Around 2022, PNC Financial Services Group and its banking subsidiary were defending a mix of consumer class actions, employee wage claims, and a federal regulatory enforcement action. The most concrete outcome in 2022 itself was a $2.6 million civil penalty from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency over flood insurance violations. Several other PNC lawsuits active in 2022, including a closely watched home equity line of credit case and a pandemic-era mortgage suit, were still working their way through the courts and would not resolve for years. Here is what each of those matters involved and where they stand.
OCC Flood Insurance Consent Order
In July 2022, the OCC entered a consent order with PNC Bank, N.A. finding that the bank’s policies had allowed a third-party servicer to extend the 45-day window for force-placing flood insurance on residential loans in flood zones. The gaps in coverage had persisted since at least 2016. PNC had identified the problem internally and begun fixing it before the order was finalized.1Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Consent Order AA-ENF-2022-23
PNC agreed to a civil monetary penalty of $2,614,456, paid to the National Flood Insurance Program.1Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Consent Order AA-ENF-2022-23 The bank consented without admitting or denying wrongdoing.2Law360. OCC Fines PNC Bank $2.6M Over Flood Insurance Errors
Lyons v. PNC Bank: HELOC Setoff Case
Filed in August 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Lyons v. PNC Bank, N.A. became one of the most legally significant PNC cases pending during 2022. William Lyons Jr. alleged PNC unlawfully pulled roughly $1,400 from his checking accounts in September 2019 and about $1,600 in February 2020 to cover balances on his home equity line of credit, without notice, a practice known as setoff.3U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Lyons v. PNC Bank, N.A., No. 22-1943
The core question was whether the Truth in Lending Act’s ban on offsets against “credit card plans” also covers HELOCs that can be drawn on using a credit card. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed an amicus brief in November 2022 arguing the anti-offset rule does apply to card-accessible HELOCs under Regulation Z.4Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Lyons v. PNC Bank, N.A.
In August 2024, a divided Fourth Circuit panel agreed with Lyons on that question, holding that “credit card plan” under TILA includes a HELOC accessed by credit card. It reversed dismissal of the TILA claim and remanded. On a separate issue, the court affirmed that the CFPB could exempt HELOCs from certain mortgage servicing requirements under RESPA. PNC’s petition for rehearing was denied in November 2024.3U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Lyons v. PNC Bank, N.A., No. 22-1943 On remand, the district court granted summary judgment to PNC on Lyons’s individual damages claims but kept the case alive, with the class certification motion held in abeyance as of early 2026.5ABA Banking Journal. Maryland Federal Court Declines to Dismiss Lawsuit Against PNC Over Alleged Unlawful HELOC Withdrawals
COVID-19 Mortgage Payment Deferral Class Action
In October 2021, borrowers filed a putative class action in the District of Maryland alleging that PNC mishandled Fannie Mae’s COVID-19 payment deferral program. According to the complaint, when borrowers deferred mortgage payments under pandemic relief agreements, PNC improperly added the deferred amounts back into the outstanding principal balance, in effect double-charging them for past-due principal and interest.6HousingWire. PNC Bank Breached COVID-19 Payment Deferral Agreement, Suit
The plaintiffs alleged violations of the Truth in Lending Act for inaccurate mortgage statements, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act for failing to investigate error notices, and the Maryland Consumer Protection Act. They sought damages, restitution of overcharges, and an order forcing PNC to recalculate balances and refund affected borrowers.7ClassAction.org. Akins et al. v. PNC Bank, N.A. PNC declined to comment when the case was filed.6HousingWire. PNC Bank Breached COVID-19 Payment Deferral Agreement, Suit
PNC v. Plaid Trademark Case
PNC sued fintech Plaid Inc. in December 2020 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, alleging trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and false advertising. PNC said Plaid had bypassed its online authentication process by replicating the bank’s login screen, including PNC trademarks and logos, to collect user credentials and financial data.8Bloomberg Law. PNC, Plaid Denied Summary Judgment in Trademark Suit
The case was still active throughout 2022. In 2024, a federal judge denied both sides’ summary judgment motions, and before the September 2024 trial the parties settled on confidential terms. As part of the resolution, PNC and Plaid entered a data-sharing arrangement letting PNC customers use Plaid to connect their accounts to fintech apps such as Venmo and Cash App. The docket was terminated on September 20, 2024.9Bloomberg Law. Wells Fargo, PNC Pushing Fintechs to Use Bank-Backed Data Firm10CourtListener. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. v. Plaid Inc.
