Consumer complaint received 2016-11-17
Product: Bank account or service — Checking account
Issue: Problems caused by my funds being low — 
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. (MA)

On XXXX/XXXX/16, I checked our accounts with Citizen 's Bank, online, and discovered we 'd been charged XXXX overdraft ( OD ) fees. I 've sent Citizen 's letters in the past concerning these types of OD fees. Before laws changed I was given a few refunds based on my concerns, but eventually responses were " we are sorry but we 've already refunded overdraft fees as a courtesy and will no longer do this. '' Later we received a substantial refund resulting from another court decision. This time I ask for your help. 

I believe my issues with these overdraft fees impact anyone receiving these notices and fees ; it puts customers at an unfair disadvantage. 
1. Information available to me online is presented in the included png image. It shows that the account was overdrawn for less than {$5.00}, but I believe that was the same day I made transfers from another checking account connected to this account when my husband needed to spend more money than I knew was available. He uses this account and I check it often, we did not find any balance problems XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX. 
2. The OD notice, included as a pdf, shows a line on page XXXX called " Items paid from funds available '' with a total but no details. I ca n't begin to understand how this account was overdrawn without those details. This does n't happen often since laws changed, but when it does, I have no idea what the bank sees when it makes these decisions. What was debited? When? When were funds transferred between connected accounts vs. when they showed up on account records? 
3. We opted out of overdraft protection ; we decided we do not want to pay a fee to have checks and ATM transactions available if we do n't have money in our accounts. We rarely use checks and have managed just fine. 
a. This overdraft notice includes a {$19.00} " Outstanding Debit Card Authorization '' that was never authorized. My husband could n't get authorization for that parking fee, so he used another bank 's card. I can provide a copy of that charge. The refusal prompted me to transfer money, but I did n't see an overdraft. The following week he did use the citizens debit card thus the {$19.00} authorization on XX/XX/XXXX. The {$19.00} on XX/XX/XXXX was never authorized. 
b.Furthermore, it appears that the items may include a check - again I ca n't be sure. We believed that not opting for the bank 's overdraft program meant checks would not be paid if there is not enough money available. 

I disagree with these fees. We are aware that we were cutting it close. There are times in life when money is tight. This is one of those times. We have not fully replenished our savings, our backup, since my husband had a XXXX last XX/XX/XXXX. Until we do {$70.00} is not money we can spare based on information we do n't have, but that appears to show items were charged against the account that should n't have been. 

Thank you for your assistance, and I hope the issue that notices like this do not provide details for " items paid from funds available '' is something you will consider as important information that should be provided - for all banking customers. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX