Consumer complaint received 2024-07-13
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: PNC Bank N.A. (MD)

My husband died on XX/XX/XXXX. He was a XXXX XXXX  doing business under an XXXX. He held at least three accounts at PNC under his business name, the XXXX. He was the only member of the XXXX and all accounts at PNC were opened by him for the purpose of the XXXX - consequently, the account names are My Husbands Name - Name of Business, XXXX. 

My husbands Last Will and Testament named me as sole executor with the fullest power, and exercise all powers in the best interest of estate and directs 100 % of assets to his surviving spouse Additionally, the XXXX organizational documents state that the executor act on my husbands behalf to wind down the business with full authority for decision making at her discretion. 

Accordingly, I was named Administrator of my husbands affairs by the State of Maryland. filed for petition and upon review of the related documents, the Register of Wills admitted the Will to probate and appointed me as Personal Representative of the Estate. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to the PNC retail branch located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX MD and met with XXXX XXXX, the XXXX XXXX Manager. XXXX XXXX is XXXX XXXX. I explained to XXXX that my husband had passed and, prior to his passing, was working with the bank to reconcile fraudulent checks presented and honored by PNC on one of his accounts totaling approximately {$70000.00}. I told XXXX XXXX that my husband has been working with a PNC specialist, XXXX XXXX to investigate and resolve the fraud. I provided XXXX XXXX with a copy of their correspondence. XXXX XXXX assured me the investigation would continue and PNC had a total of 90-days to resolve. It is now nearing six months and I have no resolution. Consequently, I asked XXXX XXXX to place a hold on the account because I was concerned about additional fraud since PNC had not resolved the matter. 

On that same day, in the same meeting with XXXX XXXX, he advised me of the documentation I would need to have authority to the accounts : death certificate, Letter of Administration and and IRS EIN letter for my husbands estate. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to PNC retail branch located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Washington DC. I was assisted by XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX is XXXX XXXX. I presented the documentation and XXXX XXXX sent the same to PNC legal for review. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to PNC retail location at XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, MD. I was greeted by XXXX XXXX ( XXXX  ) and XXXX XXXX ( a woman XXXX XXXXXXXX ). XXXX XXXX phoned XXXX XXXX but he was not at the branch ; however, they were able to speak with XXXX ( did not state last name ) who confirmed legal had approved and signed off. Given such, I opened an estate account for my spouse and deposited {$100000.00} into one of his existing accounts. I informed XXXX XXXX that I would return the next day to draw cashiers checks for the XXXX business once my deposit cleared. 

XXXX ) XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX subsequently opened an estate account for XXXX XXXX. I informed both XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX of the fraudulent activity and asked that they follow up. They confirmed the amount in the account had not changed from the date that I initially spoke to XXXX XXXX ; meaning progress had not been made of the investigation or replenish into the account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I returned to the retail branch expecting to draw cashiers checks. However, I was abruptly greeted by XXXX XXXX who smirked and smiled and told me after research he had some questions and would not give me access to the account. XXXX XXXX later told me that XXXX XXXX said I needed additional investigation. 

I alerted PNC executive team of the events and was assigned a point of contact, XXXX, who has not been helpful in resolution. She informed me that XXXX XXXX investigation discovered a XXXX IRS form for an XXXX associated with my husbands business and given such, there must be other partners so they refused my access to the account. On XX/XX/XXXX, I provided XXXX with documentation for the XXXX, an XXXX structure that my husband uses for his tax filings as advised by our attorney. The documentation included the list of partners - only one, my husband and also identifies him as the only member, only shareholder and 100 % shareholder. 

After nearly three months, on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX called me to say 1 ) PNC would not release funds to me or provide any access to the accounts without an Opinion Letter from an attorney to confirm my husband is the sole member of the XXXX, despite my providing documentation. 
2 ) That she will not discuss any updates on the fraud with me, with is approaching six months from its origin.

3 ) That she noted her case file that I was frustrated and mentioned discrimination. 

I asked XXXX to respond via email with that information and she refused. 

The accounts have a balance of approximately {$160000.00}. The fraud was approximately {$70000.00}. This has created mental anguish and a financial hardship. In fact, on XX/XX/XXXX, after leaving the bank, I was taken to the hospital nearby for XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX. Just one month after the sudden loss of my husband, I found this very stressful and humiliating. XXXX XXXX smiled as I broke down in tears at the bank.