Consumer complaint received 2021-03-08
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Fee problem
Company: PNC Bank N.A. (WI)

PNC Bank - False Advertising Deceptive Marketing Practices Website promotes : Overdraft Solutions : PNC Overdraft Solutions can help you stay up to date on all your accounts and can provide peace of mind. Get started exploring and setting up account alerts and Overdraft Coverage Alerts : The alerts page clearly suggests using alerts can prevent things from taking place BEFORE they take place, not after. The entire page markets that message. Under frequently asked questions it gives the customer a understanding that using alerts, among other things will save you unwanted fees. The question. What Online Banking Alerts are available and what do they tell me? Overdraft : States you will be notified when your account is overdrawn. NOTE : Does not state, you will be notified AFTER your account is over drawn with is the current practice. 

PCN Branch told me last summer when I became a client that if I was overdrawn on any given day, as long as I made a deposit by end of business day, I would not pay any fees.

Problem : Alerts - Email XX/XX/XXXX XXXX a.m. Balance = XXXX Alerts - Email XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX. telling me my account was overdrawn on XXXX and I should quick - make a deposit. 
Alerts - Email - XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX As of XXXX XXXX. XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX my account balance was XXXX Alerts - Text Message XXXX XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX - Your account was overdrawn on XX/XX/XXXX and PNC Paid 1 transaction for you. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted my local branch perturbed over what had transpired the night before and asking WHAT was the point of having this alert system if it altered you AFTER THE FACT? Branch said knew nothing about online banking, which was the overseer of these transactions and I had to contact them. This is not the first time I received an answer like that which makes me think there are TWO PNC banks, not 1.

I contacted Online banking who informed me I only had Average Daily Balance checked and nothing else therefore I would not be notified of any overdrafts or insufficient fees. When I asked for the fees to be credited back, I was told Im sorry you are not eligible for that. PROBLEM - I was NEVER notified on XX/XX/XXXX at any time that my account was in the negative. Why does that matter in this instance? Because as soon as I got off the phone with Online banking on XXXX I went into my account and checked every alert I could and chose for it to come text and email. Overdraft, Insufficient Funds, Service Alerts, - anything I could! Nothing changed! Nothing! The next overdraft on XX/XX/XXXX provided the same two text messages I received on XXXX and XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX - After EVERY alert possible was checked, I once again fell victim to the same false information I had been previously given. I received the SAME TWO text messages as I did on XXXX and XXXX. 

Alert XX/XX/XXXX Text Message received at XXXX XXXX. but generated as of XXXX XXXX ET - Balance = XXXX Alert XX/XX/XXXX Test Message received at XXXX XXXX but generated as of XXXX XXXX ET my balance was XXXX. I was NOT informed in a timely manner my account was overdrawn so I could have the opportunity to come in and make a deposit that same day! I should add here, the night deposit box at the branch I frequent has a note posted to it Deposits after XXXX XXXX. will be processed the NEXT day - SERIOUSLY? Had I been awake and ready to go at XXXX XXXX. where I could JUMP in my car and race to make a deposit within 59 minutes, I may have been able to - MAY have been able to avoid fees. 

PNC bank sends its customers an available balance BEFORE they process debits. You are positive one minutes, overdrawn 25 minutes later, overdraft fee added minutes after that if not already. Their alert system is bogus and useless, it does nothing but inform the customer AFTER the fact and AFTER the fact the NEXT day so it is then too late for the customer to take advantage of the banks offer to come in and make a deposit before close of business day on the day the overdraft occurred. Its a COMPLETE scam! Misleading, gives customers a false sense of security. They make a ton of money by doing this practice. At no time was I every notified in such a manner as was suggested by their website, so I could avoid any returned items or overdraft fees. 


I am enclosing photos to support my points. I am even enclosing all the gibberish they put in the news and newspaper about helping people during COVID 19, one way being the return of OVERDRAFT Fees! XXXX! I havent had a bank account in over 10 years and it hasnt taken a New York minute for PNC to remind me why I dont keep bank accounts. I am on Social Security and am involved here only for the sake of settling my late mothers estate. Rest assured, once completed, I will NOT be staying on as a customer. This bank needs to cease and desist this practice, otherwise, run the alert system as they advertise! Alert customers PRIOR to things going a-wall so they have an opportunity to take advantage of the banks offer to XXXX  balance by days end. There is NO reason what-so-ever for me or anyone else to have the alert system in its current state because if benefits only the bank. The woman I spoke with on XXXX who refused to qualify me for a fee refund made it very clear that had I had overdraft and insufficient fund alerts checked, I would have been otherwise notified and would have been able to avoid the problem in the first place. Adding every alert offered me CHANGED NOTHING. I want a full refund of all fees I have incurred from this misleading offer and deceiving practice. I want the FDIC and the Consumer Financial Protection Agency to take a very close look at PNCs marketing practice with their Alert System and what really happens when a consumer signs up for it. The manager I spoke with at my bank on XX/XX/XXXX referred to the Alert System as A second line of defense for the consumer. WRONG - its a trap to give a sense of false security to the consumer while PNC rakes in XXXX each and every time. Its an unfair, deceptive practice and needs to be stopped. The branch manager claimed he could do nothing because he knew nothing about Online Banking and their practices. I asked him to do something about it and he offered to escalate the matter to someone higher up. They have tried to reach me but we have yet to connect. However, I made it clear to them also that this matter needed to be reported because it is not right.