Consumer complaint received 2021-10-04
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
Plaintiff : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Defendant : Citizens Bank Citizens Bank ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Pa. XXXX XXXX XXXX Branch Manager AVP XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, Plaintiff had three separate cashiers checks drawn from their XXXX account. 

1. ) {$17000.00} Sequence : XXXX and Serial # XXXX made to XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Citizen Bank customer ) 2. ) {$20000.00} Sequence : XXXX and Serial # XXXX ( addressed to XXXX XXXX XXXX ) 3. ) {$20000.00} Sequence : XXXX and Serial # XXXX ( addressed to XXXX XXXX XXXX ) Total : {$57000.00} Checks were deposited on XX/XX/XXXX and funds were paid on XX/XX/XXXX. ( I can not file a Declaration of Loss -because the funds have been paid. ) Citizen 's Bank has been holding on to the funds since XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX kept inquiring about the funds and why they have not been deposited in her account. She was told by Citizen 's bank representative ( multiple times ) that my bank XXXX needed to call and confirm funds were in the account. Which was not necessary because they were cashier 's checks. ****A cashier 's check ( or cashier 's cheque, cashier 's order ) is a check guaranteed by a bank, drawn on the bank 's own funds and signed by a cashier. Cashier 's checks are treated as guaranteed funds because the bank, rather than the purchaser, is responsible for paying the amount. They are commonly required for real estate and brokerage transactions. ***XXXX  XXXX 

The funds were paid on XXXX  XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX Security Representative, XXXX, called for my permission to release the checks. ( 7 business days ) I gave her permission. The following day. Mrs. XXXX returned to Citizens Bank knowing XXXX had called and told them to release the funds. They used that same excuse for 6 weeks. ( It is currently 9 weeks and they still have possession of the funds ) Mrs. XXXX received a letter from Citizens Bank stating they were closing her account on XX/XX/XXXX with no explanation. On XX/XX/XXXX I called Citizens bank and again they said they were currently waiting for my bank to call and release the funds.

I believe Citizen 's bank has been providing misleading information to Mrs. XXXX ' and to myself. I accuse Citizen 's Bank of breaking this specific law Expedited Funds Availability Act or Regulation CC. Regulation CC ( 12 CFR 229 ), as amended, implements two lawsthe Expedited Funds Availability Act ( EFA Act ), which was enacted in XX/XX/XXXX and became effective in XX/XX/XXXX, and the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act ( Check 21 ), which was enacted in XX/XX/XXXX and became effective on XX/XX/XXXX. The regulation sets forth the requirements that depositary institutions ( banks ) make funds deposited into transaction accounts available according to specified time schedules and that they disclose their funds availability policies to their customers. It also establishes rules designed to speed the collection and return of checks and electronic checks and describes requirements that affect banks that create or receive substitute checks, including requirements related to consumer disclosures and expedited recredit procedures. Regulation CC contains four subparts. The first three implement the EFA Act, and the fourth implements Check 21 **WWW.FDIC.GOV I flew to XXXX on Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX, and visited this branch on Friday, XXXX XXXXspoke to the Acting Manager Ms. XXXX XXXX XXXX She could not tell me or the Head Account Supervisor for XXXX XXXX why the funds could not be released to me saying that Supervisor XXXX is not high enough to be spoken to ( I didnt think we were a Monarchy ). XXXX created case # XXXX with XXXX. I had asked Ms.XXXX to release the funds -- that I am giving her permission and she said she needed they bank to tell her and XXXX Account Supervisor told her to release the funds they have been paid as of XX/XX/XXXX. 

Mrs. XXXX told me the funds would be sent to Ms. XXXX and would be sent with tracking information. I asked if I could receive the tracking information since they are my funds she said most definitely. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX th I called to speak to the Branch Manager, XXXX XXXX, he told me the account was closed and the cashier 's checks were sent to the client. Mr. XXXX told me " the funds had been sent to the client and the account is closed, '' I asked when did they send the funds?, he repeated I need to " take it up with the client. I immediately called Ms. XXXX to confirm if she had received the funds and she said no. Ten minutes later she call the Branch Manager, XXXX XXXX who told her that Citizens still has hold of the funds. Ms. XXXX ' immediately called me and told me what the Branch Manager said. I called him immediately and he denied ever saying the funds were sent back to the customer. He denied everything.

Now, it has been 9 weeks since those funds have been withdrawn and held in Citizens Bank 's hands. Mrs. XXXX nor myself, has not received any written communication in regards to why the funds are being held and for how long. Now up to 2 weeks ago we were each told because my bank has not called back saying to release the funds -- when they had been told to release the funds on XX/XX/XXXX. I was going to buy a piece of property but I have lost that opportunity. I am about to be homeless in a few days because of this matter and I have no income due to all this mess caused by Citizen 's bank. 







XXXX XXXX XXXX : XXXX XXXX XXXX  : XXXX ( case # XXXX ) XXXX Supervisor Acct Services My information : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation