Very long story made somewhat shorter, my three PNC Bank checking accounts were compromised and eventually locked. I noticed the fraudulent withdrawal and called them in late May. Took them four days to do anything and once they did the accounts were locked - couldn't take any money out. Yesterday I was on the phone setting up a meeting with a nice, helpful young lady and during the discussion she asked me if I had made the five recent mobile deposits which I had. Meeting set for Thursday morning.
Another young lady called me this morning, Wednesday, to confirm the meeting and said it appeared that some of the transactions were for guns. Also that they do not permit gun transactions using their accounts and if that was my intent they would give me a cashiers check for the combined balances - implying that I could take my business elsewhere. These combined checking accounts totaled quite a bit of money. I would think they would very much want to keep me as a customer but apparently not.
How did they figure it out? One of my buyers on Gunbroker sent a cashiers check and in the Memo field he had written Tikka T3 NIB. That was one of the mobile deposits and is the only way I can think of.
Here, in the middle of conservative, rural, Trump country PA you can't use a PNC checking account to buy or sell a gun? Might tell her I want it in cash and bury it out back...
******************************************************************
Update: I met with the customer service rep, nice lady, who told me I'd have to close the existing accounts and open new ones. I said I wasn't interested in doing that because of PNC's policy regarding firearms. She never even paused and asked me what I'd like to do with the funds. The best solution she offered was to wire the money to accounts I have in Florida. Took her a while, maybe 45 minutes, but when she was done the money was in the Florida accounts according to my phone.
Then the assistant manager, the woman who called and gave me the no guns lecture, came in and asked if there were any questions. I asked about the no guns policy and specifically some possible transactions.
1 - Could my daughter, also a PNC customer, write a check to purchase a gun?
A. Yes if it was a personal account.
2 - Could she sell the gun and deposit the check in her PNC account?
A. No, not a personal account. They audit the checks and if they think the payment was for a firearm they will close the account.
3- What about a business account?
A. We do not offer business accounts to firearms related businesses.
4- Do you, representing PNC, realize that many gun owners would not do business with you if they knew of your no firearms policy?
A. PNC realized when they established this policy that there was a downside risk but that there was a greater exposure from dealing with people who buy and sell guns especially online.
5 - Can you show me where all this is documented? I would think that if I opened an account here, which would be closed if I deposited a check from a firearm sale, that information should be disclosed before you took my money.
A. It's in the rules and regulations somewhere.
I left feeling unfulfilled.....
Keep in mind this was from a somewhat ditzy young new assistant branch manager so I don't know if it's like this for all of PNC.
Another young lady called me this morning, Wednesday, to confirm the meeting and said it appeared that some of the transactions were for guns. Also that they do not permit gun transactions using their accounts and if that was my intent they would give me a cashiers check for the combined balances - implying that I could take my business elsewhere. These combined checking accounts totaled quite a bit of money. I would think they would very much want to keep me as a customer but apparently not.
How did they figure it out? One of my buyers on Gunbroker sent a cashiers check and in the Memo field he had written Tikka T3 NIB. That was one of the mobile deposits and is the only way I can think of.
Here, in the middle of conservative, rural, Trump country PA you can't use a PNC checking account to buy or sell a gun? Might tell her I want it in cash and bury it out back...
******************************************************************
Update: I met with the customer service rep, nice lady, who told me I'd have to close the existing accounts and open new ones. I said I wasn't interested in doing that because of PNC's policy regarding firearms. She never even paused and asked me what I'd like to do with the funds. The best solution she offered was to wire the money to accounts I have in Florida. Took her a while, maybe 45 minutes, but when she was done the money was in the Florida accounts according to my phone.
Then the assistant manager, the woman who called and gave me the no guns lecture, came in and asked if there were any questions. I asked about the no guns policy and specifically some possible transactions.
1 - Could my daughter, also a PNC customer, write a check to purchase a gun?
A. Yes if it was a personal account.
2 - Could she sell the gun and deposit the check in her PNC account?
A. No, not a personal account. They audit the checks and if they think the payment was for a firearm they will close the account.
3- What about a business account?
A. We do not offer business accounts to firearms related businesses.
4- Do you, representing PNC, realize that many gun owners would not do business with you if they knew of your no firearms policy?
A. PNC realized when they established this policy that there was a downside risk but that there was a greater exposure from dealing with people who buy and sell guns especially online.
5 - Can you show me where all this is documented? I would think that if I opened an account here, which would be closed if I deposited a check from a firearm sale, that information should be disclosed before you took my money.
A. It's in the rules and regulations somewhere.
I left feeling unfulfilled.....
Keep in mind this was from a somewhat ditzy young new assistant branch manager so I don't know if it's like this for all of PNC.
Last edited:
