Consumer complaint received 2023-10-11
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
Wed, XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX Wire transfer happened at XXXX XXXX  to PNC bank for US {$160000.00} which was later on next day proved out be a fraud transaction which victim was never aware of it. 
Thursday XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX - Filed a complaint with XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX, CA about the fraud Wire transfer and also with PNC Bank in XXXX, CA and their customer service online around XXXX XXXX and same day filed complaint with local Police department Thursday XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Victim went to PNC Bank in XXXX, CA and informed he can sign any documents on letter head of PNC to get his money back and called PNC bank complaint center that he can indeed send email and verify his ID, Affidavit of support or any Stamp paper document listing that is his money and he even informed that he can mail the document of wire transfer to PNC as many times as he can so that he can be refunded money but PNC ignored to help customer and told him to work with his XXXX XXXX on any wire recall. 
XX/XX/XXXX - PNC requested for Hold Harmless letter ( HHL ) and never mentioned if they can recall the wire transfer. 
XX/XX/XXXX - Victim got the HHL Notarized provided to XXXX XXXX and sent to PNC so that they can hold the money. 
In between lot of times Victim tried to get Hold of XXXX and PNC bank for resolution no answer. 
The sad story even higher up people at XXXX XXXX or manager level were never aware of Hold harmless letter or letter of indemnification that PNC was looking for and sad to share that PNC indeed was bluntly ignoring all request made by XXXX employee who was working on my case. 
Question arises : Really bank employees did not know Hold harmless letter or letter of indemnification so how they are able to proceed with bank transactions in recalling them in case an organization makes any mistakes. Really want to share when big banks and institutions do wrong wire transfer, they are able to recover quickly and news comes in media right away about their success but when a victim like me loses money bank employees will come up with nice justifications that dont know the correct procedure to get the wire recalled from another institutions within USA . 
Also, Victim reached out to XXXX  executive branch to help for this matter, The XXXX executive branch again waster 2-3 weeks and arrogantly stated that XXXX can not help victim with Hold harmless letter or letter of indemnification as he accounts has very less money XXXX can only provide that for account over {$1.00} Million in funds. Really that is how banks deal with their client on the basis of Discrimination of Account holder Deposit or savings. Finally, a local branch employee and her manager was able to help on this matter and it took too much time for him to work on this which XXXX executive branch refused to do. So, it clearly shows Higher up XXXX employees were running away from their duties to best deal with customer issues. 
Only US {$120000.00} PNC refunded after too many requests made by XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX back to victim account. 
Still PNC owe to victim - US {$40000.00} and after opening a investigation and claims case with PNC bank - As per them -- PNC is not liable for your loss, and we are therefore declining your request for reimbursement of the outstanding balance of the wired funds. 

If PNC was able to refund US {$120000.00} then why not US {$40000.00} and PNC never provided any clarification indeed requested if victim has attorney even the things are crystal clear After talking to PNC, they stated in conversation that victim have to submit fraud right away which victim did and then came up with the victim bank never provided HHL to which victim informed his bank did and then again PNC brought another question that it was not in correct format - victim informed that is duty of bank to work together if fraud is being reported to police, FBI and all banks. Then they stated the account in PNC was in fact the legitimate account as victim got report from Police department where it is mentioned the account holder name of Fraud account and when victim informed PNC about same PNC personnel stated that victim is provided wrong information which is provided to him by police department. Finally, victim called police department to get in touch with PNC and indeed police department called back to victim stating that PNC personnel who informed the victim that police report is wrong indeed had word with police department and reason she gave is she lied because if she would have told truth to victim, victim will sue bank, demand money and open fraud case against bank that bank never took any measures carefully to open the account. In the police report it is mentioned that after 34 days there was a withdrawal of US {$32000.00} and US {$2000.00} which comes out to be total of US {$34000.00} around on XX/XX/XXXX. Also the police report mentioned clearly after investigating that the account opened in PNC was a forged account that was opened using someone else identity and the person whose identity was used to open account already informed in interrogation by police department that he never opened any account in PNC bank under his name and he is not aware of any account and never did any transactions in that account .From the report it clearly states that PNC kept frozen wired money in fraud account for almost 34 days but never informed XXXX XXXX and victim and even the fraud was reported within 48 hrs. to XXXX XXXX, PNC Bank, Police department. Even when victim checked with PNC personnel never even let victim ask some questions as if PNC was able to refund the other amount XXXX and they would have frozen other amount US {$40000.00} and refunded that amount that. PNC personnel was giving all the nice excuses and justification defending the PNC fault. So, the total amount for Wire transfer was US {$160000.00}. Only US {$120000.00} was refunded after too many requests made by XXXX XXXX Since there were 2 transactions made by a forged person from PNC of US {$32000.00} and US {$2000.00} which comes out to be total of US {$34000.00}. Not sure where the leftover money went to of US {$6700.00} and no information of this was provided to police department by PNC bank and never provided to myself and my XXXX XXXX by PNC Bank. 
Even requesting to PNC personnel and explained that the matter is crystal clear with all the complaints involved - PNC personnel outrightly informed victim that she is the one to make a decision and she is at very higher up level who already made decision and denies about the payment of claim or refund to victim. Finally, she said if victim wants to talk to her manager higher level to have conversation - Victim agreed and still PNC personnel stated it is her power to make any decision and even if Victim tried to talk to her manager, it will never work out and victim will never be compensated for any money loss. 
So, in total I am still at a loss of US {$40000.00}.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation