. If that card was actually closed/cancelled when it was said to be, that never would have gone through. Again, called the customer service line, XXXX balanced the account immediately by XXXX instant transfer, since I can't make deposits at a branch, and the card was shut off, but the account could not be closed until the recent charge cleared, which took until the next day ( reflects as XXXX ). 

The day after ( XXXX ) my bank reflected - {$35.00}. I was charged an overdraft fee for the charge that was not supposed to go through in the first place, but also did not actually leave my account at a negative balance as it was taken care of that day it hit. 

I get up this morning ( XXXX ) to check the account again to speak to an agent to finally close this out, get the overdraft fee waived as it was not charged for applicable reasons, and I see money refunded from a prior purchase of {$27.00} went through and a FEE REBATE of {$7.00}, bringing this account to a XXXX balance. 

The final problem from the list of many is that I did not authorize Citizens Bank to use that {$27.00} towards a FEE REBATE of 1 ) a charge that was never supposed to go through but I still paid for an brought the account back to XXXX and 2 ) a {$35.00} overdraft fee that should not have been charged, clearly as it was attempted to be refunded entirely with this recent fee rebate. $ XXXX = {$7.00}. The account should have been closed on XX/XX/XXXX, the {$10.00} charge should not have gone through if the debit card was actually canceled, the balance was XXXX out again and I waited for the pending charge to clear, the {$35.00} overdraft fee should not have been charged as I cleared the charge out the SAME day it went through over the phone with someone, the {$27.00} that was refunded to me is not Citizen 's money and should not have been used to " discount '' ( for them! ) the overdraft fee rebate. 

I called for the THIRD time, spoke to a very nice and more informed representative who said this account was now actually closed but did not agree with the fee rebate amount either. Because I wanted my {$27.00} back that was returned to me and was my money, I had to RE-OPEN this account now in order to submit a claim to get it back, because apparently paper checks aren't an option and I need to have an account with them to get my money, that I did not authorize them to take/use, back?? Now we wait.

This bank is NOT for " Citizens ''. It is corporate greed.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation