Consumer complaint received 2026-04-21 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: PNC Bank N.A.
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
XXXXRichard A. Legg Sr., XXXX XXXX PNC Bank, N.A. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXCONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU ELDER DIVISIONXXXXFORMAL CONSUMER COMPLAINT\XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX COMPLAINANT: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX years old Protected Elder ConsumerXXXXRESPONDENTSXXXXRespondent 1: PNC Bank, N.A. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Original Creditor: PNC Bank, N.A. | Assigned Collector: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Date of Assignment to NES: On or about XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date of Charge-Off: XXXX XXXX XXXX. PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ELDER CONSUMER & DOCUMENTED HARM\nComplainant, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXyear-old elder consumer residing in XXXX acting XXXX XXXX Under the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the CFPB maintains a dedicated Office for Older Americans charged with protecting consumers aged XXXX and older from financial exploitation, predatory practices, and abusive debt collection. This complaint is submitted with the express request that it be routed to the CFPB\'s Office for Older Americans for priority review.XXXXThis complaint will be concurrently directed to the XXXX Attorney General\'s XXXX XXXX XXXX as the conduct described herein a deliberate pattern of delay, non-response, and contradictory legal positions designed to exhaust a XXXX-year-old consumer into abandonment of his rights constitutes elder financial abuse under XXXX law.XXXXDocumented Financial HarmXXXXThe real-world damage caused by RespondentsXXXX conduct is concrete and severe:XXXXComplainant\'s credit score has collapsed from a XXXX XXXX score reflecting decades of responsible financial management to a current XXXX score of XXXX, a catastrophic drop of more than XXXX points.XXXXComplainant acknowledges that broader financial hardship including the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic on his business and current health challenges has contributed to overall credit stress. However, PNC\'s willful and continued inaccurate reporting of a transferred debt as an active outstanding balance is a direct, identifiable, and separable cause of material credit damage. The inaccurate tradeline has compounded existing hardship on a XXXXyear-old elder consumer on a XXXX income who is simultaneously managing serious health concerns making the harm not merely financial, but deeply personal and life-altering.XXXX XXXX point credit score collapse affects every dimension of financial life: access to credit, interest rates, housing eligibility, insurance premiums, and basic financial dignity. For a XXXX-year-old elder, this damage is not an inconvenience it is a crisis.XXXXThe CFPB exists precisely to prevent institutions from weaponizing inaccurate reporting against vulnerable consumers. That is exactly what has occurred here.XXXX THE FATAL LEGAL CONTRADICTIONXXXXThe CFPB is asked to note the single most critical fact in this complaint the irreconcilable legal contradiction at the heart of PNC\'s conductXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, PNC issued a written determination that the credit reporting on this account was "accurate and complete.XXXXYet PNC simultaneouslyXXXXSent XXXX settlement offers XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX each offering to accept XXXX of the alleged balance, forgiving XXXXIssued a charge-off notice on XXXX XXXX XXXX the same date this complaint is filedXXXX offers of XXXX forgiveness on a debt PNC simultaneously claimed was "accurate and complete." A charge-off issued on a debt PNC claimed was accurately reported XXXX weeks earlier. And critically a debt assigned to a XXXXparty collector on XXXX XXXX XXXX cannot be "accurately" reported as an outstanding balance by the original creditor XXXX months later.XXXXThese facts cannot be reconciled. PNCXXXX XXXX XXXX determination was either negligently or knowingly false constituting willful noncompliance under 15 U.S.C. 1681XXXXRespondents cannot claim the "bona fide error" defense under 15 U.S.C. 1692k(c) or 1681s-2. Complainant provided two certified written disputes XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with explicit notice of the specific inaccuracies. Any error persisting after receipt of those notices is, by definition, not bona fide. It is willful.XXXX CFPB SUPERVISORY AUTHORITYXXXXhe CFPB holds direct supervisory authority over PNC Bank, N.A. as a large depository institution under 12 U.S.C. 5515, and over XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX as a nonbank covered person under 12 U.S.C. 5514. Both entities are subject to CFPB examination, enforcement, and civil money penalties without referral to another agency. The Bureau has full authority to act decisively and immediately on this complaintXXXX CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF VIOLATIONSXXXX XXXX XXXX Debt Assigned to XXXX XXXX XXXXPNC transferred Account No. XXXX XXXX XXXX Upon this assignment, PNC\'s obligations under FCRA 1681s-2(a) and the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX the industry-standard reporting format to which PNC, as a data furnisher, is contractually and legally bound required it to:XXXXReport a zero balance to all consumer reporting agenciesXXXXUpdate account status to XXXX XXXX; andXXXXCease reporting any outstanding balance.\nPNC did none of these things. It continued reporting an outstanding balance of XXXX a balance it no longer legally held in direct violation of XXXX XXXX standards and 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2(a)(1)(A).\XXXX XXXX XXXX Formal Dispute Sent to PNC (Certified MailXXXXComplainant sent a formal written dispute to PNC (USPS Tracking No. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX demanding:XXXXCorrection of the outstanding balance to XXXXUpdate of account status to XXXXWritten confirmation of corrections to all XXXX XXXX andXXXXResponse by XXXX XXXX XXXXPNC failed to respond by the XXXX XXXX XXXX deadlineXXXX XXXX XXXX PNC\'s XXXX XXXX Letter\nPNC issued a form letter stating:XXXXBased upon review of our records and of all pertinent information currently available, we have determined that the information furnished to the credit reporting agencies is both accurate and complete. As a result, we are unable to adjust or delete this information."XXXXThis response is legally defective on its face:XXXXt fails to identify the method of verification used a direct violation of 15 U.S.C. 1681i(a)(6)(B)(iii), which requires a written description of the procedure used to determine accuracy.XXXXIt is factually contradicted by PNC\'s own subsequent conduct XXXX settlement offers and a charge-off issued within weeks of this "accurate and complete" determination.XXXXIt does not address the core dispute that PNC transferred the debt to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and therefore has no legal basis to report any outstanding balanceXXXX XXXX XXXX Formal Notice of Intent Filed with Both RespondentsXXXXComplainant sent a comprehensive Notice of Intent to both PNC and XXXX via USPS Certified Mail (Tracking XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX), demanding:XXXXImmediate deletion of all unverified tradelinesXXXXCessation of all collection activity;XXXXComplete debt validation from XXXX; andXXXXWritten confirmation of compliance.XXXXNeither PNC nor XXXX respondedXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Settlement Offers (Self-IncriminatingXXXXPNC sent XXXX settlement offers XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX each offering to accepXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX as full and final settlement, forgiving XXXX% of the alleged balance.XXXXThese offers are self-incriminating admissions. A bank does not offer XXXX% debt forgiveness XXXX times on a debt it has determined is "accurate and complete." These letters implicitly acknowledge the debt\'s disputed and uncertain status, directly contradicting the XXXX XXXX determination. Furthermore, PNC is making repeated collection attempts on a debt it previously assigned to XXXX constituting dual-collection activityXXXX XXXX XXXX PNC Charge-Off Notice XXXX XXXX XXXXOn this date the same date this complaint is filed PNC sent an email statingXXXXYou haven\'t repaid your Credit Card account ending in XXXX or responded to our attempts to contact you. As a result, we\'ve charged off your unpaid balance as an outstanding debt.XXXXThis notice is legally devastating to PNC\'s position on XXXX XXXX grounds:XXXXThe debt was already assigned to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX months prior. PNC cannot charge off a debt it no longer owns.XXXXPNC\'s XXXX XXXX letter claimed reporting was "accurate and complete." A charge-off is a materially different account status proving that determination was false when madeXXXXPNC is simultaneously directing Complainant to its own XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX is also collecting constituting dual collection on the same debt, an independent UDAAP violationXXXXThe statement that Complainant "hasn\'t responded" is demonstrably false. Complainant sent two certified mail disputes XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX that PNC received and partially acknowledged. This false statement constitutes a deceptive representation under 15 U.S.C. 1692eXXXX SPECIFIC LEGAL VIOLATIONSXXXX. FCRA Violations PNC Bank, N.A.XXXXViolationXXXXStatuteXXXXContinued reporting of outstanding balance after debt transfer to XXXX failure to report zero balance and XXXX" status per XXXX XXXX standardsXXXX15 U.S.C. 1681s-2(a)(1)(A)\nFailure to conduct reasonable reinvestigation of disputeXXXX15 U.S.C. 1681i(a)(1)\nFailure to provide method of verification in dispute responseXXXX15 U.S.C. 1681i(a)(6)(B)(iii)\nContinued inaccurate reporting after receiving XXXX certified written disputesXXXX15 U.S.C. 1681s-2(b)XXXXWillful noncompliance knowing or reckless disregard of consumer rights; bona fide error defense unavailableXXXX15 U.S.C. 1681XXXX. FDCPA Violations XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXViolationXXXXStatuteXXXXFailure to provide required debt validation noticeXXXX15 U.S.C. 1692g(a)\nContinued collection activity after written dispute without providing verificationXXXX15 U.S.C. 1692g(b)XXXXFalse representation of character, amount, or legal status of debtXXXX15 U.S.C. 1692e and 1692e(2)(A)XXXXCommunicating credit information without disclosing disputed statusXXXX15 U.S.C. 1692e(8)XXXXUnfair and unconscionable collection practicesXXXX15 U.S.C. 1692XXXXC. UDAAP Violation Both RespondentsXXXXThe simultaneous collection of the same debt by both PNC and XXXX constitutes an unfair, deceptive, and