Wage and Hour Cases Active in 2022
Two employee pay cases were in progress during 2022.
Scheid v. PNC Bank, later captioned Kazi v. PNC Bank, was filed in 2018 and alleged that PNC failed to properly compensate California mortgage loan officers for rest breaks and issued inaccurate wage statements. The plaintiffs argued PNC’s incentive compensation formula effectively clawed back regular pay as deductions, in violation of California Labor Code rules requiring separately compensated rest periods.11National Mortgage Professional. PNC Bank Pays Near $12M to Settle MLO Rest Break Lawsuit After six years of litigation, the parties reached an $11.85 million settlement, with final approval in October 2024 and dismissal in April 2025. PNC continued to deny liability.12California MLO Settlement. Important Documents
Herbin v. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., filed in June 2019 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, involved customer service representatives who alleged PNC required them to work off the clock. According to the plaintiffs, employees were told not to clock in until preliminary tasks like booting up computers and reading emails were done, and to clock out before shutting down at the end of a shift, adding up to as much as three hours of unpaid overtime a week. PNC settled for $2.75 million, reported in January 2020.13HR Dive. PNC Pays $2.75M to Settle Unpaid Time Suit
California Mortgage Payment Fee Settlement
Corona v. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., filed in the Central District of California, targeted fees PNC charged California consumers who made mortgage payments by phone or online between June 2016 and March 2021. The case settled for $662,000, and eligible class members were automatically included without having to file a claim.14Top Class Actions. PNC Mortgage Fees $662K Class Action Settlement
Later PNC Litigation Worth Knowing About
Several PNC cases that surface in searches for the bank’s litigation history were filed after 2022 and are worth flagging so you can tell them apart.
In January 2025, Michigan resident Marlene Dehner filed a proposed class action in the Western District of Pennsylvania alleging PNC Investments swept uninvested brokerage cash into affiliated PNC Bank accounts paying 0.04% while competitors were paying around 5%. A magistrate judge recommended in late April 2026 that the breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims proceed.15Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. PNC Bank Lawsuit Interest Rates16Bloomberg Law. PNC Loses Traction Over Cash Sweep Contract Breach Class Claim
PNC also faces website-tracking privacy claims. Birdsall v. The PNC Financial Services Group Inc., filed in September 2025 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, alleges PNC used LinkedIn tracking technology to intercept user interactions with its site in violation of the Pennsylvania Wiretap Act. A judge remanded the case to state court in March 2026.17Top Class Actions. Class Action Accuses PNC Bank of Spying on Website Users18PACER Monitor. Birdsall v. PNC Bank, N.A. A separate April 2026 California case names PNC among banks accused of letting third parties like LinkedIn, Trade Desk, Pinterest, and Snap collect data on visitors’ financial circumstances.19Bloomberg Law. PNC Bank, US Bank, Wells Fargo Sued Over Online Data Tracking
In March 2026, a lawsuit was filed in New Jersey’s Essex Superior Court on behalf of 76-year-old Jeffrey Maas, alleging PNC processed two large wire transfers on consecutive days without questioning them while scammers directed Maas to buy $390,000 in gold coins from a co-defendant coin dealer.20Pollock Cohen LLP. Pollock Cohen Files Lawsuit Against PNC Bank and American Coin Alleging Negligence in Elder Care Financial Exploitation
Finally, a proposed class action filed in 2025 (Blunt v. The PNC Financial Services Group Inc.) followed a threat actor’s claim to have taken 740,000 PNC customer records. PNC said its systems had not been breached, and the case was voluntarily dismissed in September 2025.21Top Class Actions. PNC Bank Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Data Breach Exposing 740,000 Records