Consumer complaint received 2020-07-11
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: OK
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Account opened as a result of fraud

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, the VA ( Veteran Affairs ) declared me XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, which in the State of Oklahoma, these type of Veterans are no longer required to pay taxes on their home or residence. The XXXX County Treasurers Office made a decision to back pay me for the entire year ( XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX ) in taxes. On XX/XX/XXXX, they wrote a check in the amount of {$1800.00} payable to Wells Fargo. The Treasures Office mailed a check ( Number # XXXX ) to Wells Fargo Bank, due to that was where my mortgage was located. On XX/XX/XXXX, the XXXX County Treasurers Office sent off a letter with the check to Wells Fargo for the deposit of the check for a tax roll correction. 
Sometime in XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from Wells Fargo with the original check from XXXX County Treasurers Office and the original letter from the XXXX County Treasurers Office letter ( Signed by XXXX XXXX, Deputy XXXX County Treasurers Office ) from Wells Fargo. The sums of the letter was that Wells Fargo sent me the check due to they could not find a checking or savings account in my name. Even though my name and account number is on the check stub of the check. The letter was signed by XXXX XXXX XXXX, Operations Area Manager Enterprise Deposits, Exceptions and Returns Department. One of the two things should have happened with the check sent from XXXX County, # 1-Deposit the check into my mortgage account or # 2 Write another  check address to me and send that check to me. 
I contacted Wells Fargos Customer Service phone number to figure out what was going on with this check. The first customer service representative that I talked with stated that this situation was above her accessibility and she need to forward to me to a supervisor for assistance. I was put on phone with a male supervisor by the name of Mr. XXXX XXXX which I explained to him the current situation mentioned above. Mr. XXXX XXXX direct me to open a checking account and deposit the check via the mobile application. I asked Mr. XXXX, You understand that this check is made out to Wells Fargo, and not to me. The supervisor Mr. XXXX stated, I completely understand, we do this all the time and it will work, you will have to trust me. You will have the funds available to you within 24 to 48 hours. I stated, You understand this is illegal for me to endorse/sign the back of this check even though my name is not on it. Its made out to Wells Fargo. Supervisor Mr. XXXX stated, Trust me sir it will work. I asked, We are on a recorded line? Correct? Supervisor Mr. XXXX stated, Yes, we are. 
After I hung up the phone, I opened a checking account using {$25.00} of my own money, endorsed the check, and deposited the check into the account. 
Approximately three ( 3 ) or four ( 4 ) days later I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, informing me that Wells Fargo received a request to deposit a check in the amount of {$1800.00} and was not able to deposit due to Payee not on Account. I called the Wells Fargo customer service line again and was speaking to the customer service representative, Mr. XXXX XXXX. After explaining to Mr. XXXX the entire situation event he stated that I need to open an investigation case with the Customer Care Recovery Group which I agreed to do, in order to get to the bottom of this. I did as what Wells Fargo Supervisor XXXX directed to me to open a checking account and deposit the account and I still do not have my funds that was sent from XXXX Countys Treasurers Office. 
Within 24 or 48 hours I received a phone call from Mr. XXXX XXXX, whom identified himself as the Executive repesentative with the Customer Care Recovery Group, Mr. XXXX asked me if he could put me on a brief hold so he could listen to the phone call recording conversation between Mr. XXXX and myself had on the date in question. I agreed and told him to place me on hold. After Mr. XXXX came back on the line to speak with me, I asked, Did you hear him me to tell me to open the account and put the check in that account? Mr. XXXX stated, Yes, I did. That should never happened. Mr. XXXX stated that he would be looking into this case and would keep me informed. I would receive at least one phone call a week with Mr. XXXX keeping me posted on how the investigation was going. 
On the week of XX/XX/XXXX through XXXX, XXXX, I received a phone call from Mr. XXXX at which time he stated, I will get back with you on XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX, at the last and will hopefully have the completion of the investigation completed. I stated, Look, why cant you just deposit the check into my mortgage account or cut me another check and be done with? MrXXXX XXXX stated, No, you need to be compensated for your troubles with this case. I stated, Okay, whatever. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a phone call from Mr. XXXX and stated, I have completed my part of this investigation and I have mailed you a letter with the complete details of my findings. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a XXXX package with a letter from Mr. XXXX. In the letter it states, In your inquiry, you expressed concern about the taxing authority sending us a check in the amount of {$1800.00} and the check being returned to you advising we were unable to locate a checking or savings account. Weve researched your concern and determined we did not receive a refund in the amount of {$1800.00} from the taxing authority. If we had received a refund check it would have been deposited into your escrow account. Additionally, any overage would have been sent to you. We sincerely regret any frustration caused by your experience. Which this statement is a total lie and incorrect when I have a copy of the letter Wells Fargo sent to me along with the other documentation. 
Additionally, the letter continues on and states, In your inquiry, you expressed concerns about being sent a check from your Taxing Authority in the amount of {$1800.00} made out to Wells Fargo. You were told by a branch teller that the only way to cash the check was for you to open a checking account. Wells Fargo is still reviewing this incident and will provide you with a response from Customer Service regarding this matter. We take this issue seriously and do not condone any type of potential misinformation to our customers. A separate case is being opened by our phone bank for further research. Please call XXXX if you have additional questions in the meantime. Thank you for your patience and we sincerely regret any frustration this research may have caused. Once this statement is false and a lie, I was sent the check from Wells Fargo not the taxing authority and I was directed by a Wells Fargo Supervisor ( Mr. XXXX ) to open the checking account to deposit the check. I called Mr. XXXX and left a message for him to return my call to discuss this letter, which he never did. I have called his supervisor Mr. XXXX XXXX ( # XXXX ), leaving a message three times with no return calls.

I contacted Customer Care Recovery Group again in attempt to understand the quick closure of my case without any positive results. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I was contacted by Executive repesentative with the Customer Care Recovery Group, XXXX XXXX ( # XXXX extension : XXXX ), which she could not understand why Mr. XXXX had closed my account without a resolution. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I was contacted with Ms. XXXX XXXX ( # XXXX ), whom is with the Executive Phone Bank Department, informing me that she is working on my open case of compliant # XXXX. As I talked with Ms. XXXX, I asked her, Did you listen to the phone call between me and the supervisor where he told me to open the account and deposit the check, even though it was made out to Wells Fargo and not made out to me? Ms. XXXX replied, Yes, I have and that should have never happened. Ms. XXXX asked, Do you want to close the checking account at this time? I stated, Yes. Ms. XXXX asked me, have you contacted the XXXX County Treasurers Office to see if they would cancel the check that they sent to Wells Fargo and reissue a check out payable to me? I stated  that I had not. Ms. XXXX explained to me that she would call me back in the next couple of days to talk with me in her findings and she had some other things to look in too. 
I contacted the XXXX County Treasurers Office and Spoke with XXXX which she stated that she need a letter on letterhead memo from Wells Fargo stating it was okay to cancel the check that was issued to Wells Fargo and reissue another check to me. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a call from Ms. XXXX where she offered me {$270.00} for compensation and refund me {$25.00} for the money I put into the checking account in order to open the account. I told Ms. XXXX that to hold off closing the account and I wanted to wait and consult with an attorney concerning this matter. Ms. XXXX stated, Okay

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