abusive act or practice under 12 U.S.C. 5531 of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, independent of all FCRA and FDCPA violations above.XXXX XXXX State Law ViolationsXXXXThe conduct described herein violates the XXXX Consumer Sales Practices Act, XXXX Rev. Code 1345.01 et seq., and constitutes elder financial abuse subject to referral to the XXXX Attorney General\'s Elder Justice Unit and the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX PATTERN OF DELIBERATE DELAY AND ATTRITIONXXXXComplainant\'s ActionXXXXRespondents\' ResponseXXXX XXXX XXXXCertified dispute sent to PNCXXXXNo response by XXXX XXXX deadlineXXXX XXXX XXXXPNC issues defective form letter; no method of verification providedXXXX XXXX XXXXFormal Notice of Intent sent (certified) to PNC and XXXXNo response from either partyXXXX XXXX XXXXPNC sends settlement offer XXXX ignores all disputesXXXX XXXX XXXXPNC sends settlement offer XXXX ignores all disputesXXXX XXXX XXXXPNC sends email settlement offer XXXX ignores all disputes\XXXX XXXX XXXXThis complaint filed\nPNC charges off account no dispute ever resolvedXXXX months. XXXX XXXX disputes. XXXX substantive responses. XXXX document production. XXXX method of verification provided. XXXX debt validation from XXXXThis is not inadvertence. This is a calculated strategy of attrition directed at a XXXX-year-old elder consumer managing health challenges and fixed-income financial pressures. The CFPB\'s intervention is necessary and urgently requestedXXXX. RELIEF REQUESTEDXXXXComplainant respectfully requests that the CFPB:XXXXOpen a formal investigation into PNC Bank, N.A. and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. for the willful violations documented herein;XXXXOrder PNC to immediately delete all tradelines related to Account No. XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX with written documentary proof of deletion provided to Complainant within XXXX days;XXXXOrder XXXX to immediately cease all collection activity and provide complete debt validation as required by 15 U.S.C. 1692gXXXXInvestigate the dual-collection scheme in which both PNC and XXXX appear to be simultaneously collecting on the same account, and demand production of the complete assignment agreement between PNC and XXXX including the date of execution, terms of transfer, and any representations made regarding the disputed status of the account at the time of assignment;XXXXAssess civil money penalties against both Respondents for willful violations of the FCRA, FDCPA, and CFPA;XXXXRoute this complaint to the CFPB\'s Office for Older Americans given Complainant\'s age of XXXX years, for priority review and actionXXXXRefer this matter to the XXXX Attorney General\XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and Consumer Protection Section for concurrent investigation; andXXXXRequire both Respondents to provide a written explanation of all reinvestigation steps taken or not taken in response to Complainant\'s disputes.XXXXSettlement DemandXXXXIn lieu of protracted regulatory proceedings, Complainant demandsXXXXXXXX) Immediate deletion of all tradelines from all XXXX XXXX with written confirmationXXXX Written confirmation of XXXX cessation of all collection activity; andXXXX) Monetary compensation of XXXX reflecting statutory damages under FCRA (up to XXXX per willful violation under 1681n) and FDCPA (up to XXXX under 1692k), plus documented actual damages to Complainant\'s credit profile XXXXnwithin XXXX days of this filing.XXXX. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATIONXXXXExhibit A Demand for Accurate Credit Reporting, XXXX XXXX XXXX (with USPS Certified Mail receipts)XXXXExhibit XXXX PNC Defective Reinvestigation Response, XXXX XXXX XXXXExhibit XXXX Notice of Intent to File Regulatory Complaints, XXXX XXXX XXXX (with USPS Certified Mail receipts)XXXXExhibit XXXX PNC Settlement Letters XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXExhibit XXXX PNC Charge-Off Email, XXXX XXXX XXXXExhibit XXXX Government-issued identificationXXXX. CERTIFICATIONXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief. I am the consumer identified above, I am acting Pro Se, and I have personal knowledge of all facts stated hereinXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX CLOSING STATEMENTXXXXComplainant is a XXXXyear-old elder consumer, acting XXXX XXXX who has done everything the law requires and more. XXXX certified disputes. Documented delivery. Specific legal citations. Explicit deadlines. Respondents have responded with form letters, silence, XXXX contradictory settlement offers, and a charge-off notice issued on the same day this complaint is filedXXXXComplainant watched his credit score fall from XXXX XXXX XXXX He has navigated the economic wreckage of a global pandemic, the decline of his business, and serious health challenges all while methodically, carefully, and lawfully pursuing his rights under federal and state consumer protection law.XXXXComplainant is not going away.XXXXThe CFPB exists precisely for this moment to stand between a financial institution\'s calculated strategy of attrition and the elder consumer it is designed to exhaust. Complainant respectfully but firmly requests that the Bureau exercise the full measure of its authority.XXXXConcurrent referrals directed toXXXXCFPB Office for Older AmericansXXXX Attorney General XXXX XXXX XXXX & Consumer Protection SectionXXXXOffice of the Comptroller of the CurrencyXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation