Consumer complaint received 2018-04-12
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: IL
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Cashing a check

Complaint:
I would like to escalate to you two very serious matters I experienced at the following PNC branch locations : FIRST INCIDENT Branch Manager-XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, IL XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX, I visited the above PNC branch and presented two claim settlement checks from XXXX XXXX   company drafted on PNC bank in the amounts of {$1000.00} and {$14.00}. Let me explain the very serious matter that occurred below.

1. Upon presenting the check I was told that PNC does not cash insurance settlement checks. When I explained the check was drafted on PNC, I was again told the checks would not be honored.

2. I contacted XXXX  on my phone while still at the branch and was instructed by the claims department to have PNC bank verify the check by calling the number in the upper left hand corner of the PNC check.

3. So I then asked the branch to verify the check by calling the number in the upper left hand corner of the PNC check. The branch manager said he would not call to verify the check and the check would not be honored. The branch manager was visibly shaking and seemed very fearful.

4. Frustrated and confused, after having spent an hour begging and pleading with the branch to honor the PNC check, I left the branch and went to a different branch location below.

5. I presented both PNC checks, the branch called and verified the PNC checks and the checks were honored.

INCIDENT TWO Branch Manager- XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX , IL XXXX On XX/XX/XXXX, I visited the above PNC branch and presented a claim settlement check from XXXX XXXX company drafted on PNC bank in the amount of {$3900.00}. Let me explain the very serious matter that occurred below.

1. This is the branch I previously presented XXXX claim settlement checks drafted at PNC bank in the amounts of {$1000.00} and {$14.00} from incident above.

2. On XX/XX/XXXX, I presented a XXXX claim settlement check drafted at PNC bank in the amount of {$30.00} and the check was honored. I explained I would be receiving a lump sum settlement check shortly and would bring it into the branch to cash.

3. On XX/XX/XXXX, I returned to the branch with the lump sum claim settlement check in the amount of {$3900.00} and attempted to open a PNC account, but it turned out the product was not a good fit for me.

4. Next, I presented the PNC check to cash it, and was told by the branch manager that he would not cash the check for a non-customer because of the amount.

5. I informed him that they had cashed the PNC draft checks prior, and requested he verify the check by calling the number in the upper left hand corner of the PNC check per the banks previous procedure in cashing the checks. He said " No '' and that he would not be cashing the check.

6. After that the branch manager, XXXX XXXX, became very intentionally adversarial, rude and unprofessional.

7. I called the XXXX claims adjuster who issued the check on my phone and put the phone on speaker. Initially, the branch manager, XXXX XXXX, refused to speak, so I prompted the claims adjuster, XXXX XXXX, to inquire as to why the PNC branch would not honor the check. The claims adjuster explained that XXXX  issues much larger checks and asked why the check was not being honored.

8. XXXX XXXX spoke and said they could not cash the check for a non-customer because of the amount. The call ended.

9. I was accompanied by a friend, XXXX XXXX, a PNC bank customer with PNC accounts. XXXX XXXX   attempted to speak with XXXX XXXX regarding the verification of the PNC check. XXXX XXXX told XXXX XXXX she could take it to another branch because he was refusing to cash the check. XXXX XXXX and I inquired if it would be possible to double endorse the check into one of her accounts.

10. The branch manager XXXX XXXX  said " yes '' and if we made the deposit inside the branch he would not make any of the funds available, regardless of XXXX XXXX XXXX  account status. At this time, XXXX XXXX was increasingly more adversarial, rude and unprofessional. He said we could leave the branch and deposit to ATM.

11. We left the lobby of the branch, frustrated and confused, again after a considerable amount of time spent inside the branch, and drove around to the ATM, double endorsed the check and made the deposit. That is the attached image from the ATM.

12. OnXX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX checked the status of the availability of the funds and was told that the deposited PNC check had not been honored and had been returned to me via US mail.

13. XXXX XXXX  and I called customer service for PNC, explained the matter and filed complaint with customer service. This was a one hour phone call.

MAJOR CONCERNS 1. PNC bank is not honoring PNC checks drafted on PNC business account with XXXX XXXX company.

2. I was racially profiled by the two PNC branch locations, located on the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, IL.

3. PNC bank branch locations could not point to policy for any occurrences in either of these incidents.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation