Consumer complaint received 2015-08-18
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
I am a XXXX in XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Pennsylvania. I have a business account with CITIZENS BANK. As you would expect, I am mindful to keep all patient information strictly confidential. Money issues tare also private and are worked out as part of the confidential XXXX. 
I was treating an XXXX y.o. patient suffering from XXXX XXXX. Her mother was paying fro my services and I offered this patient a substantial break in the fee because they were having financial difficulties and the daughter desperately needed my help. The mother gave me a check for {$360.00} that bounced on XXXX XXXX which is something normally handled confidentially with the payer. To my surprise, I received an email XXXX XXXX from my patient 's mother accusing me that my " collection service '' removed {$50.00} from her account without her permission. I said I had no such service. She told me my business " XXXX XXXX '' was identified on the transaction. I told her this must be from her bank or mine but I had NO collection service. I was baffled. I went to CITIZENS BANK and they said that this did not involve CITIZENS BANK and the fee must have come from her bank. I repeated this to my patient 's mother and she became angry that I did not know what I was talking about. The bounced check, together with her financial difficulties and her anger that I would penalize her doubly for money woes, drove her to remove her daughter from my care. 
Five days later, I received a letter from " XXXX, '' welcoming me to their company. In the packet was a letter of authorization I was to sign. This is the XXXX I ever heard of this company. I was irate. I returned to CITIZENS BANK and spoke to XXXX XXXX, a personal banker, who said that CITIZENS BANK would never allow a XXXX party to go into a customer 's account without the customer 's permission to collect a debt. She asked the bank manager about this and he confirmed that that would never happen. I asked her to look into my account further. She began searching and made a phone call to the corporate office in my presence. She and I both learned, only then, that CITIZENS BANK partnered with XXXX to collect debt on bounced checks for their business accounts. I had this account for about 2 years and was never told of this service. The bank officials at the local office never even heard of this so it would have been impossible for them to inform their customers. 
I called XXXX and spoke to XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) who said this was a strategy by CITIZENS BANK to be more competitive. He apologized, recognizing this grave error, and I demanded he return the {$50.00} fee which he said he would. That is NOT enough. 
First and foremost, the confidentiality of my patient and her mother has been compromised. A therapist has a professional and ethical responsibility to uphold the privacy of their patients. My bank interfered with my professional duty to provide caring, trustworthy therapy to my patient. Second, they compromised the health and safety of my patient. Given the mother 's financial instability, I was working hard with her so that I could continue treating her very sick daughter. CITIZENS BANK interfered with that relationship. Third, they compromised my reputation in the community as well as with my professional colleagues. I am known for providing care for patients, even when they are financially challenged. 
I want CITIZENS BANK to pay for the harm they have done to my patient and for causing me great distress and the compromise of my professional standing. 
The corporate office of CITIZENS BANK called but offered no apology. I want to pursue this complaint to the highest level. This is a breach of patient trust and privacy and it is gross interference with providing mental health care. Case # XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief