Consumer complaint received 2022-03-17
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: NY
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Wrong amount charged or received

Complaint:
Citizen Bank refuse to remove a false transaction on the account of {$70.00}!! 

Investigate an invalid charged with goods and services never rendered to the consumer. 
Citizens bank 's dispute resolution department is an absolute mess they delete charges on your account with no signatures no contracts no evidence of anything this has been going on for well over a year now and it keeps things on your account, and they do nothing about it! 
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau collects complaints but does not function as a behalf of the consumer I truly do understand that, but a lot of banks get away with a lot of fraud and fail to perform the fiduciary responsibilities and protecting the cardholder. 
The reason they do this because it costs too much money for the bank to look in and protect the rights of the consumer or the cardholder because they really could care less about protecting the rights of the holder. 
This is where the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau comes in to enforce those rights or at least try to find out what is going on by leaving invalid inaccurate transactions on the account.

We have made XXXX phone calls about this and Citizens bank does nothing! 

XXXX XXXX live call with Citizen : I'm speaking on a recorded line again thank you XXXX you're welcome alright so that's pretty much about it I just need to find out why this charge of {$70.00} is still in the account and should I go ahead and give you the claim number. 
I'll be able to provide further insight did you receive weather several letters and I and I keep on faxing it back to you with an explanation in fact what I'm going to do is I'm going to scan all these letters and send them directly to your department. 

So I guess my question to Citizens Bank and I could probably reference the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is that how the world did they get away with something when they know that there is no sales receipt number one there's no contracts no there is no imprint or swipe of the card there was no goods and services rendered in a still keep it on your account you know it's it's it's quite frankly mind boggling. 

A quick review of what's going on here OK I have a letter for all these letters out I got a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX we responded to no goods and services got a letter from you guys XX/XX/2022 we responded to got a letter XX/XX/XXXX we responded to that letter we got it also another letter XX/XX/2022 basically stating the same things again and we responded by fax last night uh on XX/XX/XXXX and in that fax it clearly states that after several phone calls with Citizens Bank consumer services department and the merchant by stating there are no signs sales receipts no goods and services rendered and there was it was mistakenly placed on the account and consented and agreed and stipulated by the merchant which is actually the XXXX XXXX XXXX and that's a sister company of the restaurant for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX this account is invalid inaccurate and I said please do not hesitate to call and they never call you Citizens Bank never calls you so we've you know we went over this and there's a new XXXX number which is XXXX. 

So therefore whoever is making these decisions in the back office for Citizens Bank either an it's done by a computer system like like XXXX or or XXXX you know what XXXX is those little machines you talking to or it's done by a human being that's absolutely completely XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX  and has failed to look at any of the evidence which there isn't any and furthermore to respond to something how do you respond to something with nothing with no car accident with no transaction with no goods and services rendered you know how is that even possible but we've always faxed back every time we get a letter we fax it back to you guys giving an explanation and and we just go in circles and circles and circles and circles and circles and circles and only reason why I put so much effort into it is because what happens it with {$750.00} what happens if with {$7000.00} what happens if it was a half {>= $1,000,000} you understand.You may have a legal claim if your bank doesn't tell you why they denied your disputed transaction. Claims can be awarded under this regulation even where the bank did everything else rightwhere they did a proper investigation, but they didn't follow the rules and tell you why they did what they did f there are many individuals with the same grievances, banks and other financial institutions can be XXXX through class-action lawsuits. Beyond filing a lawsuit, you have the option of filing a complaint with a government agency about your concern with the bank, which can still result in you getting financial relief. 

Can I XXXX a Bank?

In many cases, consumers agree to arbitration clauses in the fine print of contracts with financial institutions. These clauses limit consumers ' ability to sue. Instead, consumers are usually required to attend arbitration to settle disputes with financial institutions. A consumer protection attorney can look at the facts of your case to determine if it's possible for you to sue your bank, or if it's worth entering arbitration to attempt to resolve the dispute. 

With that said, it may be possible to sue banks in small-claims court or through class-action lawsuits. Small claims court involves suing for an amount of money that is often limited to {$5000.00} or less, depending on state law. 

If there are many individuals with the same grievances, banks and other financial institutions can be sued through class-action lawsuits. 

Beyond filing a lawsuit, you have the option of filing a complaint with a government agency about your concern with the bank, which can still result in you getting financial relief. 
Where to File a Consumer Complaint About a Bank Option 1 : Federal Reserve Consumer Help If you have a complaint about a bank such as XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, or another financial institution, the Federal Reserve System might be able to help you. The Federal Reserve is responsible for carrying out many of the federal laws that protect consumers in their dealings with financial institutions. 

The XXXX XXXX XXXX, located in XXXX XXXXXXXX, works with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX around the country to make certain the commercial banks that the Federal Reserve supervises abide by these laws. The Federal Reserve can help individual consumers by : Answering questions about banking practices Investigating complaints about specific banks under the Reserve 's supervisory jurisdiction Complaints about financial institutions that are not supervised by the Federal Reserve System are referred to the appropriate federal agency. 
What Kinds of Complaints are Investigated by the Federal Reserve? 

As a federal regulatory agency, the Federal Reserve System investigates consumer complaints received against state-chartered banks that are members of the System. If you think a bank has been unfair or deceptive in its dealings with you, or has violated a law or regulation, you have the right to file a complaint. 

The Federal Reserve is particularly concerned that state member banks comply with federal laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in lending. In such cases, additional steps are taken to ensure that your complaint is promptly and thoroughly investigated. In addition, complaints alleging discrimination in housing that are covered by the Fair Housing Act are referred to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

How to File a Complaint With the Federal Reserve Before writing or calling the Federal Reserve, consumers are encouraged to try to settle the problem with the financial institution first. This may involve directly contacting senior bank management or the bank 's customer service representative for assistance. 

FindLaw Newsletters Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life Enter your email address to subscribe Learn more about FindLaws newsletters, including our terms of use and privacy policy. 

This site is protected by XXXX and the XXXX Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 

If you are still unable to resolve the problem, you may file a written complaint with the Federal Reserve. Include the following information in the complaint : Your name, address, and daytime telephone number, including area code ; Name and address of the bank involved in your complaint or inquiry ; Your bank or credit card account number ; The name of the person you contacted at the bank, along with the date, if applicable ; A description of the complaint. State what happened, giving the dates involved and the names of those you dealt with at the bank. Include copies of any letters or other documents that may help the Federal Reserve to investigate your complaint. The Federal Reserve asks that you do not send original documents, copies are preferred. Remember to sign and date your letter. 

It's important to give the Federal Reserve as much information about the problem as possible ; this will assist the Federal Reserve in providing a quicker response to you. 
Option XXXX : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau If you have an issue with a credit card company, consumer loan, student loan, mortgage, or other financial services, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ). The CFPB is a government agency in the United States that makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat consumers fairly by offering consumer protection tools and resources. 

Complaints can be filed online with the CFPB 's free Consumer Complaint Database or over the phone by calling XXXX. Here is the process : You submit a complaint to the CFPB. 
The CFPB reviews your complaint and determines if it should be forwarded to another government agency or should be sent to the company you are complaining about. 
The company responds and reports back the action they are taking. 
With your consent, the CFPB publishes information about the complaint on the public Consumer Complaint Database. 
You are notified when the company responds and are able to review the response and provide your feedback. 

The CFPB serves as a helpful intermediary between you and the bank you have had trouble with. It can be easier to get a response and a resolution with the CFPB 's involvement. 
Option XXXX : Your State Attorney General 's Office Each U.S. state and territory has an attorney general who serves as the top legal officer. Most attorneys general take complaints from state residents on a wide range of consumer issues, including grievances against banks and other financial services.

Your XXXX XXXX office may decide to pursue an investigation into the bank, or it may just make a public or private record of your complaint. Call your XXXX XXXX  office or visit the XXXX XXXX website to find out more information. 
How to Get Legal Help With Filing Consumer Complaints Against a Bank Has your bank violated a law or regulation? If you have suffered from unfair lending practices or had deceptive dealings with a financial institution, then assert your right as a consumer and file a complaint. 

While you can file a consumer complaint against a bank by following the above directions, you should seek help from an attorney experienced in discrimination issues or consumer protection if you have additional questions or concerns. 

Report problems with your bank, financial institution, lender, or broker. There are tips to help you file a complaint : Contact the branch manager, the customer service hotline, or the institution 's website.

Use this sample complaint letter to explain your problem and how you want the bank to fix it.

Provide copies of receipts, checks, or other proof of the transaction.

If the bank doesn't help, get help from the correct regulatory agency.

Complaints About Deposit Accounts Find out which agency accepts complaints about your financial institution.

Contact the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for complaints about a national bank ( has National in its name, or N.A at the end ) federal savings and loans federal savings banks.

For a problem with a state-chartered bank and trust company, contact either the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or your state banking authority .

Complain about a federally chartered credit union with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief