Consumer complaint received 2023-07-10
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Billing problem
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. (AZ)

Complaint:
On XXXX I logged on to Citizens Bank website for auto loans ( www.citizensone.com ) there website stated on the opening page that there were issues as of XXXX with processing Automatic Clearing House Payments so payments may not process and to try again if you incur problems. I proceeded to make my car payment and while waiting for my confirmation reference number received an error and told me it didnt process and try again later. I logged out, cleared cookies for website and logged in again. I was able to pay my car payment and received a confirmation reference number. ( Only 1 confirmation reference number ) an email and text stating they received the information on that day XXXX Thursday. I received an email and text on Saturday XXXX stating that the payment had processed. Then I received another email and text on Sunday XXXX stating the same message again. This was unusual because I only receive 1 every month. So I check my Citizens Bank ( Citizens One ) whom auto loans are paid through and they took out 2 payments on XXXX! I called Sunday and spoke to 3 different customer service people starting with XXXX who stated they could take care of this immediately but had too transfer me to the payment processing department. I was then transferred to that department and spoke with XXXX who stated that I had to wait 7-10 days for processing and a paper check would be sent out by mail. I told her this is unacceptable and I am on a low limited income and this will jeopardize my credit and cost me overdraft fees from my bank because of their website technical difficulties. She said that was all that I could do. I asked to speak to a manager she connected me to a supervisor named XXXX who also stated this and also told me if I had a Citizens bank regular account this could be reversed immediately but being I do not there practices are to process a paper check by mail within 7-10 business days. I told her if they contacted their IT department they could verify the issue that they were having on XXXX with the website regarding the Automatic Clearing House! This would prove I was not lying and shouldnt be punished because my car dealership got my loan through them and because I dont have a bank account with them too get my money back immediately because of their website technical difficulties and she clearly stated she could see the error but couldnt do anything. I told her I received only 1 confirmation reference number for 1 payment of {$390.00} to be taken out! They still refused to reverse knowing they will cause financial hardship to me and gave me a case number XXXX to process a paper check as I explained again I cant wait this long for a paper check due to my low income. They still refused. I called my bank XXXX XXXX Sunday XXXX and spoke to XXXX and she said the payments had not come through yet and as soon as I see them to immediately call and try to stop payment on one payment. She also stated she sees this quite often happening to consumers! This morning XXXX the payments are now showing on my bank account as pending and a claim was filed by XXXX In customer service along with a XXXX XXXX case number XXXX and I can call back and would be transferred to claims specialist but this process could take up to 10 business days but assured me they could see my account and I pay only 1 payment per month and that they took out 2. The claims department will get right on this. I then called Citizens One where auto loans are paid today and spoke with XXXX and filed a customer complaint against them and reported to her that a class action lawsuit against them was just settled against them for these same issues in XX/XX/2023 and now another class action lawsuit was in progress for shareholders at this bank for shareholders being charged for their fraudulent payment processing errors as of XXXX. She gave me another complaint reference number of XXXX and it would be sent and a response should be within 5-7 business days. I then filed a claim with the XXXX in XXXX, MA phone XXXX that files claims for this company. I am now reaching out to you for help as there fraudulent payment processing and errors created by them are put onto their customers and there are a ton of complaints yet again for this issue. My only reference number and confirmation number I received on XXXX was XXXX! 
Please help me XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation