Consumer complaint received 2025-12-23 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Company closed your account
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: RI

Complaint narrative:
So my father 's banking information was sold on the black market by a Citizens worker. They took about XXXX from his account by ATM, My family went to the branch on the XXXX of XXXX. 
The branch said it was fraud, and he closed my parents account. However, the scammers only had my parents information and not mine and my brothers ( which my dad is connected to through mobile banking ). When they were with the branch XXXX, my parents told them they couldn't close my account because I was XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX independent on my debt card. XXXX XXXX ( branch worker or XXXX ), told us that it wouldn't happen and shouldn't be affected. He called the fraud department and told them what was going on and said " do not close this account, this is their daughter XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and is dependent on her debt card, and it was not affected with the fraud ''. In front of my parents he said this. My parents contacted me through the branch, and told me they wouldn't close my branch. XXXX XXXX suggested putting XXXX dollars into my debit card account, from savings so I could use that on my debit card there for my remaining time. 
I did that, and then the next day I tried to use my card and it was declined, XXXX XXXX  had automatically taken my card off my phone saying it was " no longer active ''. I contacted Citizens and they told me my account was closed. That they couldn't open it back up. I told them the exact situation, they didn't see the urgency or the distress of being in XXXX with absolutely no funds. And gave me no proper helpful advice on how to get me funds in XXXX and kept offering a " new card that will be shipped in a day ''. Even though I expressed I am in XXXX so many times. I kept saying maybe a new card but I am not sure yet because I am in XXXX, and I would want my dad maybe to help me and I wasn't too sure yet. I then didn't do anything, I spoke with my father. The next day he spoke to the branch XXXX, XXXX again who reached out to the fraud department. He explained to a supervisor the situation, and he said to my father that the supervisor understood the situation. And he said he would unfreeze my account. The next day, my account still does not work. Citizens tells my father they will call me to verify it is me before they unfreeze my account shortly. They do not ever call me or my father again, they do not verify anything with me. I, myself, call Citizens again, in hopes someone will read the notes on my account or files that XXXX of the supervisor 's said they would put. and they kept telling me my account was closed, it can not be reopened. And that I can get a new card, and that there is already a new card being shipped to me. Which by the way I never said " yes ship me a new card '' EVER! and so they tell me my account is closed, saying they can't do anything. I say I want that women 's supervisor, she says the supervisor is busy and can't come to the phone and she willl call us back. Since before no one called us when they said they were gon na call us back and verify it was me to unfreeze my account, My father and I on the phone were suspicious of it. So we say no, we will wait. The lady then puts us on hold for about XXXX to an hour with nothing and we eventually hang up. No one calls us back of course after that. 

While XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Citizens Bank froze and ultimately closed my account, leaving me without access to my own money in a foreign country. This caused extreme financial hardship and XXXX XXXX  distress. 
I was constantly panicked about how I would eat or get through each day. I cried frequently and was texting friends and family in distress because I genuinely could not afford groceries or basic necessities. The stress became so XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, which was scary and humiliating. 
My roommates covered some of my expenses in cash, but they were traveling and could not continue to support me. When that help ran out, I was forced to borrow {$750.00} through XXXX XXXX, in addition to the cash assistance I had already received, just to survive. I felt desperate, trapped, and unsafe knowing I had no reliable access to my funds in XXXX, by myself. 
XXXX is not fully digital. XXXX XXXX is not widely accepted, and many places require cash or a local debit card. Because Citizens Bank deprived me of access to my funds, I was repeatedly unable to pay for food, transportation, hotel or flights, feminine products, laundry detergent, planned trips, basic needs. This left me so embarrassed, stranded, and XXXX I have XXXX and this heightened it so so so bad, that I couldn't sleep the whole time I didn't have money. I couldn't think of anything else, the situation brought all my XXXX back. This XXXX XXXX experience was suppose to be the highlight of my XXXX career, and because of the negligence of Citizens bank, I had my last XXXX weeks filled with unnesscary stress and XXXX and it stripped me of trips I was planning, taking away the memories I wanted with the people I had limited time with there. 
I am now home, as my flight back home was pre-booked from XXXX months ago, I think this is insanely ridiculous and has truly shaken me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation