Consumer complaint received 2022-01-05
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: IN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I discovered my PNC checking account had fraudulent charges. The dates the disputed transactions cleared my account are between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. During this time period I was in possession of my debit card at all times. Someone skimmed my card and was using my card at the same time as me during week of XX/XX/XXXX. 

When I discovered my account had been compromised, I called PNC, and the rep walked me through locking my debit card, and advised me to go to the branch or to go online to dispute the charges myself. I went to my local PNC at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Indiana, that afternoon and met with the branch manager. He issued me a new debit card. He advised me to wait to file my dispute because I still had transactions pending, and he said they need to clear before I can dispute. He said if I dispute the other cleared transactions now, and went back to try and also dispute the pending, it would cause issues with my dispute. 

I waited for all transactions to clear and on XX/XX/XXXX, I went on PNCs online portal and filed the dispute myself. PNC only allows you to dispute 9 transactions per dispute submission. Each dispute asks questions about if I had my debit card? Do I want a new card issued? Etc. I chose my 9 highest transactions and filed the dispute. However, in total I really have 14 fraudulent transactions that range from $ XXXX {$95.00}. There are multiple smaller transactions for {$1.00}, {$1.00}, {$1.00}, etc. When I filed my initial dispute, my thought process was that I would just file one dispute for the highest charges and forget the smaller amounts because it wasnt worth my time to go through the tedious process again. My initial dispute reference number XXXX was for {$450.00}. 

I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, that the dispute investigation has been complete. During our review of your account and the documentation available to us, we determined no error occurred and the transaction ( s ) is valid. You have the right to request the documentation we relied on in making our decision. I called the number the letter advised to call if you have questions or would like to request a copy of the documents, we relied on in making our determination. The representative I talked to didnt know exactly why my dispute was denied. She thought it had something to do with that I had my card. My understanding was that perhaps I had answered the questions during the dispute incorrectly. I explained, I wasnt sure if I was answering right because I had already been issued a new debit card a few days prior to the dispute. The lady said we can refile and she filed a new dispute. The dispute reference number is XXXX for the amount of {$450.00}. 

I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX that denied this dispute as well. Once again, I called PNC. This representative also went through notes and said there isnt a clear code of what being denied for, but based on notes thinks there are disputed and non-disputed transactions close together. This is when it occurred to me, that perhaps me not including ALL charges in my initial dispute is causing the issues. I explained to the rep that I initially just filed the 9 highest charges, because I wasnt so worried about the smaller charges. This rep also thought that there was an issue with my card and advised me that I needed to cancel my card, and be reissued a new one. This rep filed what I assumed were the same charges we discussed over the phone to include all transactions and because there were more than 9 charges, she filed two disputes : reference XXXX for {$380.00} and reference XXXX for {$260.00}. I did get a call from someone in customer service while this dispute was pending that explained I didnt need a new debit card issued. I went through the history of my dispute filings with her, and she basically said all we can do is keep refiling.

These two disputes were also rejected XX/XX/XXXX. Once again, I called PNC and spoke to a representative that could not tell me why my disputes were denied. Per PNCs denial letter, I asked for him to send the documentation used to make this decision. I will include this as documentation for the complaint. All PNC sent was one letter that provided the name/phone/address/type/transaction date and amount. I called back and spoke with another representative hoping that someone else could provide more information ; or surely theres a manager or someone to escalate this situation. This representative went through the notes, again unsure exactly why it was denied, but said we can re-file. These two disputes were reference number XXXX for {$340.00} and reference XXXX for {$280.00}. Please keep in mind, each of these disputes is approximately an hour phone call in which I have to go line by line through each transaction again ; my whole story ; and questions of my first and last authorized transaction, did someone have my card, etc. 

Once again, these disputes were denied XX/XX/XXXX. Frustrated, and feeling like Ive clearly been getting nowhere over the phone, I visited my local PNC branch. I explained my story again : My card was skimmed. I had my card and was using my card the same time during about a week period. In addition, I was out of town for almost 2 days while my card was being used fraudulently in XXXX. To me, this simple fact that geographically these charges couldnt be happening simultaneously, should be enough proof that there was fraud on my account. I have been a customer of PNC for over 10 years, maintain healthy account balances, and have predictable and repetitive spending behavior. Surely someone could sit down face to face with me, hear my story, go through my transactions and help me file this so that it is acceptable to PNC. The branch manager could not help me, and said everything is handled by the dispute department. She told me I needed to call the 800 number on the letter. I advised her Id been doing that for months and not getting anywhere. Finally, she decided to call PNC herself with me in her office. She advised me that the reason for denial was that the card was present at transaction and card was in possession. She then wrote down the merchant names and phone numbers for XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX. They told me that I should contact the merchants directly to talk about the purchases. I advised her that I did NOT dispute the XXXX XXXX transaction. As a matter of fact, I specifically remember getting irritated with the previous rep filing the last dispute because XXXX XXXX is in the middle of other disputed transactions. There are several disputed XXXX XXXX charges and in the middle of these charges is my UNDISPUTED XXXX XXXX charge. 

I went home, looked up addresses for these places and tried calling a few unsuccessfully. I got the run around from the merchants and no return phone calls. Honestly the addresses for these businesses are in parts of town that I would not visit. How can PNC say my card was present at the transaction when I physically had my card at all times and know where I was and wasnt? Where is the onus on the merchant to prove I used my card? I drove through XXXX XXXX the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, dropped my kids at my in-laws and drove over three hours to XXXX, Indiana and stayed there that night and next day. As a matter of fact, I have several charges in XXXX, including at ATM withdrawal. How could my card be present at these transactions in XXXX and XXXX at the same time? 

At this point, I was assigned someone from the escalation team that reached out to me named XXXX XXXX. She went through my whole story again. She really couldnt help me understand what we need to do better in the process to file the disputes; just said that shed be at least a set point of contact to help through the process. I explained to her that I didnt feel like this process is fair because theyre filing over the phone, I dont see what theyre submitting and dont get a copy, so I dont know if the information is correct. Case and point, the last dispute that include a XXXX XXXX charge, that I promise if you pull my recorded conversation I did NOT dispute. I remember this because I used a swear word and said Yes I went to ** XXXX XXXX! because, again, this non-disputed charge in the middle of disputed charges seems to blow PNCs mind. But again, I did not dispute this charge, yet it was listed by a rep in my denial. In hindsight, going through all these claims and reference numbers, theyre all different amounts. I feel like weve got to a point where I screwed up in the beginning by not including all charges ; but some of these subsequent claims were denied in part due to the lack of competence by the PNC employees. I asked XXXX if I could get copies of all my disputes Ive filed, and for the documentation I have the right to referenced in my denial letters. XXXX said she would see what she could do and follow up with me. I also told XXXX that I wanted to print off my bank statements and be in front of my computer to go through with her. In the past, I was on my mobile app trying to scroll through charges. My thought at the time is PNC has their processes, everyone Ive talked to sincerely seems like theyre trying to help me, were just tied up in the bureaucracy and policies and procedures of a major corporation. Lets get all the claims and be on the same page to file one correctly. XXXX followed up and advised me that she could NOT provide me with any of my past claims, and that basically they dont have to tell me why my disputes were denied ( despite a letter saying they will? ). At some point in my back and forth with XXXX, she must have left the company because I no longer could get ahold of her via phone and her email address no longer works. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I refile my disputes again with XXXX at PNC. Reference number XXXX for {$170.00} and reference number XXXX for {$270.00}. She also filed a Security Incident Report reference XXXX. This was the first time in my months of refiling, to hear about a Security Incident Report. XX/XX/XXXX, this dispute was also denied. I once again called PNC, and spoke with XXXX who advised me my claim was denied because within minutes of disputed charges you have non-disputed charges made. However, PNC will not tell me what charges within minutes of each other are the issues. This is why I can only assume the XXXX XXXX charge in the middle of the XXXX XXXX is causing the issue. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I refile the disputes with XXXX. Im adamant trying to verify that there should be 14 charges that total {$620.00}. XXXX was having an issue filing the disputes and instead of filing 2 disputes ( one with 9 transactions, one with 5 ) ; he had to file 14 individual disputes with reference numbers : XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. 

I received a call from XXXX in Executive Client Relations on XX/XX/XXXX. She said she would be my advocate and try to help. I went through my whole story again with her. I understand why some of these earlier disputes were denied. But I feel like PNC is making errors in re-filing. And I also feel like no-one at PNC is able to help me file this dispute correctly. Seriously, look at my account and account history. Does it make sense after ten years, for me to just one day decide that Im going to try and scam PNC out of {$500.00}? Again, I was out of town with transactions that support that. At this point she could see that my recent 14 disputes from XX/XX/XXXX were denied and said she would look into my case. She did tell me she would be out of the office the following week for a few days for the holidays. I advised I understand, Im not in a huge rush, I just really would like her to thoroughly review and try to figure out what we need to do. 

We played phone tag through the holidays and spoke on XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX said she spoke with a manager in disputes and assured me that these were all correctly denied. Im being told my transactions are denied because my card was present on me and that there are disputed and undisputed transactions within minutes of each other. However, PNC will not tell me which transactions are within minutes of each other so that I could explain. I have a hard time believing that a fraud and dispute department doesnt understand the concept of a skimmed card, that I physically had my card and yes, someone else was also able to scam and use the card at the same time. On the same token, I used to get automated phone calls from PNC when it thought there was suspicious activity. I would think that PNC can look at my account deposits, balances and history and have the common sense to acknowledge that Im just an average customer, Im not some elaborate fraudster out to scam the system and PNC. XXXX basically told me PNCs company policy is they cant go into specific information on the disputes. I understand that there is a lot of fraud and scams out there. 

XXXX said that we would need to refile again. I advised her I was driving and did not have my bank statements with me and would be out of town for a few days. We scheduled a call for Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX. I did not hear from XXXX this day as planned. I left a message for XXXX Monday, XX/XX/XXXX. 

PNC 's dispute process is unfair and deceptive. The consumer either has to attempt to file a claim on their own or is bound to file via a PNC rep over the phone. In my five months of refiling claims, PNC will not provide me with a copy of my claim, so there is no way for me to verify the claim is being submitted correctly. I understand why PNC may need to be intentionally vague on dispute processes ; however, their dispute process/policies are borderline deceptive. Almost every single time I called to inquire about a denial, the rep fumbled around reading notes and would comment to the effect of " I'm not really sure '' or I was told " there is no code. '' Standard operating procedure is deny, refile, deny, refile, deny..Not one person I've talked to has been able to help me more than offer to " re-file '', this includes the Executive Client Relations rep. How is this process not totally deceptive and abusive to the consumer? Furthermore, it seems to me that PNC is also trying to get out of dispute claims on technicalities. My 14 disputes were lastly filed individually. PNC could have easily approved and denied which individual transactions it wanted to pay.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation