Consumer complaint received 2025-03-26 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I received a call on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX EST from Citizens Bank ( or at least I believed it was as it was their phone number ) XXXX to inform me that they blocked a suspicious transaction from XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$1500.00}, and the employee calling me had my full debit card number and knew what my last transaction was. Given this was Citizens number and he had my information ( I did not provide ), I engaged in the conversation. I do not remember his name. I confirmed I did not make that transaction, he said they would freeze my current debit card and send a new one - as well as block that transaction. 

He then asked if I had attempted a wire transfer, I told him I have never done that with my account. He said there was a pending transfer for {$2100.00} and he needed to transfer me to the wire department to ensure that was blocked also. He provided me with a case ID ( XXXX ) and a Ticket Number ( XXXX ) to reference if needed. I was passed on to someone named XXXX who said he saw the pending transfer and if this was not authorized he would need to enter the cancellation ticket using the IDs I got from the previous person. He knew the exact numbers. He said a cancellation ticket was being submitted and I would not see any money leave my account. 

I then saw {$2100.00} deducted from my account. I asked if the cancellation should do that, he said its temporary and would be refresh in the next 15 minutes. I said thank you and hung up. 15 minutes later I did not have my balance updated so I called Citizens ( using the number that called me ) - after being on hold for 15+ minutes ( so this is now 45 minutes after my money was taken ) and spoke to someone who said they did not block any debit transactions, they did not call me, and they did not cancel my debit card. I informed her of the exact events and she said she would escalate this to the wire department as fraud. I asked her to freeze my debit card and was told I could go to a branch for a new one. She said the wire transfer would be investigated and since it was flagged as fraudulent they would attempt to recall it and if it was successful the funds would be returned to my account. It had already been too long to stop the transfer. She gave me a legitimate ticket number ( XXXX ) to reference. 

I visited a local branch where I was given a new debit card. I also went to the local police department ( XXXX XXXX  ) and filed a police report. The next day ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I XXXX the XXXX IDs that the fraudster provided me and saw the one was a routing number for XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX  and the other must have been the account number the funds were sent to. The wire transfer said it was sent to me, but I do not have an account there that I am aware of. I then called this branch and confirmed they do not have any accounts open in my name. I provided the account number where the wire transfer was sent, they would not tell me anything because it wasn't my account and said that my bank would need to request a recall, indicate fraud, etc. 

I then called Citizens again, sat on hold for 30+ minutes and got to a person who said she had to transfer me to the wire department because it was wire related and not debit card. I was on hold another 30 minutes before I got to someone in the wire department who confirmed they had requested a recall but it did not get returned yet and I would have to wait for updates. I waited XXXX  days and called again on Friday ( XXXX ). I was told they did not have a recall response and would issue another. 

On Monday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I called again and spent another 45 minutes being transferred and put on hold, until I reached someone from fraud who told me " i would not receive updates on fraud, either I will see my money or I won't '' and said they issued a second recall and did not receive anything back. She also gave me an additional case number that she said was the correct one for the wire - XXXX. On Tuesday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I received a letter from citizens ( dated XXXX so the day after the fraud ) saying they investigated and the wire was sent by me so there was no error on their part. I believe I was hacked while on the phone with the individuals I perceived to be from Citizens as they called from the number and had all of my banking information. 

On Wednesday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I called Citizens again, sat on hold for XXXX minutes again until I reached someone in online banking fraud. I gave her the wire ticket ID and she said that XXXX wasn't correct and I needed the previous ID. She looked that up and said that they had found the wire was sent from my device ( so they are assuming from me ) and there was no error on their part. Despite me escalating as fraud, I was told the only way I would receive my funds was if XXXX returned them. In the meantime I have been speaking with my Local PD who is investigating and in disbelief that I can't get concrete updates if the other account was frozen for fraud, etc. I can confirm the account wasn't mine and the wire was sent TO me- so why was it delivered to that account? 

On Tuesday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I once again called Citizens for an update for the police and was told they didn't get any funds returned from the recall - I again sat on hold for XXXX minutes to get this update. They said I was at the mercy of the receiving bank to return it, and since it had been XXXX weeks it was very unlikely at this point. 

On Friday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I called the XXXX XXXX XXXX  that received the funds again to ask if they received the recall request/provided the account number/froze for fraud, etc. I was told I couldn't have any details as the account was not mine - and my bank would need to work on my behalf for this. I told him I have been trying for over XXXX weeks and they haven't been able to recover the funds as XXXX  has not returned it. 

I then called Citizens where I was on hold another XXXX minutes, and spoke to someone who told me they issued XXXX recalls and the funds were not sent back, so they have closed my case. If the money is returned they will replace it to my account and reopen the case, but again it has now been nearly XXXX weeks so that is highly unlikely. 

I still have not had my {$2100.00} returned and can't get any updates from either bank, but neither seem to be concerned with the fraud, the impersonating citizens bank, the hacking, and recovering stolen money.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation