Consumer complaint received 2016-06-08
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: IL
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problems caused by my funds being low

Complaint:
Abstract / Summary -- -- -- -- I was improperly and illegally submitted to an overdraft and charged overdraft protection fees when I had specifically opted out of all overdraft protection services. PNC is now demanding that I pay overdrafts for a service that I had refused, and is denying me access to banking services until I pay a further {$130.00} that the bank should eat and forgive, considering I was a well-known Overdraft Protection Refusenik ( Opt-Out ), as documented on PNC Account Statements. 

Long Version -- -- -- -- -- -- - I had a XXXX checking account with PNC ( # XXXX ) that was linked to a PNC debit card. I also linked my Debit Card and XXXX account to XXXX, and paid for a few online transactions with my PNC Account that way. At the time that I registered for the account, I took great pains to " Opt-out '' of any and all Overdraft Protection Services, because I view overdraft protection as a financial atrocity, a poisonous debt trap for consumers. I would always rather have a transaction be declined at a retailer than see a transaction throw me into an overdraft, and I made those preferences known with great clarity to PNC. On the attached PNC monthly account statements, you can see highlighted in pink ( by a banker ) text that states, without qualification : Overdraft Coverage - Your account is currently Opted Out. 

There 's no disputing that I was and still am an Overdraft Coverage Opt Out. That 's what is very clearly printed on my XXXX statement covering the time period from XXXX. 

And yet somehow, PNC saw it fit to overdraft my account in XXXX, while I was away traveling in XXXX and XXXX, charging me an initial {$36.00} for an overdraft service fee on a service that I had very clearly refused, then charging me continuous overdraft fees at a rate of $ 7/day until reaching a {$98.00} + {$36.00} = {$130.00} maximum limit. 

Yesterday ( XXXX XXXX 2016 ) I went in to PNC to get Cashier 's Checks and they briefed me on this accounting mess. I paid for the balance of the XXXX Payment for the XXXX XXXX ( {$180.00} ), leaving a {$130.00} " debt '' remainder in that account. I would have much preferred that the XXXX XXXX payment be denied at time of sale for insufficient funds. So to be clear, there is no claim, on PNC part, that I did n't pay for debts on goods they authorized without my permission to overdraft. I paid for those goods after they authorized payment without my overdraft permission. The only remaining negative balance in my account are overdraft fees that the bank claims that I owe them, fees that I refuse to pay. 

What I 'm asking for is that PNC reverse that {$130.00} " debt '', considering that charging someone for a service that they refused is technically illegal, and goes by the name of Fraud. I 'm asking that they notify me in writing that the Overdraft, the Overdraft Penalty Charge, and the Continuous Overdraft Fees were improperly charged to my account, the account of an Overdraft Poison ( err ... Protection ) Opt Out. Finally, I 'm asking that PNC allow me to reopen my account, the account that they charged off, and reestablish an amicable consumer business relationship, on the understanding that I again refuse any and all Overdraft Protection Services that PNC might wish to extend. 

The attached annotated Bank Statements and the payment confirmation should make this clear. Just to repeat, the - {$180.00} is the remainder of a {$310.00} XXXX XXXX charge that PNC indebted me for without first having sought a revised permission from me to overdraft my account. I had a positive {$120.00} balance when that charge hit my account, and rather than refusing the transaction, PNC threw me into a - {$180.00} balance and then hit me with a - {$130.00} maximum accumulated overdraft charge, in an account where they had no permission to overdraft. 

Note : they also wrongfully closed my account because of this overdraft. Please help.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation