Consumer complaint received 2024-09-13
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. (RI)

I visited a Citizens Bank branch in RI in XXXX of this year. I spoke to a male representative about fees on a business account I was not using. He also advised me to call the customer service number on the back of my card to get the fees removed. About XXXX weeks later, I received a fraud alert email from the bank for suspicious activities. I noticed small unauthorized debit transactions in my savings account and called the bank to report it. On XX/XX/year>, I learned that my personal information from Citizens Bank was used to open another savings account at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I noticed an unauthorized ACH transfer of {$9500.00} from my savings account to XXXX XXXX. I called Citizens Bank immediately to report it, and the next day I went to the branch in XXXX XXXX XXXX. However, I noticed the person who spoke to me needed more knowledge to address the situation. The men should've called the fraud department then ; but failed to do so. He told me the bank would investigate the case, which could take 4-8 business days, but they still need to look into it. A couple of days later, I called the fraud department to see the status of my case, and a representative told me the case was closed and resolved. The case shouldn't be closed, because the case was not resolved, and the funds were not back in my account. He made a report and gave me another case number. However, on XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX pm, I called XXXX XXXX to ask them about the unauthorized transfer. They found the account under my name, and the funds were there. I asked them to return the funds ; because I had not opened or authorized a new account They told me they would call Citizens Bank to reverse the funds, and they did. Overall, I noticed a lot of abnormalities from Citizens Bank 's handling of the situation. First, when I called to report suspicious activities regarding a small debit on my account, they stopped sending me further fraud alert messages. After I recovered the funds for {$9500.00}, I took them out of the account and closed it. Yet, when I checked another branch, the account was still open. I tried to close the account several times but it reopened again because someone was still trying to verify the account with XXXX. Due to the closeness of these interactions, I believe that my personal information was stolen from someone within the Citizens Bank. I think that was an employee with whom I got in contact when I asked to remove some fees from my business account because no one had information on my savings routing or account number. Another fact is, that other representatives from the bank confirmed that there were no traces or evidence that online banking was compromised. I've been getting letters with inquiries I didn't make. Another incident is now a {$400.00} and {$260.00} charge to my checking account through XXXX XXXX on the XXXX and XXXX of XXXX of this year. I didn't authorize these transactions, but the bank did without my knowledge. Fraud report #