Consumer complaint received 2026-03-08 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
Citizens failed to clearly disclose my accounts {$1000.00} daily point-of-sale and {$1000.00} ATM withdrawal limits before account opening, repeatedly declined legitimate transactions including rent and a retail purchase, gave contradictory explanations for those declines, gave conflicting information about whether a Citizens XXXX account would provide higher limits, and refused to clearly explain account-tier eligibility, transaction-limit criteria, or whether my account had been flagged or restricted. What happened I opened a Citizens checking account in XXXX 2025. Before opening the account, I was not informed that the account carried a {$1000.00} daily point-of-sale purchase limit and a {$1000.00} daily ATM withdrawal limit. I was later told by a Citizens representative, XXXX, that the specifics of the account limits were mailed to me after I opened the account. Had I been informed before opening the account that it included these limits, I would not have opened it. Federal deposit account disclosure rules require banks to disclose transaction limitations before the account is opened or the service is provided. When I opened the account, I was not offered other account options. I was automatically placed into the lowest-level account, even though I later learned there was a Citizens XXXX account and believe I would have qualified for it. I was never clearly informed of the differences between account types or the transaction limits before opening the account. Since opening the account, I have had repeated problems using my own funds, including rent payments being declined. On XXXX XXXX, 2026, I made a purchase of about {$650.00} at one At Home store location. Later that same day, I attempted a purchase of {$660.00} at another At Home location, and it was declined. When I called Citizens, I received multiple inconsistent explanations. I was told my card was not blocked. I was told I made two identical purchases within 2 seconds, even though the second attempt only occurred because the transaction had been declined. I was told the first attempt had actually gone through but was being held, and that the second attempt would have put me over the daily limit. I pointed out that I had already spent about {$650.00} earlier that same day, so the explanation did not make sense. I also asked why I never received any fraud alert text, and the representative could not answer that question. The representative then said she would ask her manager for an increase and asked how much I wanted. I stated that I did not want arbitrary limits on my account, but when forced to provide a number I said {$5000.00}. Before that request was decided, I was told the manager wanted to know what I was trying to purchase. I stated that I should not have to explain or justify lawful use of my own money. After I refused to answer that question, I was told the increase was not approved. The explanation then shifted again to protecting the bank, then to my account being open for 6 more months, and later to needing to have the account open for a year. Later that day, I was told by another representative that if I wanted higher daily limits, I should open a Citizens XXXX account. That was the only reason I attempted to do so. While logged into my account online, I repeatedly tried to open or convert to XXXX, but I kept getting kicked out of the website and had to call technical support. Tech support could not resolve the issue. After being transferred, a later representative changed my account type to XXXX, but then told me that the limits are the same as when I opened the original account and that my limit was still {$1000.00}. He refused to explain the supposed requirements for obtaining higher limits. That directly contradicted what the earlier representative told me. It also contradicted Citizens published materials, which state that Citizens XXXX customers have a {$10000.00} daily debit purchase limit and a {$1000.00} ATM withdrawal limit. That same later representative also refused to clearly explain whether I would receive a new debit card associated with the Quest account, refused to explain the requirements he referenced, and refused to transfer me when I said I could not understand some of what he was saying. Overall, Citizens gave me contradictory, shifting, and opaque explanations about : why my transactions were declined, whether my card was blocked, whether the first transaction was declined or merely held, whether XXXX would provide higher limits, and what requirements supposedly governed access to higher limits. I also believe my account may have been flagged, restricted, or internally annotated after the earlier call, because the later representative was immediately hostile, refused to answer basic questions, refused to explain the requirements he referenced, and would not transfer me when requested. I am asking Citizens to state whether my account or debit card was flagged, blocked, restricted, or annotated with internal notes during these interactions, and whether any such action affected my ability to use the account, obtain a limit increase, convert to XXXX, or receive accurate information. I believe Citizens failed to clearly disclose material transaction restrictions before account opening, failed to provide clear and consistent information about the account and its limits, and imposed discretionary barriers that interfered with my access to my own funds. Federal rules require disclosure of transaction limitations before account opening, and Citizens is a national bank supervised by the XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation