Consumer complaint received 2021-07-05
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Can't close your account

Complaint:
Hello, I don't have documents about my main problem, but please help me. I was coerced by my XXXX  parents, in XXXX, to close the only checking account, at age XXXX, that has ever belonged to me only. I have always been a 100 % law-abiding, responsible adult, I have a XXXX XXXX XXXX, and have become financially independent, free of debt, always paid my rent on time, about 4 months ago. My monthly income is pitiful -- $ XXXX/month. I need your help because, in XXXX, my mom lied to me, and to her bank, who did nothing to protect my rights, nor will they ever without you helping me. My only choice was to comply with my severely XXXX  parents ' demand to leave my bank since anything else = I would have been XXXX, and parents never caught. I will not die! My mom, whom I still trusted, broke the law, planned ahead of time for gratification, resulting in establishing a checking account in BOTH OF OUR NAMES at the nearest branch of Citizens Bank, who set up this account, without any proof of my consent or presence, and never once notified me. For nearly 10 years, I had no way of knowing MY OWN MONEY WAS IN AN ACCOUNT BELONGING TO MY MOM! This bank, which has no customer service number answered by a live human, did this despite knowing I was an independent adult. The debit card I have even says only my name. I asked at the nearest branch, a few years ago, if I had the right to close this account without my mom present and consenting in person. I don't. Hello?! This can not be legal! I was also told that day that my mom does have the right to close this account alone, and Citizens Bank said she wouldn't even need proof of my consent, or even existence. The reason I found out this degrading XXXX was by accident. A few years ago, I ordered new checks -- {$27.00} for the tiniest number of the cheapest, ugliest  checks I was told were my cheapest option at a nearby Citizens Bank branch. When I opened the box, I saw my mom 's name and mine ON MY OWN CHECKS! THIS IS HOW I FOUND OUT -- the clerk who ordered them placed the order according to what his computer screen said -- never said anything, until I suffered the drive to that branch, where I cornered that same clerk, who told me the truth. By then, I had already been tricked, by my mom 's millionth expert lie anyone would have believed, at XXXX. This lie, today, = I pay a huge amount of rent to physically violent millionaires in whose 2nd house my cat and I bravely live as prisoners in a rural area. I have no way to get to this bank. We avoid being XXXX  by zero contact with the two criminals who hold us captive, and so no longer suffer multiple daily terrifying threats and other illegal abuse. But this means no way to get anywhere, and I will only succeed in escaping with my cat by continuing refusal to spend one second with my mom. THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO. NOT ONE SINGLE ADULT WHOM I HAVE BEGGED FOR YEARS HAS EVER CALLED THE POLICE. My only friends, who know everything, completely unable to be harmed by my parents, don't live anywhere near here. I do not have the huge amount of money necessary to rescue us by myself, nor do I have the option of contacting police, especially since my older brother is a police officer, will never believe me, yet believes every sociopathic lie of my parents. In other words, since my brother 's police district is really close by, he will do something to harm or XXXX  me I can't prevent, upon ever hearing of any report or call I could ever make -- and I WILL be overheard by at least one of these violent criminals. I have NOWHERE to go. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING -- PLEASE HELP ME!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation