Consumer complaint received 2026-01-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: VA

Complaint narrative:
I am a small business owner disputing PNC Banks refusal to reimburse the majority of approximately {$70000.00} in unauthorized charges on my PNC BusinessOptions XXXX credit card. 

The fraudulent activity began on XX/XX/XXXX and continued for more than one year. The charges involved repeated, recurring transactions from the same merchants, often occurring daily or multiple times per month and in consistent dollar ranges. This was not isolated or ambiguous activity, but a sustained pattern indicative of account compromise ( please refer to the attachment with the fraud transactions ). 

Despite this prolonged and abnormal activity, PNC never issued a fraud alert or contacted me by phone, email, text, or online banking notification. No transactions were flagged, paused, or declined. As the issuing bank with advertised fraud monitoring systems, PNC was in a position to detect a sustained, recurring fraud pattern but did not do so. 

I independently discovered and reported the fraud on XX/XX/XXXX. After reporting, PNC issued provisional credits totaling {$69000.00} and reissued my credit card, actions that reasonably indicated acknowledgment of unauthorized use. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, PNC reversed {$40000.00} of those provisional credits. When I contacted PNC, I was informed that the reversal was intentional and based solely on PNCs internal policy requiring fraud to be reported within " a timely manner. '' I was not permitted to speak with an investigator or a manager, and no transaction-specific explanation was provided.

PNCs position ignores the fact that the delay in discovery was materially caused by its own failure to detect or alert me to an obvious recurring fraud pattern. Once discovered, I reported the entire pattern promptly and cooperated fully. 

Although this is a business credit card, federal law still limits cardholder liability for unauthorized use under Regulation Z ( 12 CFR 1026.12 ( b ) ). PNCs blanket denial of liability based solely on internal timing rules, particularly after acknowledging the fraud through provisional credits, raises concerns about unfair and commercially unreasonable practices. 

I appealed this reversal through XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Department. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke to XXXX XXXX from the Executive Client Relations department was informed that Executive Relations is the highest level of appeal and that reimbursement for earlier charges would not be reconsidered, despite all charges arising from the same sustained fraud pattern and despite PNCs failure to detect or alert on the activity for over a year. 

Why I think PNC acted unfairly : PNC failed to detect or alert a year-long, recurring fraud pattern involving the same merchants and consistent transaction characteristics. 
PNC placed the full financial loss on a small business customer despite its own failure to monitor, flag, or intervene in sustained fraudulent activity. 
PNC initially acknowledged the fraud by issuing {$69000.00} in provisional credits and reissuing the card, then reversed {$40000.00} of those credits without meaningful explanation or due process. 
As a small business owner, I reasonably relied on PNCs advertised fraud monitoring and alerts, as well as its initial remedial actions, when managing my account. 
Denying reimbursement solely based on an internal timing rule, where delayed discovery was materially caused by the banks failure to detect or alert, is unfair and inconsistent with good-faith handling of fraud disputes. 

I respectfully request that the CFPB review PNCs handling of this matter, including : Its failure to detect or alert recurring fraud ; Its reversal of provisional credits without due process ; Its application of liability rules inconsistent with federal regulation and principles of commercial reasonableness.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation