Consumer complaint received 2018-08-03
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: OR
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
I am submitting this now because I noticed a number of newspaper articles outlining problems stemming from unethical and intentionally misleading practices at Wells Fargo. I thought it was just me and it was impossible to get vindication so I didn't speak out. I've never been treated so poorly by any group or business in my life. I started typing up my call notes because I was so shocked by the behavior I encountered.

I haven't seen many articles yet addressing the experience I had and I want to make sure that this portion of the company 's mishandling of mortgage loans is not overlooked. Wells Fargo LOST our file after 7 months of working through a mortgage modification which, in turn, caused us to have to start over ( after seven months ) and also caused a sheriff 's sale notice, foreclosure proceeding, and excessive extra fees. They acknowledged that the person handling our file had left and the file was lost and told me I had to start over with a new type of modification because the old one was no longer available. At the same time they started foreclosure proceedings and, at various times, called me a liar and refused to acknowledge that I had been following all steps prior to my file being lost.

During this same time my grandmother moved in for her end-of-life care and I was completely traumatized worrying they would foreclose and we would have nowhere to go for her final weeks of life. I was so deflated, humiliated and exhausted after I finally was able to resolve the situation ( after a year ) that I didn't have the strength to file complaints and then, as time passed, I just tried to forget but I've been able to let go of the anger and hurt that they caused. 

Please note that I recorded all communication, I never missed a requirement that they asked for and I reached out almost weekly throughout the entire process. I filed a complaint after I was able to get a modification. I sent this to their written complaint department and never received a reply. I have copies of that complain letter that outlines everything and copies of all letters Wells Fargo sent that show they knew we were in a modification process and still moved to foreclosure. I have detailed records of the entire experience which ruined my credibility in the small community where I lived at the time, caused me to lose momentum in my professional advancement and ruined my credit score for years which cost me higher interest on future loans for years. In addition, Wells Fargo assessed a lot of fees thereby increasing the amount I had to pay them to settle and get the modification. 

This incident started in XX/XX/XXXX during the recession. I lost my job and found a job at a third of my prior pay. I had fallen behind on my mortgage and had reworked my bills so I could afford to make payment moving forward but was struggling to come up with the extra for the amount I was behind. I reached out to Wells Fargo to see if they could offer any assistance. That was in XX/XX/XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX they notified me that they did have options available. On XX/XX/XXXX they said they would send me information on the HomeSaver Advance program. I filled out an initial hardship letter and faxed it in the same day. In XX/XX/XXXX I received instructions to make reduced payments for three months while they worked on the modification. I continued to receive past due and threatening notices even though I was doing everything exactly as instructed. I continued to call all during those months. On XX/XX/XXXX I was told that the paperwork was coming in the mail for me to sign to finalize the new agreement. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I sent another batch of updated financial information. By XX/XX/XXXX I started receiving letters stating that I had to send in the full amount past due or they would proceed with foreclosure action. I was panicked and calling every week. On the phone they would tell me that a date for Sheriff 's Sale would not be set while my file was in review. However on XX/XX/XXXX I received a notice that a date was set for sheriff 's sale. 

I started filing written complaints and calling almost every other day. I often sat on hold for 50+ minutes and was transferred multiple times with each call. It wasn't until later in XX/XX/XXXX that I received a letter from Wells Fargo ( with conflicting dates bouncing back and forth between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ) that offered the HAMP. This was a full 9 months after I first reached out to Wells Fargo. A full 9 months of my following all of their requirements and submitting everything required, paying down debt, working extra jobs to increase my income so I could honor my promises. 

Again, I had to start the three-month trial period payment plan ( first done back in XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX before my file was lost ) and this time it would put me past the sheriff 's sale date and they would not guarantee that the foreclosure wouldn't happen while I was in the trial period. My Grandmother moved in for her end-of-life care the end of XX/XX/XXXX and I spent the final two months of her life caring for her and worrying myself sick every day not knowing if they would show up to take our home. 

I was finally able to get a HAMP in XX/XX/XXXX days after my grandma died and over a year from when I started the process. The fees they added on to my loan were excessive due to the foreclosure legal fees and other mistakes made on their end but I had no power to argue or challenge them because I was just concerned with keeping my home at any cost.

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