Consumer complaint received 2018-03-24
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX {$2100.00} was withdrawn from XXXX of the accounts that had money come in today. I had a negative account since XX/XX/XXXX when I was no longer able to make payments as I was not bringing money in for my business. I am terribly behind in my bills, had recently had XXXX, and am facing possible foreclosure and shut off notices. I wanted to build monies to attend to our livelihood and then attend to this debt issue. 

I have joint accounts and my friend 's money came in today. They the bank took XXXX out of the XXXX dollars that came in. We have a joint account. At times past, Citizen 's bank messed that up, too regarding which account my friend was added to, but they had the nerve to say that the account they withdrew from was not a joint account, then turn around and say, it might be a joint account, but in the terms and conditions we have the right to take money to settle debt. Attached is the direct deposit form and demonstrating who's account it is named after which is my friend. 

Just a few days before I spoken with a rep in the collections department to which they informed i had up to 60 days and that 20 were already gone so I had about 40 days or less to reconcile my account. Otherwise they will close it and report it to XXXX XXXX for banks to be aware about opening an account for me. 

At least that gave me time to satisfy MY ACCOUNT. Friday XX/XX/XXXX still within the 40 days I see they decide without warning, when I did talk to them, knowing they had a chance to tell me then that my account was subject to withdrawal but withheld that info because it is in the fine print of terms and conditions, decide to take the money that came in, due to, as I was told by the branch manager after she called the headquarters, that the amount in the joint account was alot of money so it could satisfy my XXXX dollar debt and perhaps whatever else I have to pay. 

They did not ask or factor in : It is a joint account, it was NOT MY MONEY to cover my debt, if I was in position to pay my debt i would have done it myself, but I was given the 40 days to take care of it, I am 3 months behind on my mortgage, 1 month behind on my bills, 2-3 months behind in my other bills for my other home, and I have been attempting to find work to cover expenses. 

I am self employed doing contract work and I haven't had monies coming in, and if I was in the position to pay I would have either paid it when I had it OR would have not fallen behind. 

Bottom line the monies remaining is not enough to cover my 4000 dollar debt i have with my mortgage, or other expenses I have at all. The nerve of them not to ask me or factor these things or state when I did talk with them that it was subjected to going into other accounts and take the money without authorization. 

Bottom line, I called them, was proactive, informed them of my plans, just to turn around and take the money without warning because they are allowed and have the right to, but without asking and knowing if the money i had was mines or if it would cover expenses. 

They said, the bank that the amount I had was assumed that i would be ok after the 2100 dollar debt I had with the bank was honored. 

I read about something called Lending code, where banks are to factor in living expenses and potential financial hardship if they were to take the money. You dont just look at amounts and assume the person will be ok. 

the bank manager said they don't honor the lending code. 
And they didn't inform me that they were going to seize the money where they could have said this on the phone when I called them XXXX and in the letter from them which is attached.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation