Consumer complaint received 2016-06-06
Product: Bank account or service — Checking account
Issue: Problems caused by my funds being low — 
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. (RI)

I opened an account with Citizens Bank a little over two months ago at the local XXXX XXXX Branch with a representative named XXXX. He opened my account and set me up with online banking. The online banking was to give me an indicator when my account fell below {$50.00}. The bank started taking fees that made it difficult to keep an accurate accounting. I had yet to receive an ATM card nor did I have access to checking the balance via the phone. Technical support could not figure out why the online banking did not send an indicator to my cell or email address. I went into the bank, spoke with XXXX, as fees continued to accrue. He shared that it needed to be used with Chrome not Internet Browser. Regardless, not true, but he set it up again. The bank refused to refund my money which was close to {$200.00}. I explained that I was XXXX on SSI and the excessive fees were making it impossible to survive that month. They said they could not reverse. I called the corporate office. They reversed XXXX after I stated that I was going to contact the XXXX. I received an apology from a representative named XXXX. Albeit, they refused to reverse the fee and the fees for the fees, I filed a complaint with the XXXX. I then received a phone call from XXXX who refunded all. During that period of time, I made a deposit via the ATM. It was for {$30.00} but deposited {$50.00}. I notified XXXX of the error. I deducted from my balance. XXXX and I reconciled my account, including the {$50.00} error. We agreed that we would restart my account " tabula rasa ''. I specifically asked XXXX if there were any incoming transactions be it from the bank or otherwise that were pending as to circumvent any possibility of the above happening again. She stated definitively not. The next morning there was a bank charged deducted from my account in the amount of {$50.00}. It overdrew my account. This charge would have been noted as pending when I spoke with XXXX late in the afternoon. My account overdrew accruing fees up to apx. {$250.00} this time. I reopened my claim with the XXXX. They directed me to contact you. XXXX, from CB, left me a message Monday. I called her back twice. I spoke with her Thursday when she returned my calls. She said that the bank was not in error XXXX and I had a misunderstanding. XXXX works for the bank and entity that does not need XXXX my monthly income. I, on the other hand, am struggling to survive on the full income. We are not even into a full week out of the month. My direct deposit has quickly evaporated. I was in XXXX when I received XXXX 's call. I had spent the night there prior. Her refusal to reverse the charges, upon charges that have amounted to over {$250.00}, sent me into XXXX XXXX XXXX. I needed to spend an extra night which absorbed all of the money remaining positive for the month. I stated that this was unacceptable. I shared that I found the actions of the bank to be of a retaliatory nature being that XXXX, the afternoon prior, clearly stated that there was not an activity that was going to occur in regard to my checking account. I had spoken with the branch, XXXX, in regard to the {$50.00} the day the online indicator emailed me. He did not know what the bank terminology for the debit meant. Kindly enough, he stated that he would look into it. He went home. I spoke with his manager. He stated that I needed to balance my checkbook. I have a XXXX. It is not cognitive. This has left me unable to sustain myself and my service animal for a week let alone the entire month.