Consumer complaint received 2019-08-12
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: PA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
My name is XXXX. I came to XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. I had worked in XXXX XXXX as XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX for more than 25 years. I retired early and my income relies on rentals from rental properties. 
Since XX/XX/XXXX, I use PNC Bank for my primary banking including checking, saving, and home equity loan. In the last 10 years, I always go to the branch at XXXX, PA. I could never have imagined this could happen to me. The misrepresentation by PNC Bank resulted in {$65000.00} loss. I have been trying to communicate with PNC about this issue but PNC bank is no longer responding. The pain is so severe for me to endure that I have to file this complaint and seek help from Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 
Targeted by a scammer on XX/XX/XXXX : In the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from XXXX saying I had an unclaimed package at XXXX XXXX. Since I just returned an online ordered dress recently, I pressed 9 for a Customer Service Representative. The phone was transferred to a police officer, XXXX from XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( showing his ID through XXXX, a message and social medial app ). He claimed that he is investigating 5 fake US passports in the package that associated with an investment fraud I organized. All victims lose their money. One of victims who cant bear the loss so she jumped off a building and died. He showed me the Arrest  Warrant issued by XXXX Government with my name on it. I was terrified by the brutal death and potential criminal charges that could ruin my life. To prove I am innocent and this is an identify theft, I started to communicate with the Officer XXXX with supporting documents to show my creditability. 
Next day XX/XX/XXXX, the Officer XXXX demanded a private hearing scheduled on XX/XX/XXXX with two XXXX investigators coming from XXXX and one US official from ICE  ( U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement ). He demanded {$65000.00} on  parole for this private hearing. If investigation determined that I was innocent, the money will be returned to my PNC bank account. Initially I was hesitate to send money over. He then threaten me that if I am not cooperative, the XXXX government will order bank account freeze under XXXX-US treaty agreement. After hearing that I deeply worried that my rental business could be in jeopardy if all my accounts were being frozen. Wire Transfer at PNC Bank I have never wired money outside US including XXXX and did not even know if PNC bank was capable to wire the money to XXXX. I went to PNC branch at XXXX, PA for consultation and met the representative, XXXX XXXX I asked him how safe this international wire transfer would be. XXXX explained how XXXX XXXX  works. Fund will be verified through XXXX  XXXX  first before it is deposited to the recipient bank. If I wired money today ( XX/XX/XXXX ), the Date Available for the recipient would be on XX/XX/XXXX. Since the hearing date was scheduled on XX/XX/XXXX and Data Available of fund to the recipient is on XX/XX/XXXX, the recipient would not be able to pick up the money even after the private hearing is over. I felt it was safe to wire the money to the XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) so I can start to work with the XXXX government for this investigation and avoid my accounts being frozen. XXXX also pointed out the wire instruction I had is lacking the recipients home address. I greatly appreciated his advice and stepped out the branch. 
I contacted the Officer XXXX again to confirm the hearing date to be on XX/XX/XXXX and also obtained the recipients home address. The Officer XXXX warned me that I must keep this investigation confidential because anyone who is interacting with me is subject to this investigation. I returned to the branch and showed XXXX the information he needed. 
XXXX also asked me the purpose of this transfer. Under the fear I cant tell him the truth. Seeing my hesitation, XXXX suggested you just needed to put down something, how about helping family member with purchasing a house. I appreciated his help and agreed to put down this as the purpose. I signed the International Transfer Agreement. XXXX processed the wire transfer of {$65000.00} from my checking account at XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. He also printed out the Receipt for me, see Attachment. I saw Data Available was clearly stated as XX/XX/XXXX ( 10 days from wiring transfer day ) then I left the branch. 
Rescue the Fund : After the money was wired, my fears went away. In the evening when I followed up with the Officer XXXX for the location of hearing, I found out he was not able to provide it. Suddenly I felt unease and started to question the validity of the whole story. I called PNC bank immediately just want to stop the transfer. Unfortunately the bank was closed for the day and will reopen at XXXX XXXX next morning. 
I stay awake whole night under tremendous stress. I called PNC customer service at XXXX XXXX next day and reported this wire fraud to a customer service representative ( name was not written down ). She said the wire department will not open until XXXX XXXX While waiting, this representative filed a Security Incident Alert Report ( reference no. XXXX ). She ensured me that someone from PNC Security Department will contact me within 24-48 hours. 
At XXXX XXXX, I called wire transfer department at PNC, the representative XXXX XXXX picked up the phone. I explained the situation and asked her to send a recall request with warning of wire fraud to XXXX  XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). I mentioned that I had already filed a Security Incident Alert Report with PNC. She processed the recall request while we were on the phone. I mentioned the chance to get money back would be high because the Data Available was on XX/XX/XXXX ( 9 days from now ) and the money was just wired less than 24 hours ago ). To my surprise, XXXX said once the money went into the XXXX XXXX, PNC will have no control when the money will be picked up by the recipient. I was shocked with disbelief and very scared. Right before I hung up the phone with her, I double checked with her to make sure she had included an alert statement of wire fraud in the recall request. She ensured me that she added that statement in the Comment section of the recall request. 
After hung up the phone with XXXX, I immediately went to the PNC branch at XXXX and met XXXX again. I told him this was a wire fraud and I had requested a recall. XXXX checked the Receipt of wire transfer and pointed out Date Available to the recipient was on XX/XX/XXXX. He ensured me that I should be able to get money back. He printed out the recall statement created by XXXX for me. 
Although I got two different versions on Data Available from XXXX and XXXX, I did not want to take a chance. I stepped out the branch and called XXXX right the way. The local policeman cant do anything except filing a police report # XXXX. I called PA Trooper but no help was offered. I called FBI. I was instructed to file an IC3 Complaint Referral Form online. At XXXX XXXX, shortly after I filed, I received a call from a local FBI agent, XXXX XXXX. He told me that he had already forward the form I filed to US FBI Headquarter. HQ will contact XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX ). If money is still in the Federal Reserve system, Federal Reserve can freeze the fund. 
While I was trying to rescue the fund, the Officer XXXX contacted me 7 times through XXXX from XXXX XXXX to XXXXXXXX XXXX to check the payment status. I was also keeping communication line open with him in order to sense his movements. At XXXX XXXX, he contacted me the last time saying that the fund has been returned to my PNC account at XXXX XXXX because he considered that I was not willing to attend the investigational hearing. He had forwarded the order of bank account freeze issued by XXXX XXXX to my email ( all lies ). I assumed that he had successfully picked up the wired money at XXXX XXXX, 7 hours after I requested the recall. 
Loss Confirmed : In the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX from FBI called me and confirmed that a FBI agent at XXXX XXXX immediately went to the XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX after receiving the notification from US Headquarter but the money had already been picked up by the recipient. 
I was so devastating beyond measure. I called XXXX at PNC and told him my wired money was gone. I questioned the term of Date Available on XX/XX/XXXX. After consulting his supervisor, XXXX came back with a new interpretation it means the fund will be guaranteed after XX/XX/XXXX but it can also be available before XX/XX/XXXX. I was so upset after hearing this cover-up. 
I then reviewed the recall statement generated by XXXX and found out that she did not include the warning of wire fraud statement in the Comment section as she promised, see Attachment. There is no proof that XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) had received the recall request from PNC Bank. 
The Safety Alert Department in PNC never contacted me. 
Complaint Reported to PNC : After no further response from XXXX XXXX from the branch office of PNC, I called PNC Bank at XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and reported this complaint. After the third transfer, my case was escalated to the Executive Relationship Manager, XXXX XXXX at PNC Bank. XXXX contacted me by phone and promised to investigate this case including trying to contact XXXX  XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). XXXX was not able to find information on the Security Incident Alert Report in the system. Since that phone call, XXXX has not communicated with me despite of my follow up email and phone calls even though she was working in the office.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation