Consumer complaint received 2021-02-11
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Unable to open an account

Complaint:
I tried to open a savings account at PNC bank ( pnc.com ) a couple times around XX/XX/2021. I saw some advertising around a bonus offered ( {$200.00} ) for meeting certain requirements upon opening a new account. Each time I tried to complete the application process, I would get a loading screen and then an error that my application can not be completed. I tried again and got the same result. The next day, I received a couple emails that I set up an account which was actually three separate accounts ( 6 total accounts ). I called PNC at XXXX and was able to get a person on the phone after about 18 minutes on hold. After explaining everything that had happened up to that point, they said I couldn't do anything until I received cards in the mail. I told them I wasn't aware I was going to receive cards in the mail since I never could complete registration. They said to just wait and see. I presume PNC recorded this call. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX, I received emails from PNC, welcoming me to my virtual wallet and reminding me to " cash in on my reward '' by showing the promotion terms. Again, this was before I had any info on my accounts and before PNC would even discuss my accounts or the existence of my accounts. I received two emails on XX/XX/XXXX to 1 ) Tell them about my virtual wallet experience and to " set up your virtual wallet today ''. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another email to again set up my virtual wallet. On XX/XX/2021, I also received two letters confirming PNC accounts were opened. Each letter showed three accounts ( 6 total accounts ) were opened and displayed the last four digits of each account. On the same day, I received two different envelopes containing PNC debt cards. I know the date in which items arrived because USPS sends me a daily email with scanned images of the letters I will receive each day. I didn't do anything once I received the letters. On XX/XX/2021, I received a letter from PNC stating " multiple virtual wallet accounts were opened in error ''. This was the first time this was acknowledged by PNC, three weeks after my initial call with them. On XX/XX/2021, I received an email stating " Weve been trying to reach you '' and provided a link to schedule a call. I clicked through the link and tried many times to choose the dates/times they showed available to set up a call. Each time, I was met with an error and couldn't book the call. I decided to record my screen and again tried a few times to book a call with no success. I can provide this screen recording, if needed. I knew at this moment, this bank was too error prone to trust with my money and that I wouldn't be setting up or using these accounts. I decided to reply to this email with the following message " You can call me at XXXX and we can discuss the unauthorized multiple accounts ''. I received an automated response : " Thank you for your message. Please know that I would like to assist you with your concern. However, since this is not a secure email channel, I am unable to access your customer file or any personal information in order to properly assist you. Please login to our online banking website with your User ID and PIN / Password where you can access our secured message center. You may also call us at XXXX, or our bank operator at XXXX, and our consultants will be able to assist you over the phone ( XXXX XXXX  - XXXX XXXX  EST Monday-Friday and XXXX XXXX  - XXXX XXXX  EST on weekends ). We are sorry for any inconvenience that this causes. '' Obviously, I hadn't set anything up yet to be able to access an online portal and I knew the long wait time I had on my previous call, so I did nothing. 
On XX/XX/2021, I received another email with the message, " Your Virtual Wallet remains unfunded and may be closed ''. On XX/XX/2021, I finally decided to give PNC another call and used the number from the letter received on XX/XX/2021, XXXX. This time, I was able to get someone within a minute or two. I asked which accounts were active and asked to close out all accounts that were associated with me. I had provided my social security number to the representative on the phone. After some time, she found the accounts and said she could close them all. She also stated I would receive a letter stating the accounts were closed. I have a recording of this call, if needed. This is where we are at the time of this writing.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation