Consumer complaint received 2020-04-08
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low — Overdrafts and overdraft fees
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. (NY)

I have been a customer of the Citizens Bank of PA. since XXXX. I have only use them as a bank/debit card service and no loans. I have not had any problems with them until the last three years. Since about XXXX at various time I have had overdraft problem due to my work slowing down and then in XXXX I became unemployed when the company I worked for shut down. I draw SS and my check is direct deposited. I approached the Bank for any solution they could offer and was told that the account was set up on a Debit Overdraft Protection and I thought well, that's ok but is isn't. They get my check and my wife 's check before I ever se any money and they deduct their fees. In XXXX in XXXX we paid our mortgage off and had about {$2500.00}. left in our Escrow account. We went to the bank in XXXX XXXX and established a savings account to cover our taxes and insurance and Overdraft Fees and I thought that we were good. In XXXX of XXXX I talked to a representative of the bank via telephone over Overdraft fees and learned that the Bank would/could not use savings account as an Overdraft Protection because my Original account was established in XXXX XXXX and the savings account was opened in XXXX XXXX and could not be linked of which I was not made aware of. The gentleman did refund several Overdraft fees and recommend I open a Line of Credit Overdraft Protection of {$1000.00}. that would take care of the problem but that I would need to do it at my Bank. In XXXX of XXXX I agai9n went to the bank ion XXXX to apply for a Line Of Credit overdraft protection account thinking that with a good credit score and owning my own home would be our answer. With what my wife makes and my SS we can cover our expenses. the problem we have is not money but timing but when the bank hits you with {$37.00}. ODF a few time it turns into a money problem. 
Well, even though the bank was covering all drafts on my Checking account and charging me the {$37.00}. fee, they refused to grant me a line of credit Overdraft protection account with {$12.00}. fees and a minimal interest charge. 
XXXX, and XXXX have been a difficult time for us and today my SS check was deposited and upon checking account balance I discovered that a total of over {$600.00}, has been taken from my account in overdraft fees and sustained overdraft fees and I just can not, under current circumstances, change banks and can not make ends meet with this type of bank service. I have done all I can do to be the best customer I can but I do not believe this is fair to me. I can't pay all my boils when the bank takes {$37.00}, a whack out of my account and leaves me with not enough money to survive. I believe the money in fees is really what this is about because they make more at {$37.00}. bucks each rather that {$12.00}. bucks and a minimal interest charge. It really hurts to loose {$600.00}. of your {$1800.00} monthly SS check. I will change banks but oi9t oi9s very difficult to under the current circumstances. 
Do I have a valid complaint or am I out of luck?