Consumer complaint received 2024-11-12 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low — Bounced checks or returned payments
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
Back from around XX/XX/year>, I got fired from my position in XXXX XXXX, so I had a time where I owed Citizens over XXXX... 
I started my new job that I currently have at XXXX XXXX in the kitchen. I began direct deposit to that account to repay it, as well as have my own account. 
I was unaware that my account had closed, but accepted it, as it took me a little time to get a new position. 
Citizens informed me upon calling to get the remainder from the first deposit ( it was either about {$36.00} or {$130.00} left from my check after paying the owed balance ) that it had closed, and the remainder was to be mailed to the address on file. The next check was to also be sent to the said address on file, as it had begun the deposit process before finding out about the closed account. 

The XXXX business days had passed and nothing to be seen... I called a couple days after the expected delivery date had passed with still no mail or call or email. 
The customer service agent I called confirmed that the corrected mailing address on file. They also confirmed that there was a mistake of some kind on their end and they somehow did not mail it at all to ANY mailing address on file. The agent also reconfirmed that the owed balance to the closed account had been paid and I still was owed the remainder as well as the check that deposited without me getting the funds. They apologized and resent the check to the mailing address on file in XXXX... It was to arrive in yet another XXXX business days in the mailbox. 
Time passed .... The aforementioned timespan of business days came and went and no mail still, even after giving it a few extra days to be safe. So I called again to figure out what was the issue... When I got ahold of another agent they seemed confused as they went over the old account- the account was still paid off with owed due balance back, the check that was still owed back to me also did not get sent yet again... The issue was confirmed to have been noted to my account and they yet again agreed it was a mistake on their end, as my job said they got no notification about the check sent to the account, even with me AND my boss attempting to reach out to resolve the issue... 
So yet again, they said " sorry, nothing we can do but try to resend it to the address on file and wait out the days... If it doesn't send we will try to send it to the closest Citizens Bank. '' I was growing frustrated even more so, as this was an issue for almost 2 months by this point. But I accepted and asked to please have some type of contact by phone or email on any update of any kind. 

Waited the XXXX business day period, including any bank holidays in between, and still no mail or notification of any kind. After a few more days of waiting, I called to speak to a representative from Citizens Bank again. Confirmed it still was not sent, and said I will have to wait until they mail it to the closest branch ( a city away where I have no car ). They " promised '' they called the branch manager to make sure it got sent over, and I would be notified by the end of yet another XXXX business day period. I also made it a point to keep checking the mail in case of any more confusion on top of keeping my phone and email on check during the waiting period. 
No call, so finally after like another XXXX business days I called again as no notification or mail or any of my owed money has been returned to me at any point. I had offered multiple times as well to give my new bank account info if that was possible to make it work easier, to which they declined. They said it wasn't there yet so I waited another full week with no call to call them back. They confirmed it was there and they were notified by the XXXX XXXX XXXX that it had indeed arrived and they were waiting for me with my ID. 

I took an XXXX out there which was about {$18.00}... The branch manager was away with someone covering for him from another district. They had not gotten any calls or emails or mail. They did not have my check that the agent on the Citizens Bank customer service line said would be there. 
The manager covering at the time tried to be helpful- he understood that it was still their fault and miscommunication... We called the head of customer service right there in his office ... Another arrangement of her and the manager covering saying sorry and they didn't understand why it hasn't been sent yet. So together they told me I had to wait YET ANOTHER XXXX business days. I was incredibly infuriated by this time, as I spent money that I needed to XXXX a town from XXXX to XXXX because I was told it was most definitely ready and there for me to pick up with my ID. I asked if there was a way I could like at least get funds for the ride XXXX way that I was not expecting to pay because of their company. The Customer service lead on the phone said no quite rudely over he phone- the covering manager even tried asking as it was not my fault that I spent funds that I told would be waiting for me and was owed to me on their confirmed fault. 

So I spent more money out of budget at their fault to get home and wait the time span told in front of me by both of them ... Another XXXX business days. 

At this point it was XX/XX/XXXX when I left that branch to wait again... I called around XX/XX/XXXX the actual bank branch.. they confirmed I had a note saying I had a check coming and they would call me to notify. I waited another business week with no call. I called the branch again and this time they had no idea what I was talking about at all suddenly. So I called customer service again. 
They said they mailed it out XX/XX/XXXX, even though they said they mailed it that day XX/XX/XXXX when I left after all the other miscommunications. They said to wait till XX/XX/XXXX to try the bank again and if not call customer service again. 
So I called the bank on XX/XX/XXXX and of course they said it hasn't gotten there yet. So I called customer service again. They said SOMETHING went wrong with the mailing and it had not been sent at all... The woman agent on the customer service line said it wasn't even supposed to be sent there, and tried making me feel bad about having been told that was what was to be done with MY OWED FUNDS. 
So she said she would send it to my address on file again and not the bank... When I asked again if she could try to just send it to my account somehow she said it wasn't possible and it " was not the company 's fault that they couldn't control the postal system. '' I was told I would be called again when it would come, and it should be in the mail address on file as confirmed prior. 
No email, no mail, no check, no call, and nothing in my account. I even made a point to check my closed Citizens Bank account online ( nothing to see but my personal info, no account of any kind or funds at all. 
It's now XX/XX/XXXX and no funds nor notification has been brought my way. I don't even want to bother contacting them again after all this, especially with how I was spoken to last time, even when it's confirmed to be Citizens Bank at fault for me missing out on a XXXX hr work week. 

If I could maybe please get some assistance on handling this it would be appreciated- I don't even want to cause problems but I feel like I have been incredibly patient and compromising for something that isn't really my fault, especially as the company confirmed I paid the owed fees and that they were at fault for my lost funds.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation