Consumer complaint received 2021-02-07
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: MD
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
To whom it may concern, On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I received a phone call on my cellphone. When I looked at my cellphone it said " Mom and Dad '' which is my parents home phone number calling me. I answered " Hello '' and I heard crying, sobbing and sounds of shuffling in the background. A male voice said : '' Yeah, I got your mom and I got a XXXX to her head and if you don't do what I say, I'm going to blow her XXXX brains out. I just got out of jail, I need money to get out of the area. Do what I say and I won't shoot her. '' I asked the man where my dad was. He answered " Don't you worry about him, he won't be saying anything to anyone any more. And you need to tell this XXXX to stop moving around and crying before I start beating her XXXX. " I begged and I pleaded and I begged and cried and pleaded to please not hurt my mother.He told me to place the phone on speaker and told me " I'm looking out the window if I see any police movement or I hear you trying to pull any funny XXXX in the background I'll blow her XXXX head off. You need to send me some money. " I begged and pleaded and cried for him to please not hurt my mother. I asked him how much he needed and he said {$900.00} " You need to send me {$900.00}. '' I asked him how I was supposed to send him any money. He said " Don't worry I'm gon na tell you what to do, you gon na do it or she's dead '' For 55 minutes I was subjected to this terror, trauma, and horror. I literally felt like the XXXX was to MY HEAD THE ENTIRE TIME. My mother 's life was in my hands, she had a XXXX to her head and I felt like I had one to my head. 
All the screaming, crying, begging and pleading caused my XXXX year old son to wake up. He came to me and I put my finger to my lips for him to be silent and I started writing on a piece of paper info and directions for him ( pictures attached ) as this man on the phone gave me directions of what he wanted me to do. My son heard the crying and sobbing in the background. I saw the terror and tears coming to his eyes. My son called XXXX on his cellphone from the basement. He came upstairs at one point for officers to hear this man and what he was saying.

Thru these 55 minutes this man walked me thru XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX to send money. ALL THIS TIME THE CRYING AND SOBBING continued in the background and my heart was breaking for my mother. 

Thru his direction, he told me what to do.. My credit cards started to flag fraud and no additional money or money could be sent. He ordered me to send the money thru XXXX, the initial amount of {$900.00} to a phone number he provided, he told me to press that this was a friend or family that I knew, that it was the only way the money would be able to go thru and to " remember I got a XXXX to her head '' a XXXX to my mother 's head and what felt like a XXXX to my head. The money was sent by fear, force, unwillingly when you feel you have a XXXX to your head and your mother had a XXXX to her head what is a human being to do. My heart and mind were in shambles knowing I was forced to follow directions and this evil of a man may still XXXX  my mother.I begged, I yelled and pleaded " You got what you need, you got the money you asked for now go! Leave my mother! GO! " My son at this point said police were on their way to my parents home. 
He demanded more money. I told him I'm a single mother and I do not have money like that. He directed me to send another {$100.00} thru XXXX. I told him I couldn't do anymore and please just to go so he had me use XXXXXXXX XXXX and had me load a credit card ( XXXX XXXX ) and walked me thru sending {$100.00} increments to yet another phone number. My card flagged and I told him I couldn't send any more. " YOU GOT WHAT YOU ASKED FOR NOW GO!! " I yelled " I CAN'T DO ANYMORE! " His response : " XXXX it, she's done '' and he hung up the phone. I fell to my knees yelling and my son came to me, holding me and crying. Minutes following I received a call from my mother 's cellphone. Police officers were at her home. This was fraud and a scam. This person posed as someone who had my mother in their custody to get money from me.I have no idea who the person associated with the phone number is and the money sent was a XXXX to my head, unwillingly, forced, and directed thru fear of death. 

PNC Bank was contacted that very morning around XXXX. I spoke to PNC Bank representatives XXXX, XXXX and XXXX ( which was the day my dispute was filed because I was advised by PNC representatives that funds had to post ). I have spoken to multiple representatives at PNC Bank on multiple days and occasions. I requested a reopening of my case/dispute and provided PHYSICAL EVIDENCE ( police report, paper I used to write to my son to call the cops, etc. ) and this narrative on or around XX/XX/XXXX. At that time I spoke to an assistant manager of the PNC branch on XXXX XXXX in XXXX, Maryland. I had hoped that PNC Bank would reconsider their initial decision in my dispute but have gotten no resolve with them. Both letters I received from PNC stating that the dispute was denied claimed that the transaction was performed as requested thru XXXX. I feel that PNC has not looked into this situation to see that this man was fraudulent and I was FORCED to send the money, this transaction is part of a criminal investigation!! They have the case number and police report. Police have sent supeonas for bank records. How is this dispute being denied?! I need help.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation