Consumer complaint received 2024-04-30
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. (PA)

On XX/XX/2024 I was on vacation in Florida, and my flight home was the following day. At XXXX XXXX I either dropped my Citizens Bank debit card and it was picked up, or it was stolen from me. The thief used my card to purchase {$120.00} at XXXX gas station while I was asleep, and then tried to use it for approximately {$200.00} at a Big Lots miles away but the transaction was denied. I awoke around XXXX XXXX on the XXXX and noticed my card was missing, I called Citizens Bank and they had frozen my card, but I had no cash and needed to be able to either get to the bank for a new card or transfer {$100.00} money to my XXXX account so I could take an XXXX to the airport the following morning and pay for my checked luggage. I begged the representative I was on the phone with to unfreeze my card just for a few moments, I even begged for a supervisor. I told them the transactions were not from me and that I did not have my card. The representative unfroze the card and within an hour, while I was on the phone with XXXX trying to transfer myself the funds I needed in order to not get stranded in a different state with no way to drive anywhere or pay for food, Citizens Bank allowed an {$840.00} transaction at a XXXX almost a half an hour away from my location to go through. I had less than {$20.00} in my account. I called Citizens back and asked them why they would do that, and immediately disputed the charge, but I was told that since it was only a hold that I would have to call again when it posted to fully dispute it. Thankfully, a XXXX XXXX drove me to the nearest bank branch on the morning of the XXXX so that I could get a new debit card and XXXX to the airport before missing my flight. 
Several days later, when the charge posted in my account, I disputed both the XXXX and XXXX charges through the Citizens app. I spoke with several people since then, because I called almost every morning to check on my claim. I provided them with the tracking number of the police report I filed, which I had to do online because I had no money to XXXX to the police station. The 2/ : given a temporary tracking number for the report which I provided to Citizens . I asked Citizens several times to request the footage from both merchants, and asked them if I could request the footage from my hotel that would show I did not leave until several hours after the charges were made. I was told that the footage from the merchants was requested, and that they would take care of requesting footage from the hotel. 
However, on XX/XX/XXXX, I noticed the claim had been closed on my mobile banking app, but the money had not been credited to me. I called at approximately XXXXXXXX XXXX  and spoke to a representative that informed me that the claim was denied. He informed me that no footage was requested, nor did anybody record the police report tracking number that I provided. All he could tell me was that the back of the house evaluated my account history and determined it was not fraud. I have only ever requested a chargeback once with Citizens, for less than {$100.00}. The only time I make a transaction for over {$300.00} is when Im booking a flight or paying for monthly rent. If they reviewed my account history, they would have seen that there were no XXXX charges or rental car transactions before the fraud occurred, so there was no possible way I could have travelled an entire county away from my hotel to purchase over {$800.00} in goods at XXXX without using my pin or chip. I havent shopped at XXXX in years. Why would I spend {$800.00} there and leave myself with no money or way to get home or feed myself less than 24 hours before my flight? 
I requested to speak to a supervisor, because the representative would not provide me with any further information. The supervisor refused to provide me with additional details as well. After citing Regulation E and threatening to make a complaint to the CFPB, the supervisor still would not provide me any reason why no adequate investigation was conducted and why Citizens Bank was not able to provide me with proof that I benefitted from the charges. 
The supervisor finally said he would request to have the claim reopened, but I can see on my mobile banking app that it was not. I called XXXX XXXX XXXX and requested my police report be expedited, it now has a full Case ID. Following the polices advice, I also made a report with XXXX XXXX XXXX, where the XXXX transaction occurred. Both Case ID numbers to Citizens shortly after our phone call on the XXXX. 

I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Veteran and rely on that federally protected income to support myself, and Citizens left me with less than {$20.00} in my account and accused me of breaking the law by falsely reporting almost {$1000.00} in fraud. I desperately seek assistance in resolving this matter with Citizens Bank, because they have violated my right to protections against fraud. Citizens Bank refused to request video evidence of a high and unusual transaction that had no PIN used at one of the most heavily surveilled department stores in the country. Please help me get my money back.