Consumer complaint received 2021-05-20
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
I was sent, in the mail, a promotional offer from Citizens Bank at the end of XXXX. The offer promised a bonus of up to {$500.00} if one deposited " new money '' to a " new or existing Citizens checking and/or savings account by XX/XX/XXXX '' and maintained the money in the account for " 3 consecutive months. '' I went in person to my local Citizens Bank Branch at XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX in XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to a bank representative named XXXX XXXX who signed me up for this offer. I deposited {$180000.00} into my existing Citizens checking account and planned to leave it there for the next several months in order to get the {$500.00} bonus at the end of the time period. The bank representative herself noted in writing on the promotional mailer that she had signed me up for the offer, the amount of money I deposited, and the date of the deposit. She also stapled her business card to the letter, as I requested, to serve as proof that I had legitimately signed up for the offer. 

However, when I called that Citizens branch on XX/XX/XXXX to find out why the {$500.00} had not yet been credited to my account, bank representative XXXX XXXX said she would need to hear back from Marketing, which would take 3-5 business days. I called again on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX and I spoke to the branch manager named XXXX to inquire about the situation. He told me I had to wait 3-5 days also. But he also became very defensive and began to imply that I had not qualified for the promotion in the first place and could be " denied '' because of an interpretation of the fine print on the back of the promotional offer. I replied to him that the Citizens employee herself had signed me up for the offer, and if the fine print on the offer was confusing enough to confuse Ms. XXXX and lead her to sign me up for the offer, then that is Citizens Bank 's mistake and not mine as the consumer/client. I continued to tell him that Citizens Bank should honor its commitment which the bank employee put in her own handwriting by signing me up for the promotion. XXXX disagreed and told me that I was at fault for signing up for a promotion for which I was not qualified. I vehemently disagreed. 

I proceeded to wait for Citizens Bank 's decision after the 3-5 day period. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a telephone call from XXXX at the local branch informing me that I had been " declined '' by Marketing and would not be receiving the advertised bonus. 

I was shocked at this outcome as a breach of trust and a " bait-and-switch '' type of scheme. For 4 months, Citizens bank had possessed my money and was making interest on it, yet when it came time to keep their end of the deal they reneged by making the excuse that I had not qualified for the promotion -- even though one of their own employees personally signed me up for the offer. Had I known that Citizens Bank would act in this manner, I would have taken my money to another bank and made considerable interest on it somewhere else. 

I am asking for the help of the CFPB in resolving this matter in my favor and obtaining for me the {$500.00} bonus which Isigned up for. Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation