Consumer complaint received 2021-08-02
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: MA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
I moved from XXXX  to XXXX  in XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I used Citizens ' Bank website to open a Checking and Savings Account and utilized the option on their website to transfer {$1000.00} into each account ( {$2000.00} total ) from my VA bank ( XXXX  XXXX XXXX  ( XXXX  ), which just changed to XXXX XXXX XXXX  ). 

One week later, I tried to access the accounts online to make sure the transfers completed ok, but my logins did not work. I called Citizens bank for assistance, and they advised my accounts had been closed and I would receive letter in the mail shortly with an explanation and a cashiers check for funds deposited. 

About a week later, I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX stating we can no longer do business with you, with no further explanation. The letter stated they would mail a cashiers check on XX/XX/XXXX. When no check was received, I called the bank again and they told me to allow more time for the mail. When I still received no check, I called Citizens bank again and was told the account was closed because money was never deposited into the account. However, my bank statement from XXXX  ( the sending bank ) shows the withdraws and no return deposits. 

XXXX at Citizens instructed me to come into bank so we could call the back office together to determine what is going on. I went in and we called the back office but was told the funds were transferred back to XXXX  and to follow up with them. Citizens provided no tracing codes/dates or any identifying information provided for follow-up with XXXX. 

I talked with XXXX XXXX at XXXX who confirmed XXXX  has no record of the funds being return. They stated Citizens or their the passthrough company they use for online transfers needs to provide information on the funds return so XXXX could track that return. XXXX further provided trace numbers on the transfer of funds from XXXX  account as well as the Citizens bank ID numbers from when they withdrew the funds. She suggested I contact the company Citizens used for money transfer and provided her information on that company : XXXX XXXX XXXX. Frustrated and not sure how to proceed, I asked my Mom to help. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, we contacted XXXX but was advised they dont keep any information as they are just a passthrough. They directed me to contact the bank. My mom conferenced us, XXXX/XXXX  and XXXX/Citizens in together. XXXX wanted me to come into bank again to call back office again. My mom said No, she has come in before, it resulted in nothing. Furthermore, my daughter is overwhelmed and needs my assistance to get answers and Im not going up to XXXX  from XXXX  to get the same answers she received before. This needs to be resolved here. XXXX at XXXX advised XXXX at Citizens that funds were not deposited back into my account and they have no record of return. XXXX asked for date of return and related tracking numbers to verify, but XXXX could not provide. XXXX advised she needed to contact ACH Back Office to get details and would call back. No call received. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Mom and I called XXXX at Citizens again. XXXX stated the only information she can provide is that no funds were ever put into the account, and Citizens closed the accounts and cancelled the transfer. She could not provide a tracing number/cancellation number or any information to follow-up on. She advised next recourse was to submit an Office of the Chair Complaint ( OCC ) on my behalf, and we would be contacted by someone within 24-48 hours. 

On XXXX there was still no response, so we called XXXX again. She advised the OCC status showed Assigned but no name assigned as working it. She advised there was no way for her to escalate this aside from her sending another email. So, she emailed a note for someone to call us by end of day. 

On XXXX, we still did not receive a call. We tried to call XXXX again, but were told that she was out of office until Friday and no one else could assist in her absence. So, we contacted Citizens corporate Customer Service at XXXX. We went through several hands and disconnections, until we finally reached XXXX with the Immediate Customer Resolution ( ICR ) Team at XXXX ). We asked him about who handles the online transfers for Citizens bank whether it is Citizens directly or if they use a 3rd party transfer company. XXXX believes transfers are handled internally by Citizens, not a 3rd party. He tried to reach out to initial parties involved with cancellation of the accounts ( Fraud Department ). No one was available due to late hour after all our previous attempts to reach someone. He advised he emailed those individuals and that hed be out tomorrow ( XXXX ), but that we may hear from someone in the Fraud depart directly. 

On XXXX, we reached out to the District Attorneys office in XXXX, MA for help. They advised that, since Citizens is a national bank, that we would need to submit a formal complaint to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ( OCC ) online. We submitted a complaint with OCC. To date, we have not heard anything back on this aside from a confirmation of complaint receipt. 

On XXXX, I received call from man at Citizens who did not identify himself. He simply said that Citizens cant help me and to have XXXX file a claim. 

Also on XXXX, I exchanged a series of emails with XXXX  at XXXX. ( She has been the only one who really seemed to want to help us. ) She asked if I had a cancellation number, and I advised again that we were never able to get any transaction numbers from Citizens. All we were given by Citizens is that XX/XX/XXXX was the date they cancelled account and rejected the funds transfer. She asked for my Citizens bank routing number and advised she will try to contact Citizens ACH back office to try and resolve. She firmly believes it is with Citizen or their bill pay. Despite Citizens assertations that it was cancelled and therefore they wouldnt have any tracking numbers, XXXX insists it was NOT cancelled or it would not have pulled from my account. She said it could possibly have been refunded, but if so, it did not make it into my account. A refund should have created a new tracking/trace number which Citizens should be able to provide. She advised she would get back with us once she has any information. 
Later in the day, XXXX sent me another email, saying she tried to call Citizens but was transferred to a phone number she couldnt use because it is for Citizens customers. She advised that she would try to prompt a response from them via a Proof of Authorization ( or permission to return the two items withdrawn from my account ) letter and see how they respond. She also recommended I file a complaint with the Federal Reserve. 

XXXX My mom contacted the Federal Reserve to get information on filing a claim. They directed us to File a claim with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) instead, as Citizens fall under them. So, that is what I am doing here. 

At this point this is becoming a desperate situation for me. I am a young person starting out on my own and am running out of money. I really need these funds ASAP.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation