Consumer complaint received 2024-01-31
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: WA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I created an online dating profile with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. The subscription was automatically renewed on XX/XX/XXXX for a full 12 months until XX/XX/XXXX without my knowledge or right to make that decision. I only found out after 6 months when I saw money was still being taken out of my account by XXXX. They took out a total of three payments of {$210.00} on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX. The price doubled as well without my knowledge or authorization after 6 months. When I first signed up, I specifically selected a 6-month subscription, that is all I agreed to, not 12 months. These payments were automatically removed from my account each month as they save my debit card information. I tried the website for the first few months but afterwards, I no longer used the program and remained inactive for the past several months. After reviewing my bank statements and seeing that XXXX was still actively taking money out of my account after 6 months, I went to the XXXX website to cancel the services and noticed I was automatically selected by the company for auto-renewal and I had another year to go, which I never agreed to. When I selected cancel, it still stated for a full year, they would still continue to take money out of my profile until XX/XX/XXXX. I feel that is wrong, deceptive, and an injustice since I am being forced to continue paying for a full year for a service I do not want, and I have other important financial obligations ( e.g., bills, food, XXXX  fees, shelter, clothing, etc., ). I work very hard as a XXXX XXXX and do not want to waste my hard-earned money on a service that I do not use. When I attempted to call their customer service number regarding this matter, the phone numbers provided were all inactive and had a busy dial tone. I discovered the only method of communication is through email. I never heard of a company where you can not talk to a real live person to handle complaints especially when it comes to money, but instead you must wait for a response via email within 24-48 hrs. I do not feel that is good customer service and it shows how they truly feel about their consumers, all they care about is taking their money. 

I recently changed my credit card number so the prior credit card number that XXXX became inactive. The company attempted to charge my old debit card to renew it for another month ( XX/XX/XXXX, current month ), but the payment did not go through, and the profile was closed. Again, I do not have a need for this service and have not been actively using this service for several months, I should not have to be charged for this current month for a service that I am no longer interested in using. I reached out to customer service via email and expressed to them I have not been actively using this profile for months, and never agreed to an automatic renewal for 12 months ( until XX/XX/XXXX ), and I should not have to reactivate my profile and pay another fee for a service I do not wish to use. The customer service representative stated that I still must reactivate my profile and pay the outstanding balance for this new month, and they will continue to charge me monthly until XX/XX/XXXX. So, basically my concerns and request to get out of this subscription is not important to them just my money. I do not have a choice because my profile was deceptively marked by the company for a 12-month renewal, and because I wasnt actively using the service, I was not even aware that they changed my subscription to a 12-month subscription on XX/XX/XXXX. I do not agree that I should have to pay for this service for another month. They are trying to force me to pay an outstanding balance for this month even after they closed my account due to the payment not going through, I never used XXXX during XXXX or the previous several months so I should not have to pay the remaining balance. Even after my request to get out of their contract and waive this fee, they are still sending me notifications to pay another XXXX for this month or they will bill me the total balance for the entire year. This is poor treatment of a customer. If you check the reviews online specifically from the XXXX XXXX XXXX there are several customers who warn people about this scam. Unfortunately, I did not find these reviews until afterwards. I am asking for your help in waiving this outstanding balance because I do not plan or wish to use their services for another 8 months or pay for this month to renew this account as it will be a waste of money. I refuse to spend my hard-earned money when I no longer have an interest in using the service. Although I have expressed this to the company, they are still trying to force me to pay the outstanding balance which is not right. 

Again, it was never specified to me that my subscription would automatically renew to 12 months after 6 months of being a member. I did not agree to 12 months. I was never notified by the company at all or about the price increase after 6 months. It went from a bill of {$100.00} to {$210.00}. There was no notification via email or phone if I wanted to renew the subscription or not. The company selected this for me. When I spoke with customer service about why they did not give me the choice to renew this account or notify me in the days prior to this renewal, they told me that based on the state jurisdiction I live in, they are not obligated to inform me of this. After reading the XXXX reviews, on XXXX XXXX XXXX, this was the same autogenerated excuse for several paying customers. As a customer, I was not given the option to opt out of the automatic renewal, the company decided for me and proceeded to take money out of my account. They also never informed me about a renewal system or gave me a choice to opt out. This is a scam, and I will not pay for a charge for this month of XXXX when I am not using this account and the account was inactive. As a customer I deserve to be treated better. I was not informed or given a choice of the auto renewal so I should not have to pay the outstanding balance {$210.00} or remaining fees {$790.00}. Thanks. 

I filed a dispute with Wells Fargo bank in request that XXXX will be credited back to my account. Even after I submitted evidence to support this unauthorized purchase. They did not honor my request.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation