Consumer complaint received 2015-09-12
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: RI
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX of 2015, I called the Customer Service Phone Number for Citizens Bank in Rhode Island because I noticed a {$35.00} overdraft fee that did not seem appropriate. Specifically, the fee was assessed on XXXX/XXXX/15 for check # XXXX in the amount of {$220.00}. I feel the fee is unfair because the check was only processed by the bank on XXXX/XXXX/15 when funds were sufficient. According to XXXX and XXXX from Citizens ' " New Mexico Phone Banking Department '', the fee was assessed because funds were insufficient on the day before ( XXXX/XXXX/15 ). I expressed to these representatives that, as a factor of dealing many times with Citizens and overdrafts in the past, we were closely watching for notifications of transactions on the evening of XXXX/XXXX/15. This is because we 've been told innumerable times by Citizens ' customer service representatives that, as long as we watch the online activity and ensure funds are sufficient by XXXX of each day, we will not incur any overdraft fees in the future. To be clear, there have been no notifications of transactions that caused our account to fall below zero dollars from the morning of XXXX/XXXX/15 up through to the present time which is XXXX/XXXX/15 at XXXX. In addition, I informed XXXX that we would have transferred money from our XXXX account ( via ATM 's ) if a notification had appeared online. Moreover, I even checked my account the morning of XXXX/XXXX/15 before going into school and nothing about this transaction was evident online. When I expressed this information to XXXX, the Supervisor, he then told me that " online banking is only a tool for customers '' and that it can not be completely relied upon for accuracy. This contradicts what I 've been told every single time I get an overdraft fee ( and it happens all the time honestly ) ; in fact, I was told this just within the last week or so when I incurred a different, unrelated overdraft fee. XXXX further declined to grant a reversal of the fee on the basis that they have been gracious enough with reversals in recent past encounters. I explained that the other transactions were irrelevant because this situation is unique, but he was not persuaded to help me. I feel that since funds were sufficient when the bank did process the check, an overdraft fee is just inappropriate, unfair, greedy, and overly punitive. Moreover, I 'd like to know if I am one of the bank 's customers from whose deposits they stole money over the last couple years. If so, this means I 'm going to be receiving money back from them in a lump sum. Depending on the amount to be returned, this could also mean that perhaps some or all of the overdraft fees incurred during this time period should be reversed in my favor. I also think it 's important that this same courtesy be given to every one of the customers from whom it stole money, along with a hand-written letter of apology. Please do what you can to help me as I am in XXXX XXXX and trying to keep bread on my table. I have only {$4.00} to my name right now as a consequence of this fee, and I may consider suing Citizens for emotional distress as well if this is not solved expediently. Thank you Consumer Protections!

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief