Consumer complaint received 2025-10-29 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low — Overdrafts and overdraft fees
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
I've banked with Citizens for 15 years. 

Between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, Citizens charged me XXXX overdraft fee events representing XXXX individual {$35.00} fees, plus minimal exchange fees, totaling {$2600.00} gross. 

After 30-50 phone calls over 22 months, Citizens reversed only {$730.00}. Net harm : {$1900.00}. 


Citizens has paid {$27.00} million in CFPB penalties since XXXX for consumer violations. 
This complaint documents XXXX ongoing violations affecting me and my family. 

VIOLATION 1 : DECEPTIVE CONCEALMENT OF CURE RIGHTS XX/XX/XXXX ALERT EMAIL : Subject Line : " Transaction Alert '' Citizens uses this identical subject line for ALL transactions - {$10000.00} deposits, routine purchases, and overdrafts. 
No differentiation. No urgency.

I must OPEN every email to determine if it's an emergency or routine transaction.

Email content ( only visible after opening ) : Description : OVERDRAFT Debit : XXXX That's the complete alert for XXXX separate {$35.00} fees. 

CITIZENS ' WEBSITE PROMISES vs REALITY : Citizens ' website states : " Get alerted if something needs your attention. '' Citizens offers three alert types : Account Alerts : " know when a direct deposit posts or a check clears '' Bill Pay Reminders : " don't forget to pay an upcoming bill '' Security Alerts : for " suspicious changes '' BUT Citizens provides NO alert category for overdraft cure rights. 
Citizens never disclosed in any alert : This represents XXXX separate charges Cure rights available until XXXX XXXX  next business day " Peace of Mind '' policy allows fee reversals ( buried deep on website ) Any deadline or urgency information I'm a 15-year customer who made 50+ calls about overdraft fees. Citizens never once informed me of cure rights or reversal procedures. 

Every alert over 22 months concealed consumer protections while charging fees. 

VIOLATION 2 : ABUSIVE " GOODWILL '' RECORD-KEEPING XXXX XXXX : Citizens processed an errant charge, then immediately reversed it ( proving their error ). The errant charge caused negative balance. Citizens charged overdraft fees on the negative balance caused by THEIR processing error. 

I called to dispute. Citizens refused reversal. 

After hours of calls over multiple days, Citizens finally reversed fees through three separate entries ( {$70.00} + {$35.00} + {$35.00} ) - including XXXX {$35.00} corrections posted on the same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ). 
This demonstrates Citizens ' systematic resistance to acknowledging their processing errors. 

Citizens labeled ALL reversals as " goodwill '' in their CRM system. 
These weren't goodwill- they were forced corrections of Citizens ' processing mistakes.

Two months later, I disputed more fees. Citizens refused : " You've used too much goodwill. '' This creates false records that conceal forced error corrections as voluntary customer service - obstructing regulatory review. 

VIOLATION 3 : UNFAIR ARBITRARY ENFORCEMENT : XX/XX/XXXX : Citizens charged XXXX overdraft fees ( {$100.00} ). After extensive escalation, Citizens reversed all fees as " Peace of Mind '' credits. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Citizens charged XXXX overdraft fees ( {$140.00} ) under identical account conditions. Citizens refused reversal despite similar dispute efforts. 

Same circumstances, different outcomes - based only on Citizens ' CRM manipulation. 

DOCUMENTED PATTERN : XXXX individual {$35.00} overdraft fees across XXXX fee events over 22 months, including : XX/XX/XXXX : XXXX fees XXXX day = {$170.00} August 18-21, 2025 : XXXX fees across XXXX consecutive days = {$310.00} July 21-23, 2025 : XXXX fees across XXXX consecutive days = {$210.00} Citizens eliminated email contact options : ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ), forcing phone-only disputes. No permanent customer records. I can not prove what XXXX representatives said. Citizens controls all documentation. 

IMPACT ON MY FAMILY : These fees caused non-stop financial chaos that didn't have to happen if Citizens followed the law. 

Every fee forced impossible choices : groceries or gas, medicine or bills We couldn't maintain emergency savings- Citizens had taken it in fees I made calls during work hours, risking my job The stress affected my marriage and time with my kids This isn't just money- it's 22 months of financial instability for my family. 

CITIZENS ' REGULATORY HISTORY : Citizens ' penalty history shows ongoing violations despite regulatory intervention : XXXX : {$18.00} million CFPB penalties XXXX : {$9.00} million CFPB penalties XXXX : {$130.00} million for overdraft manipulation The $ 27.5M in recent penalties demonstrates institutional practice, not isolated errors.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief