Consumer complaint received 2024-04-10
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: PNC Bank N.A. (FL)

I will describe this in detail here, but I will also include the texts and teams messages that do describe the situation in it's entirety. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I had recently applied for XXXX XXXX. I received a text that appeared to come from re-employment assistance. It had the exact descriptions I had just put in for the types of jobs I was looking for, so it looked very real. The FL re-employment website had mentioned things about having to show that you are attempting to find work, and are actually taking any interviews offered, etc, so it definitely appeared to be coming from them.This text asked me to interview for a job. Please see attached text message. 
I completed the interview with the first person I spoke with, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( this is the name she uses on XXXX  ). She hired me. It seemed like a quick process ( as far as feeling I found job right after I signed up with FL re-employment ), but it all seemed 100 % legit at first. We discussed my start date, and that I would talk to my manager the next day to get everything organized for my start date. This company had a website and everything. I'm not sure if it's still up now, but the website is XXXX the company was/is called XXXX XXXX  . I don't even know if it is real, but probably not. Let me know if you want, I have copies of the paperwork, but it does have ALL my personal info on it. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I spoke to my " manager '' via XXXX, his name on XXXX is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. He sent over an email with my paperwork to set up everything for starting the job. It included literally all the normal paperwork. Application, the tax forms, all of it. I've been in XXXX  most of my career, so I know what it takes to hire someone. Again, all seemed legit and completely normal at this point. Once he had the forms back and a photo of my id and everything, he congratulated me and explained how I would get my supplies for the XXXX XXXX 
He said that I would be receiving a check via XXXX to be able to purchase the supplies I would need. I have had friends XXXX XXXX XXXX and checked with them, and this all still sounded legit to everyone. ( I haven't XXXX XXXX XXXX before, so I didn't really know, I am CONSTANTLY asking everyone about every job I apply and interview for because of that ). 
XX/XX/XXXX : So my boss sends the check via XXXX, I had to be here for it and everything. Again, all seeming to be 100 % legit. I deposited it into my PNC account ( which is actually my XXXX  account from my husband that passed away in XXXX, that I don't really use often except for random things like this ). 
XX/XX/XXXX : Once the check showed as cleared in the amount of {$4700.00} he asked me to XXXX it over to their vendor. I questioned this. I told him I didn't understand why I would now send the money to someone else, and I even said " why didn't you just pay directly to the vendor? '' He explained that I had to set up the delivery of all of my supplies and everything so it was easier that way. But of course, I asked friends and family and they had to previously forward money to a vendor for XXXX XXXX. So I thought " okay I guess we just do it this way. '' We had to send the money in a few different transfers, due to the limits of sending money through XXXX. The first transfer was for {$2000.00} to the " supposed vendor '' by the email of XXXX her name was apparently XXXX XXXX. The XXXX transfer that day was {$500.00}. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I had to XXXX the last bit of money {$2000.00} over to the " vendor. '' All of this money was supposedly going over to the vendor that I thought would be supplying me for my new XXXX XXXX. This was the first day that I started to get really suspicious. Once the last bit of that check was sent over, my boss told me they found out they needed to send me more supplies. 
I obviously realized at this point that it was a bit shady and immediately contacted the Fraud department at PNC. I explained it all to the girl. She told me she had reported it and that it would all be okay, no big deal. 
XX/XX/XXXX ( I am pretty sure this is the correct date, this whole situation has been insane ) : I got the fraud department again, and it was a new person. He said nothing was filed on the account and that there were no disputes yet. So basically the first person did nothing for me I guess? He did whatever he had to do and I was crying and he reassured me that it really should be fine, PNC will probably eat it, etc. He was probably the only PNC person that was helpful in anyway during this. He told me to give it about 10 days and my money should be back in my account. If you listen to the recording he reassured me many times that it would all be okay. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I called PNC because I couldn't log into my account and I wanted to check on it. I got to the fraud department eventually. The lady disappeared forever, and finally came back to tell me that PNC was " ending the relationship with me. '' I tried to talk to her and reiterate that this was fraud, but she continued to talk over me constantly. Eventually she kept trying to get me off the phone and hang up and I told her I couldn't even log in to get to my credit card now. So she immediately just passes me off to that department. She didn't even tell the guy what was going on before she transferred me. So now I'm on with a new person again, and really he can't do much but fix the fact that I can't log in. 
I also contacted customer service via XXXX so that I could properly escalate my issue. I did finally get someone from the escalation department to call me. Her name is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I again tried to describe the situation to her, but I can never get through the whole situation with anyone from PNC. They do not listen, they talk over everyone constantly. Anytime I tried to explain the situation and that no on ever even asked me for the documentation I have, she basically tells me it doesn't matter and that the determination will not change. 
No one in PNCs fraud department ever got ANY documentation from me about this issue. So therefore, there is no possible way that they actually investigated it, because it is a scam, and it is obvious if they read through everything that I had no idea! People should be protected against this, especially when they are unemployed! PNC even CLAIMS THAT THEY PROTECT FROM THIS. 
Ever since XX/XX/XXXX it has been a constant struggle with PNC to deal with this scam/fraud on my account. I have talked to XXXX via email and on the phone several times. I can include all of that documentation below as well, which will have the dates on the emails. I asked her to respond to my email, but of course she just kept calling to tell me that the decision will not change. She wants me to talk to the payment department and plan how to pay off the fraud on my account when I DO NOT EVEN HAVE A JOB. THIS WAS A SCAM AND NOW I DON'T HAVE A JOB, AND I HAVE EVEN LESS MONEY. 
The money that was basically sitting in that account for the last 7 years after my husband died, wasn't touched. They could check. I only ever kept it as a backup account in case I needed it. You know, like if I were UNEMPLOYED. Now I don't have that {$800.00} I need and PNC thinks I should PAY THEM FOR THE FRAUD.