Consumer complaint received 2023-03-06
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: PA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Privacy issues

Complaint:
I've had a Wells Fargo VISA for years with no issues or problems. On XX/XX/XXXX, I used the card in store at the XXXX XXXX XXXX located in XXXX, Pennsylvania between XXXXXXXX XXXX and XXXXXXXX XXXX On Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX, I went to our local XXXX XXXX to get gas between XXXX - XXXXXXXX XXXX When I returned home, I went into the website to do my weekly banking. When I opened up the app on my computer, it revealed that there were XXXX  ( XXXX ) pending transactions from XXXX, and XXXX from XXXX, and all dated XX/XX/XXXX, right after the XXXXXXXX XXXX charge. I called Wells Fargo immediately. The call lasted over 9 minutes. The Wells Fargo representative could not advise me on why there were so many charge attempts but asked if I wanted to close the account to avoid future attempts. I said yes. The card I had was no longer useful. 

I took XXXX ( XXXX ) weeks before I received the new card on XX/XX/XXXX. I activated it, but did not used it right away. When I went to do my banking on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I found a {$55.00} charge from XXXXXXXX XXXX for an annual membership that was not due to renew until XX/XX/XXXX ( they charged me a full year 's membership for only XXXX months ( different problem ). 

I called XXXX XXXX because I was upset seeing my new credit card ( activated XXXX days before this charge ) sitting on their website. I have several accounts that require a monthly payment ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, etc. ) and none of them have automatic payments set up, so I know I did not set this up automatically either. I also did not update my credit card information from XXXX because I was deciding whether it was worth renewing it at {$55.00} when I paid {$30.00} last year, and I thought I had a month to make that decision. 

When I spoke to the representative at XXXXXXXX XXXX, they advised me that my credit card company, Wells Fargo, gave them the new card information ( all XXXX digits, expiration date and the CCV code ). I can't even describe the feelings that came over me. A brand-new credit card, XXXX days old in activation, and it was just handed over to a company without my knowledge or permission, then they allowed the charge to go through. 

I had the charge reversed, and then called Wells Fargo, which has been a nightmare to deal with on a higher level than the fraud of the card. 

They said it was a " convenience '' procedure to update revolving charges so that the customer would not have to do it. I'm pretty sure you have to get permission from the actual cardholder to do something like that, but the XXXX representatives I spoke to said we don't have to get permission, we just do it. The second one asked if I wanted to talk to a customer advocate. I agreed. Big mistake. 

To date, the only phone call I received from Wells Fargo was a missed call because the number was not " verified ''. When I XXXX  the number it showed Wells Fargo. I called them back, and spent over XXXX minutes, XXXX seconds re-explaining the problem. This was on XX/XX/XXXX. 

In the meantime, I had filed a complaint with the XXXX  Attorney General 's Office for assistance. They have closed the case because Wells Fargo has decided not to mediate the case. 

I received a letter from Wells Fargo, dated XX/XX/XXXX. These are the " troubling '' words that they wrote : Wells Fargo takes its responsibility to safeguard the funds of our customers very seriously, and we take many measures to prevent fraudulent and unauthorized activity. Our records indicate that a lost or stolen transfer was initiated on the account ending in XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. A lost or stolen transfer is used in situations where the possibility of fraud exists. 

This was NOT taken seriously. I called Wells Fargo. I noticed the transactions. I told them what was occurring. 

Next problem : When credit cards are closed, if you have not reached out to the merchant that the subscriptions on your card to let them know that they have to be cancelled, the new account will be charged. Our Fraud Department would not have give the merchant the new account number over the phone as that is not anything they are able to do. Based on your account records, we do not show where the merchant called in nor did we provide them with the full account number. 

If Wells Fargo did not provide them with the new card information, how did they get it? Is this standard procedure? If it is, where is the authorization from me to give out that new information? 

It is XXXX. You would think that financial institutions would try to assist consumers with all of the fraud that occurs on a daily basis. If they didn't give it out, I would like to know who did and where is the authorization from me to do so.

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 monetary relief