Consumer complaint received 2023-07-31
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I submitted a transfer from my citizens access HYSA savings account to my XXXX  XXXX XXXX account. This is the same XXXX  XXXX XXXX account Ive had for years and was already linked and used multiple times to transfer in and out of citizens access. Its not a new account, nothing has changed- no change of address, nothing. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a text stating that my transfer has not been processed and to call their number for questions, no explanation, just to call if I had questions. I called and spoke with XXXX. I read her the text message and asked what is going on. She said I dont know, I dont have the answer. I asked multiple times why did the transfer not go through then, that we need to withdraw money, and she just kept saying I dont know. I asked can you fix the problem then, she says I dont have the answer, I asked to speak to someone who knows why Citizens Access is not letting me transfer my money out and she said they are on the backend and dont speak to customers, and said she needs to submit a request. Im already worried as its suspicious when a company stops you from withdrawing your money and then wont say why or how to fix it, literally keeping my money hostage. My husband called around the same time and was also given the runaround. 

Soon after our calls we get an email document saying our account is frozen and all account services including transfers terminated ( see attachment ), so I called again since I have no idea what is going on and the document didnt say why this is happening and our savings are in there. This time the rep says shes sorry our tranfer request was stopped and she doesnt see the document I was emailed about our account being frozen, and didnt know why but she at least said shed push the initial transfer request through and itd take up to two business days. I asked multiple times if our account is frozen and why did we get this document then and she assured me its not frozen and our transfer request would go through in up to two business days, by Friday, so I said ok. 

Friday comes and goes- the transfer did not go through, no email, no call, so Im worried and planning to have to call again Monday to try to find out what is happening. 

Saturday I miss a call from them and the voicemail is vague only stating theyre calling in regards to our request and to call back to the main number. I call and say I received a voicemail, explained what is going on again, and they again say that my account is frozen but they dont know why and cant fix it, so when I ask again to speak to someone who can tell me why my transfer was stopped then account frozen, they said I have to call back Monday. At this point I near lose my mind as this is between my husband and Is 6th time calling and every person has been rude and extremely shady, saying over and over that they dont know why the transfer was stopped, dont know why the account is now frozen, refuse to let me speak with anyone higher up who may know, with no resolution to unfreezing my account given. 

Please help me have access to my money in my citizens access savings account. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and I dont have the means or the time to have our money held hostage and essentially stolen by not giving us access, calling time after time with 40+ minute hold times just to be told by the very company doing this they dont know why, yet continuing to not allow the transfer and then freezing our account and not giving reasons or resolutions. Please help us. Thank you so much.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation