Consumer complaint received 2024-07-05
Product: Debt collection — Auto debt
Issue: Electronic communications — Frequent or repeated messages
Company: PNC Bank N.A. (LA)

On XX/XX/XXXX, at approximately XXXX, I received a call from PNC Bank . The caller, whose name I did not gather as I was driving, stated she was calling regarding a " debt collection matter ''. The only obligation I have with PNC is an auto-loan that is owed by my wife and I that we obtained in XX/XX/year>. I asked the caller to elaborate as the loan was paid to date to my knowledge, as it's set on a recurring bill payment. The caller explained that they had not yet received my payment and that my loan was delinquent. I asked them how that was possible as my loan is set to auto-pay from my primary bank ( XXXX XXXX ) and that the payment was debited on XX/XX/XXXX and sent to arrive by my Due Date ( XX/XX/XXXX ). The caller stated that the payment had not been received and requested that I make payment. I happen to work in banking, and I stated that it's likely that PNC is not accepting electronic payments from XXXX XXXXXXXX, thereby requiring the processing of the payment via check, which may have been delayed in the mail or could be sitting on someone's desk unprocessed. I further requested whether this is something that could be verified and whether I was in a grace period, to which the caller said they wouldn't have the ability to see if my payment was received but unposted and that I was indeed within my grace period, which extends 10 days past the due date. I further inquired how they could legally be calling about a debt collection, then my loan is not in collection status, to which the caller had no response. I then stated that I would call my bank to determine where the payment was and would ensure the payment was applied by the end of the grace period. The next day ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I followed up with XXXX XXXX, who confirmed that the check should have arrived at PNC according to their records. I also received an e-mail from PNC stating my account was past due, the verbiage in it being reasonable. I waited until Friday the XXXX before calling PNC back to see if they had received my payment, to which they responded they had not. I then contacted XXXX XXXX issued a Stop Payment on the payment issued, and originated an online payment to PNC via the PNC online portal. I also set up recurring payments directly through PNC to ensure ACH payments come out for future payments to avoid the issue happening again. Shortly after processing the payment via PNC 's portal, I received a text message from them stating, " If you're having trouble making a payment on your PNC Auto account, you have options. Please call us at XXXX to discuss. This is an attempt to collect a debt by PNC bank. Again, another reference to debt collection was made when my loan was not in a collection or delinquent status. After logging in on XX/XX/XXXX to ensure my payments posted correctly, I saw the application of my Bill-Pay payment and ultimate return of it due to Stop Payment on XX/XX/XXXX reflected in my transaction history. This means that PNC had received my payment, stated that they had not, continued to attempt to " collect a debt '', and caused additional stress and frustration unnecessarily. Moving forward to XXXX, I was hyper-aware of my payment coming due and my establishment of my ACH payments via their website. I logged in on XX/XX/XXXX via the mobile app and did not see my recurring payment set up in their system, nor was the app allowing me to set it up again. I then processed a one-time payment to ensure the payment was made in time. When reconciling my account this morning, XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed that I had two payments to PNC showing : one on XX/XX/XXXX and one pending for XX/XX/XXXX. I called their Customer Service team and spoke to XXXX, who was helpful. She stated that the pending charge was related to my recurring payment that was set up. When I asked her why I couldn't see it established as it's the reason I completed the one-time payment on the XXXX to ensure I didn't have any issues with payments not being received, and she stated that the app would not show recurring payments. They also could not reverse a payment on their end without issuing a paper check, despite the fact that they have my bank routing and account number on file for debiting my payments. I find this to be incredibly deceptive and non-transparent and does not present well to consumers. As a banker, I believe the practice of " debt collection '' when borrowers are within their grace period and not delinquent to be unfair and abusive. I am thoroughly disappointed in the entire PNC loan relationship and would recommend anyone with a choice to avoid them wholeheartedly.