Consumer complaint received 2025-01-12 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I issued a perfectly valid check, check XXXX from my checking account, in the amount of {$1600.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX for outstanding medical bills owed relative to a XXXX XXXX  she suffered from my client 's dog. I then overnighted the check. It was imperative the check arrive in a timely manner, as there was a settlement in place where she needed the funds in that time period or my client could be in breach of the settlement ... and his dog could then be seized and potentially XXXX. In other words, her receiving those funds in a timely manner could be what determines whether the dog lives or dies. 

Upon seeing the overnight delivery had arrived, I assumed the matter closed. I had signed the check myself and there was absolutely nothing indicating fraud on the check whatsoever... there appeared to be nothing to worry about. There was more than sufficient funds, etc. 

Instead, on Friday XX/XX/XXXX, I received a motion from the XXXX involved in this case looking to hold my client in breach and in sum and substance, kill his dog because the check had been returned. I immediately went to my online banking and saw that the funds from the check had been returned to my account two days after it was cashed. I spent all afternoon calling my local branch to get answers ... and not getting any. After speaking for about a half hour with a rep from my local branch, he was finally able to say that the check had been flagged for fraud. When I demanded to know why, he could not give me an answer, aside to say the signature looked different from other checks from that account. Of course, there are two authorized signers from that account, so such excuse was nonsense. He spent time speaking to other bankers in back rooms or whatever the case could be, and still could not give me a reason why the check was returned. 

It is beyond inexcusable that the bank, instead of calling me to determine whether the check was valid, unilaterally decided to cancel the check for fraud without having the decency to call me and ask. It is malfeasance. Let 's say there was really WAS fraud and someone had ahold of my checkbook... they would have canceled that check and I would be blissfully unaware that a thief would have countless other checks that they could try and cash. When I brought that to the attention of the local rep, his response was " when you put it that way, it is pretty crazy they wouldn't call. '' While honest, the response was of little help. When I asked for him or someone from Citizens to put in writing what had occurred so that I can try to show the Court this was a banking error and nothing to do with my client or I, he indicated he could not do that. Banks don't help their customers ... they hurt them. This has already cost me countless hours of work and headache and could cost this dog his life. What a sickening society we live in where a bank 's error could cost an animal his life. 

These banks aren't here to help their customers. They are soulless entities and as a result, a soulful dog might die because they cancel checks without any reason and don't have the decency to call or inform their customers.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation