Consumer complaint received 2021-05-25
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
My XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2021, in XXXX XXXX, Florida. I live in XXXX XXXX, Tennessee. I received my brother 's personal effects from the hospital where he XXXX XXXX in early XX/XX/2021. His effects contained a debit card from Wells Fargo bank. 

I called the XXXX number for Wells Fargo seeking guidance. I was told that they could freeze the bank account but that I would need to travel to a Wells Fargo branch and present the death certificate which I did the next day. There are no branches near my home so I traveled to XXXX, Tennessee branch. I sat down with a representative who told me that my brother 's bank account had already been frozen based on my call to the XXXX number. I was miffed about this because of the distance and the time spent on the unnecessary travel. 

I knew that I would have to petition XXXX XXXX Florida probate court to gain access to my brother 's bank account prior to arriving at the Wells Fargo branch. I also knew that I would need to itemize my brother 's assets. In order to itemize the monies in the checking, I needed the amount in the checking. I presented my driver 's license yet the representative refused to give me this information. This then impeded my efforts to obtain a Summary Administration for my brother 's very small estate of what I believed to be two items, a checking account, and a car. 

I then had to submit a Letter to the Court to let them know that Wells Fargo would not provide me with the information I needed to complete the process. I also contact the XXXX number for the Estate division at Wells Fargo. I was told that I would need to get a separate court order so that they could give me the amount my brother had in checking. Then pursue the Summary Administration.

I have acted pro se due to no money to obtain a lawyer in Florida. I paid all fees from my own savings to include my brother 's cremation. Wells Fargo must think that people have a bottomless pit of money with which to play their games. 

Today I went again to the XXXX branch of Wells Fargo to present the court-ordered Summary Administration granting me 100 % of the checking account funds. Even though I had earlier presented the original death certificate and the rep took a copy, I could not gain access to the monies. I have done everything asked of me in regard to accessing my brother 's account. 

I was also told for the first time that my brother had two other savings accounts. This would have been nice to know when I came into the branch the first time. I was told that if I want access to the savings I have to get an amended order. How much will this cost me? 

Wells Fargo is out of bounds and their actions have adversely affected my ability to gain access to monies due me. 

Wells Fargo, a private company, believes that they have an internal legal code that supersedes an Order signed by a XXXX XXXX probate judge.

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