Consumer complaint received 2025-07-29 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: FIRST CITIZENS BANCSHARES, INC.

Complaint narrative:
This complaint concerns First Citizens Bank, which allegedly added additional account owners to our account without our consent, and is refusing to clarify the matter. 

My wife and I are XXXX XXXXXXXX living outside the US, on another continent.

25 years ago, we opened two joint POD ( Payable on Death ) savings accounts at what was then First XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, CA XXXX. 
In both accounts the account owners are myself and my wife. 
In both accounts the designated beneficiaries, after our death, are our XXXX sons. 

In XXXX First Citizens Bank took over our old bank. Since then, it has been complete chaos. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, both of our sons unexpectedly received a letter from the bank ( attached is a copy ), in which it was stated : " To maintain the accuracy of our records and safeguard your deposit insurance coverage, we need to confirm your government-issued identification for your deposit account ( XXXX ), where you are listed as an owner ". 

" LISTED AS AN OWNER ''??? 

On that same day, I sent an email to the bank 's customer service, to which I attached a copy of the signature card from one of the accounts : " Did someone at the bank unilaterally decide to change our sons ' status from beneficiary pod payees to account owners? 
We request that you investigate this matter ASAP and confirm that in both of our POD accounts, neither of our sons is listed as account owner, but only as beneficiary pod payee ''. 

XXXX from customer service replied with their usual automated response : " For this type of inquiry, please contact your local branch directly ''. 

Here are two facts : 1. Our XXXX branch has been closed for renovations from XX/XX/XXXX till spring XXXX! 
XXXX. More important even if the branch were operational, we would not be able to use its services. Following one of our complaints to the CFPB ( CFPB XXXX XXXX. XXXX ), First CitizenXXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, as follows : " Going forward you will need to contact the Bank 's CEC for assistance as the branch will be unable to service the Account via email or telephone ''. 

Now, of course customer service is not supposed to know those two facts that our branch is closed, and that their bank requires us to deal with customer service instead of the branch. I mean, what are they - customer service? 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I sent them an email with the two facts mentioned above, emphasizing that it is customer service 's responsibility to provide us with an answer regarding the issue we raised. 

Then, there was complete silence for two whole weeks. Maybe customer service hoped we would forget about the matter. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I had to remind them again that we were still waiting for a response. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX responded : " We apologize for not responding sooner, due to the need for accuracy involving the request, please contact us directly at the number below so we can ask clarifying questions to insure we are meeting your request needs ''. 

And this is after, in my initial request to them on XX/XX/XXXX, I explicitly stated that we demand a response ONLY IN WRITING! 

Based on a long and painful experience, we have learned that expensive transatlantic phone calls with the bank are just a waste of time and money, since they always end up denying everything they said anyway. 
For example : our last phone call with them, in order to order checks, lasted ONE HOUR, FORTEEN MINUTES, FORTY-THREE SECONDS. The checks that were promised never arrived, and the bank even had the audacity to lie, claiming it was because we canceled the order ... All of this is detailed in our complaint to the CFPB, XXXX XXXX. XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I reminded them once again that we demand a response only in writing, and that if they have any questions, they should ask in writing. ( What questions could there possibly be? The matter is simple and clear did the bank unilaterally change the status of our XXXX sons from beneficiaries after death to account owners? ) On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX responded. The response needs to be divided into two parts, after each of which we can only conclude ( and not for the first time, unfortunately ) that First Citizens Bank only hires careless, lazy, and minimally unintelligent people : " Unfortunately, we are not able to discuss beneficiaries by email or over the phone '' THEN WHY DID YOU TELL US ON XX/XX/XXXX TO CALL YOU ON THE PHONE? 

" Please contact your local branch to review any beneficiaries on your account. They will also be able to assist you with any necessary beneficiary maintenance '' OH MY XXXX, THIS CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A LIVING VERSION OF XXXX XXXXXXXX! THEY REFERRED US TO THE BRANCH, WE INFORMED THEM THAT THE BRANCH IS CLOSED ( INSTEAD OF THEY NOTIFYING US ), AND NOW THEY ARE SENDING US BACK TO THE BRANCH AGAIN

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation