Consumer complaint received 2022-10-06
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: MA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
This complaint is made to provide insight to what can only be described as shoddy and careless practices by Citizens Bank toward consumers using its checking account services. Prior to describing the specifics of these practices I want to provide relevant history. My checking account was obtained by Citizens when it purchased XXXX XXXX XXXX  and XXXX XXXX  employee accounts in the late XXXX. While banking with XXXX XXXX as an employee, and subsequently with Citizens, an account history which began in XXXX, this account has never been overdrawn nor had any reason to require Citizens managements attention. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I attempted to make a transfer of cash from XXXX XXXX XXXX Citizens in the amount of {$15000.00}. I made a mistake and got the transaction backwards and received confirmation that the transfer would be made from Citizens to XXXX. I did not have enough funds in the Citizens account to cover this debit so called XXXX to see if the transaction could be stopped. They indicated no and recommended I call Citizens to block the transaction on their end. 

I called Citizens Bank on XX/XX/XXXX and was advised by a XXXX that the specific ACH/EFT could not be blocked but I could put a general block on the account. I asked that such a block be placed on the account. I was advised at the time that I would have to call to remove the block as it could not be accomplished on-line. ( Citizens provided a notification that this call was being recorded ) On, XX/XX/XXXX, I went on-line with XXXX and saw the {$15000.00} transfer had been rejected. I called XXXX to confirm with an account representative this transaction would NOT be re-submitted. 

I immediately called a Citizens Bank account representative to remove the block on the account. I was assured this was accomplished but would take up to 3 days to become effective. At this time, I was under the mistaken impression that everything was back to normal. ( again, Citizens provided a notification that this call was recorded ) On XX/XX/XXXX, I received notification from XXXX that my XXXX payment of my monthly bill of roughly {$210.00} was rejected by XXXX. As the account had, at this time, a balance of over {$25000.00}, I was surprised and called XXXX to find out why. After being placed hold numerous times I was advised that a block remained on my account. I explained that the block should have been removed on XX/XX/XXXX at my explicit instructions which they could verify using their own recordings. ( This call, too, was advised as recorded ). Even with the 3 business days lag the block should have been removed by Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, at the latest. 

On my XX/XX/XXXX call with Citizens I asked to speak to a supervisor. I was placed on hold numerous times while XXXX said she would get a supervisor to speak with me. Eventually, she indicated in order to speak to a supervisor I would have to wait on hold for 40 minutes. I specifically asked if she could have a supervisor call me. XXXX told me that was impossible. The only way I could speak to a supervisor was to wait on hold for 40 minutes. As I felt this was a standard policy ploy to discourage complaints and had no confidence I would be connected to a supervisor, at any time, let alone after 40 minutes, I declined. 

Subsequent to this phone call I have learned that additional ACH/EFTs have been rejected due, presumably, to the block that remained on the account well past my request it be removed ( including the 3 day waiting period ). These rejected debits include my Home Owners Association Fees, a monthly investment I make to XXXX XXXX XXXX, and my electric and gas utility bills. I have been charged a {$25.00} handling fee from the XXXX XXXX XXXX, a {$23.00} return debit fee by the utility companies, as well as a {$5.00} surcharge to use a credit card to pay their invoices. Most importantly, however, I feel my financial reputation has been unnecessarily compromised with entities with whom I do business. 

I have little doubt that eventually this will be put right but feel compelled to report my thoughts regarding Citizens and its customer treatment, particular the treatment of those stating they would like to speak directly to a supervisor, or someone, perhaps, capable of taking some action. 

I managed commercial accounts for XXXX XXXX XXXX for 25 years. At any time, should a customer have an issue, I could intervene and do so in a manner which could identify a specific transaction without placing a block of all debits to an account. This was not offered by Citizens as they dont care, or their systems are too antiquated to provide this level of service. 

I was assured in my XX/XX/XXXX call to Citizens the block on my account was removed ( even if it would require a three day delay ). It was not. 

Citizens on-line system does not provide information regarding transactions that are being blocked. I, therefore, had no way of knowing the block on my account was not removed per my explicit phone instructions delivered on XX/XX/XXXX, and transactions continued to be blocked. I only learned this when I began to receive notifications from my venders. 

Citizens clearly has little interest in hearing complaints from its long-term customers in good standing, or any others. Needing to hold on the phone for 40 minutes to speak to a supervisor is a shoddy and transparent ruse to discourage all complaints. 

Citizens provides no follow-up confirmations of any kind regarding these conversations. There is no notification by text, email, or letter, that a block has been placed, or removed, on an account. This, too, is substandard practice in a financial environment where virtually all institutions confirm their instructions by text, email, or mail. 

I am under the impression that the general block has been removed but I am unable to re-link the account to XXXX XXXX XXXX, or XXXX. XXXX requires a letter from Citizens stating the account is in a good status and can receive debits and credits from XXXX. The letter must include the name of the account holder ( me ), its account number, and the bank routing number.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation