Consumer complaint received 2023-01-20
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: OH
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem making or receiving payments

Complaint:
Im encountering a situation caused by a duplicate transaction that is putting me in severe financial distress. The issue was caused by a duplicate bill payment of multiple thousands of dollars that resulted in my PNC checking account to overdraft. The bill payment was processed through both PNC bill pay and my credit card company 's online bill pay for the exact same amount. I don't remember scheduling the online bill pay through my credit card, but it's possible it was user error. I'm investigating this with my credit card company, but my major concern is with PNC 's lack of action on the situation and the conflicting information I was provided after multiple phone calls. 
XXXX XXXX  The sequence of events is as follows XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX 1. Received a mobile notification that my PNC account was under my established threshold.

2. Identified the duplicate payment on my account and contacted PNC via phone within 15 min. of receiving the notification. Was told that since the payment was already pending, it could not be disputed until it was posted the next day. PNC recommended I call my credit card company to see if they could cancel the transaction.

3. Called my credit card company and they stated it had already posted on their end and could not be cancelled. However, they recommended I dispute the transaction so it would be reversed and there would be no fees changed on their end for reversing the payment.

4. Called PNC back and notified them of my intention to dispute first thing the next day once it posted. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX XXXX. Called PNC shortly after XXXX XXXX to dispute the transaction. Was told it would take 6-10 business days for the dispute to be handled. They offered no option to make any funds available and that there was nothing they could do to expedite and/or take my account out of overdraft status. However, I was assured that pending payments would be processed, and any overdraft fees would be reversed after the dispute is resolved. They credited only 1 of my overdraft fees " as a courtesy. '' 2. Received a mobile notification at XXXX XXXX that 2 of my bill payments that were in posted status that morning were being reversed due to NSF.

3. Called PNC immediately after being notified of the NSF bill payments and was transferred to a retail specialist who said they could expedite the dispute and there would be a resolution within 24 hours. She said the NSF transactions could be addressed after the escalated resolution. 
XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX XXXX. Called PNC at XXXX XXXX to check the status of the dispute. Was then told that my dispute could not be escalated because it was not a debit/credit transaction. No additional solutions were offered other than to wait 6-10 business days. 
XXXX XXXX  This situation is extremely concerning for the following reasons : 1. PNC would/could not take any action on XX/XX/XXXX when I identified the duplicate transaction.

2. 4 bill payments were processed the morning of XX/XX/XXXX. The large duplicate payment was processed first, which took my account into overdraft status, causing the 3 other bill payments to post as overdrafts. This occurred even after calling the day before to report the issue. I don't believe it was a coincidence the large duplicate transaction posted first.

3. All 4 bill payments were marked as posted the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, but at XXXX XXXX 8 hours after the dispute was filed, 2 of the payments were reversed as NSF after I was assured this would not happen. Amazingly, the large duplicate transaction was not considered NSF.

4. I was informed there was an escalation process that could address the situation in 24 hours, most importantly to review the NSF transactions. However, I wasnt informed the duplicate payment wasn't eligible for escalation until calling after the requested waiting period.

5. It is clear this transaction is an error and there is 0 urgency to resolve. Meanwhile, my account is in overdraft status, bill payments are being refused due to NSF, and I do not have access to any funds.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief