Consumer complaint received 2017-05-06
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: PNC Bank N.A. (NJ)

Below is the letter I had to send to PNC Bank Dear Chairman of the Board, I have been a member of PNC for 18 years and I am writing to you in regards to a very troubling incident that occurred with PNC and the subsequent response by the credit card service department. On Friday XXXX XXXX XXXX I was trying to pay my PNC Points credit card bill using my PNC Checking account, however, there is was a problem with the online banking system. The system would not let me pay the bill during the morning, but I was eventually able to pay the bill around XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. When I checked my account Saturday morning, XXXX XXXX XXXX, for some reason the bill was paid twice and ~ {$8000.00} was removed from my checking account. I only reached the payment submit option once on XXXX XXXX so there was no possible what could have submitted payment twice. I stopped by my local branch in XXXX, NJ immediately to try and address the problem and customer service representative showed me that the computer system directed me to call the credit card service phone number at XXXX. When I was connected with service represented she informed me that she will submit the charge to be reversed and I would not be charged a fee because I was paying the bill well before the due date. At this point I questioned, why she would say that I would be not charged a fee when the error was entirely the fault of PNC bank? She apologies and just wanted to clarify, but insinuated that the error was my fault without asking any details. She went on to say that she would not be able to deposit the funds back into my checking account immediately. I stated that this was completely unacceptable, because the system was able to withdraw the money from my account immediately, but why can she not deposit the funds back when the error was completely the banks fault? She could not give a satisfactory answer and only would state that she could start the process. I then asked to be connected to a manager and she connected me with XXXX XXXX who was the manager on duty. XXXX could not explain why the system made a double payment, refund the funds immediately, and told me the refund would be available in 3 10 business days, because the refund processing department was small. I told her that was absolutely ridiculous and not acceptable at all for the refund to take 3 10 business days. And that it was outrageous that she had no way to correct an issue the was 100 % the fault of PNC Bank. In addition, she was alluding to that PNC under staffs or over works the department responsible for rectifying errors it makes. I also told her that since PNC made this egregious error that the bill payments I made may bounce because of a lack of fund and her asinine and smug response was you would need to call the checking account department ; I deal with credit card services. I went on to explain that the problem I am having is with the credit card department, because her departments error is what is causing the problem and it is outrageous for her to pass me onto another department. After further discussion, she refused to help me and told me to write a letter to the Office of the Chairman of the Board, and would not give me a phone number or mail me an address where I could send the letter. All she would do is give me an address over the phone which I hope is correct. Now I understand that XXXX is only doing what she is told, but a person in her position should also be trained how to interact with people instead of towing the standard line in an arrogant manner. However, the main transgression is with how PNC Bank has instituted a processes to deter customers from finding recourse. The process it has install is not meant to help customers, but only make the path so difficult as to limit escalation through attrition.
Here is summary that I find completely unacceptable by PNC Bank.
1. The online banking system would erroneously make double payments when the customer only submitted one payment.
2. The online banking system would take a double payment after the first payment paid the balance in full. The system MUST recognize that if a payment is made that pays off the balance it MUST not accept another payment.
3. The PNC process has no way of correcting errors made by the bank as fast as it is able to make them. If the system can withdraw the money immediately it MUST be able to refund the money immediately.
4. The unacceptable behavior of the customer service manager, XXXX XXXX, to tell me to deal with the checking department for any issues that was caused by her department. 5. Employing a laborious and unacceptable process to raise my concern to senior management. XXXX response to raise my concern was to write a letter to the XXXX of the XXXX. Where there is no accountability and the only reasons the system would be designed in this manner is to deter customers from finding recourse. 6. And finally the process PNC Bank has installed to protect the banks interests above all. The Banks first responsibility is to the customer and not to make the process of rectifying issues laborious The proper response of PNC Bank should have been we will take care of the issue, not treat me as if I was the problem and I should not be bothering the bank and its employees with issues caused by the bank.
I have been a loyal customer for almost two decades and the staff at the XXXX branch has been exemplary. The customer sales representative there is bringing the issue to his manager and escalating the situation. However, whenever there is an issue and I have to go through the PNC designated process I am always left aggrieved. Given the systematic process with which PNC has decided to treat its customers I must report these activities to the proper channels. I will be passing this letter and escalating the issue to the following sources : 1. The Consumer Protection Bureau 2. XXXX XXXX XXXX of New Jersey 3. XXXX XXXX XXXX of New Jersey 4. XXXX XXXX XXXX of the XXXX XXXX of New Jersey. I look forward to hearing how PNC will change its processes to be more customer friendly instead of customer difficult. XXXX XXXX XXXX