Consumer complaint received 2025-04-29 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
Citizens Bank advertized a promotional offer with the following information and fine print : Get up to {$500.00} Limited-time online and in-branch offer ends XX/XX/XXXX. 

Get {$500.00} when you make XXXX single deposit of {$20000.00} or more in new money to your personal Citizens Savings account and maintain the savings balance through XX/XX/XXXX. 

Must have an existing or open a new personal Citizens Checking account to qualify. 
To Earn Bonus : You must, XXXX ) have an existing or open a new personal Citizens Checking account between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX and, XXXX ) have an existing or open a new personal Citizens Savings account between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX and, XXXX ) have XXXX single deposit of at least $ XXXX {$20000.00} or more in new money post into XXXX personal Citizens Savings account by XX/XX/XXXX and, XXXX ) your savings balance as of the end of the day prior to the qualifying single deposit plus qualifying single deposit ( XXXX XXXXXXXX {$20000.00} ) must be maintained through XX/XX/XXXX. The qualifying deposit of XXXX XXXXXXXX {$19000.00} is eligible for a {$250.00} bonus, or qualifying deposit of {$20000.00} or more is eligible for a {$500.00} bonus. If the qualifying deposit at the end of the retention period drops into the lower tier, you will be eligible for the lower bonus. 
Qualifications : New money is external funds that are not currently on deposit with Citizens or Citizens Access. The participating personal Citizens Savings account must remain open and active AND the participating personal Citizens Checking account must have a balance greater than XXXX and remain open and active through the payout date stated in the table below to qualify for this offer. 
Eligibility : Only XXXX personal Citizens Savings account is eligible for a bonus and only XXXX customer on the savings account is eligible for a bonus. Customer will only be paid a one-time bonus for this program. Offers may be withdrawn without notice. Offer eligibility is determined at Citizens sole discretion. 
Payout : Bonus will be deposited to your personal Citizens Checking account by the date stated in the table below and will be labeled as XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. If your personal Citizens Checking account is closed prior to payout date stated in the table below, then your personal Citizens Savings account will also no longer be eligible for this offer. Bonus will be reported to the IRS for income tax purposes. 

I saved this offer on XX/XX/XXXX. I had a checking and savings account opened in XXXX with Citizens Bank. I deposited {$20000.00} into my savings account on XX/XX/XXXX, and withdrew it on XX/XX/XXXX. The balance in the savings account never went below {$20000.00} until that time. 

At some point between XX/XX/XXXX and now, Citizen Bank closed my checking account with no warning and are now refusing to pay this bonus because the associated checking account is closed. Upon reaching out to a representative they stated that this was due to " inactivity '' and insufficient funds. The account was left without activity for 1 month, and I only knew it was closed because I tried to transfer money into it. 

It is extremely deceptive that Citizens Bank would refuse to pay out a bonus after closing my checking account due to XXXX month of inactivity and assert that the checking account needed to be open after I met the terms of their offer to the letter, including buffer time on either end. They also do not make clear at any point in this offer or in their materials that they will close your accounts due to 1 month of inactivity, and this is far out of line with other banks, which will typically not close accounts due to inactivity, or if they do, will a ) start charging maintenance fees first, b ) notify you, c ) allow it to remain open for at least a year. Closing accounts without warning after XXXX month may well be a method to avoid paying out bonuses to those who have earned them.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation