Consumer complaint received 2024-12-04 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
Good Afternoon, I am reaching out to the PNC executive staff and XXXX, after my conversations with the PNC fraud department and customer service fraud at XXXX. The police department will be needing confirmation as to whether XXXX XXXX herself fraudulently and illegally committed a felony offense by reopening my XXXX sons POD account on XX/XX/XXXX, and putting it into a negative balance of - {$3600.00} in regards to an {$1800.00} XXXX transaction and two other XXXX transactions in which she herself verified that PNC was paid by XXXX in regards to those fraudulent transactions in a recorded statement. 

Per PNCs own description, and those documentations provided by our attorney when those accounts were opened, The executive office is well aware that that account can not be reopened or money can not be transferred or taken out of that account without my certificate of death. We do have a recorded statement from an employee that it was indeed XXXX that reopened this account and placed it into a negative balance in what appears to be blatant retaliation. 

In her statement, she said that XXXX was her supervisor, but would not allow me to speak with her, Stating that XXXX agreed with her decision. She also stated that her department spoke for XXXX XXXX in all decisions, although XXXX had no idea where XXXX XXXX was located and was unsure on how to spell his last name. 

Upon asking XXXX for information in regards to what the companies were needing, she stated that she had reversed all charges, leaving the customer service department and fraud department at PNC at a complete loss and state of confusion, when they are the departments themselves, along with XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX, that provided all of the fraudulent details stating that none of them were denying any claims of fraudulent activity. 

Due to this POD Account being illegally reopened without my signature, along with transfers, without my signature, I will be needing confirmation In regard to the police department to pursue felony charges against XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX, Since they were the individual named In the recorded statements involved in this illegal activity with PNC Bank. 

XXXX Made a recorded statement last night in regards to the information that they provided to me, that the branch manager XXXX, in XXXX, Illinois, Indeed showed that all transactions were fraudulent, and made another recorded statement that they in no way Stated otherwise to PNC Bank. In XXXX recorded statement She checked all household numbers, including my XXXX XXXX XXXX sons, and confirmed that no phone number given and associated with our PNC Bank accounts had ever had a XXXX account under our numbers. Their statement will be transcribed and notarized for the Sheriffs department and the department of homeland security. 

Due to local news, Senior News writer XXXX XXXX, XXXX works with more than XXXX Financial institutions, and since XX/XX/XXXX XXXX operator early warning services, a XXXX Arizona base company owned by XXXX banks, including PNC, Has quietly required banks and credit unions to reverse transfers for customers in Fraudulent cases. Banks are required to reverse fraudulent charges that were not initiated by a customer. XXXX program is unique and that it also covers transactions initiated by the customer. The measure comes as XXXX has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers for the amount of fraud perpetrated on its platform, Reportedly XXXX million in XXXX alone. In an XX/XX/XXXX press release, XXXX simply stated that banks in its network must implement XXXX risk reduction program and that the network has a new consumer reimbursement benefit for Fraudulent activity. 

According to the federal trade commission in XXXX, Americans lost {$2.00} billion to fraudulent activity. XXXX has become increasingly popular with small businesses, owners, and many of whom use the service to pay employees or rent or personal reasons. According to a XXXX press release This total was more than {$72.00} billion in XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the consumer financial protection bureau published guidance warnings to banks that they risk of violating federal laws if they unilaterally reopen a customers previously closed deposit account, particularly if they collect fees on the account. 

The guidance demonstrates the CFPBs continued efforts to target what is characterized as unreasonable or junk fees, imposed on consumers which the bureau considers are likely illegal. 

When a bank illegally Chooses to open an account in someones name after they have already closed it. This is a fake account. This is a direct statement by the CFPD director, Rohit Chopra. Todays circular confirms that banks may risk violating the consumer financial protective act prohibition on unfair, act or practices by unilaterally reopening closed accounts. Consumers may incur overdraft, non-sufficient funds, or monthly maintenance fees when a closed account is reopened by a bank. This practice may also enable third parties to access a consumer funds without consent, especially when that consumer is like my husband and myself that have become victim to numerous documented and recorded Sim swapping by multiple companies on recorded statements. If reopening the account overdraws the account, banks may also furnish negative information to consumer reporting companies if consumers do not settle negative balances quickly. Consumers often can not reasonably avoid the risk of substantial injury caused by this practice because they can not control a third parties attempt to debit or deposit money. 

The CFPD previously ordered XXXX XXXX XXXX bank to pay more than 15 million in consumer, remediation and penalties for among these things violating the consumer financial protection act by reopening deposit accounts consumers had previously closed without seeking prior authorization or providing adequate notice, such as PNC Bank did in regards to our accounts that were closed in XX/XX/XXXX, then illegally reopened the end of XX/XX/XXXX, in the attempt to collect twice the amount of credits given, that XXXX herself stated that PNC had already been paid for by XXXX, which is why I was mailed a check after the account was closed. 

My husband and I have filed a complaint with the CFPB and have contacted local news stations due to the lack of response in regards to our complaint going unanswered for numerous weeks. The fact that this account was in my XXXX sons name, and it was a payable upon death account, and was reopened by a bank employee, without my certificate of death, consent, or signatures, The CFPB has previously warned financial institutions that they risk violating UDAAP by unilaterally reopening deposit accounts that consumers previously closed. This situation may arise after the consumer completes all of the necessary steps to Closing an account. The CFPB also notes that depending upon the circumstances, reopening a closed account may implicate the CFPAs prohibition on deceptive or abusive act of practices. Under the CFPA, unfair, deceptive or abuse of acts or practices that the UDAAP prohibited.

At this point, this is your legal written, cease and desist in PNCs involvement On any additional charges being taken out of any accounts illegally reopened, as in my POD account Illegally reopened by XXXX, per a recorded statement, Without my certificate of death. We were informed by another employee, she also recharged all Fraudulent previsionary credits back onto our other accounts without reviewing all documentation that was sent that proved that they were indeed fraudulent withdrawals, this evidence included recorded conversation. 

These amounts totaled over {$15000.00} and also included illegal transfers out of my sons POD account that are not added into that total. Ive been instructed by XXXX that I need a subpoena if I want this information, which is utterly ridiculous. I expect all funding to be returned Via check, and mailed to our home address, since we have closed all accounts with PNC Bank due to this blatant disregard to fraudulent and illegal charges, plus the illegal and felony charges that PNC bank employees have created in addition to this situation. I also expect a phone call from the CEO and HR Supervisor in regard to how PNC is going to rectify all of the activity and felony charges their employees caused themselves while working at PNC Bank. 
Please advise how you are going to rectify the situation moving forward. I would prefer a phone call from XXXX XXXX or whoever the CEO of the company is at PNC Bank, since XXXX was unsure how to spell the last name, I am unsure if he is still the CEO. I would also like to speak to the HR Department in regard to this employees, illegal misconduct and what that department is doing to rectify that situation itself. 
I have blind carbon copied XXXX XXXX with the United States, Secret Service department of Homeland security, as she is the individual that is handling our case. I have advised XXXX XXXX to respectfully not take calls in regards To this situation or from PNC Bank, because they are tied up with a presidential election. 
Respectfully, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation