Consumer complaint received 2020-01-21
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NH
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem with additional products or services purchased with the loan

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX EST while on the road I placed a calls to Wells Fargo customer service at XXXX. I was calling in regards to getting confirmation that they had received a payoff quote from another institution as I was refinancing my auto loan elsewhere. I was told I had to be transferred to auto loans as they handled that and would have that information. 

I was transferred and a man identifying himself as XXXX asked for my account number or social security number, which is standard practice in my experience. As I did not have my account number ready I provided my social security number. He told me to wait just a moment and there would be silence on the line while he pulled up my account. 

He came back about a minute later and told me he could not process my request and that it would have to be handled by dealer services. He said he would transfer me but wanted to give me the number before he did so in case I was disconnected. 

The number he gave me was : XXXX He then transferred me. Immediately the line picked up with a automated message telling me I had the chance to win a all expenses paid trip to the XXXX with a friend but they had a few quick questions for me. I immediately thought this was a shady practice by Wells Fargo and just wished to get through it. The first prompt was to Press 1 if I was over 50 and 2 if I was under. Then the same prompt but for under 25 and over 25 respectively. Then asking if I wanted to travel to the XXXX or to Florida, at this point I had enough and hung up the line. 

I then thought that they must have transferred me to the wrong number and pulled up the number that was given to me by XXXX. It was the exact same number he transferred me to and I was immediately hit with the same questions by the same voice. By now I am questioning if XXXX actually belonged to Wells Fargo and if my identity has been compromised. 

I called Wells Fargo back on their customer service number provided by their website and everyone acted concerned and was told I would be transferred to a member of their executive care team and that the number given to me for dealer services was wrong and they gave me a new number. XXXX I was transferred to the " executive care team '' and a individual named XXXX XXXX had picked up, giving me his full name and spelling. I provided XXXX with the details of my experience, including the name of the person I was transferred to, the time I called the original Wells Fargo number from their website ( the same number I am calling now ) and the number I was given and transferred to. I asked if he had the ability to see what number I was transferred to and if it was indeed a member of Wells Fargo auto services, he said he could not. 

He said he needed to pull up my account and asked for either the account number or social security number. By this point I am home and pull up my account number. He then proceeds to tell me that he cant actually pull up my account with that number as he doesnt have access to it. Already I am irritated and express that I will be submitting a complaint through the CFPB and let him know that while he could be perfectly legitimate it sounds extremely shady that he can not pull up my information with the account number, especially considering that A ) He asked for it. B ) He was a part of the " executive care team ''. 

At this point XXXX tells me that hes not technically on the executive care team and hems and haws while he looks up his " technical title ''. He's a remediation associate. I pulled up his information and his title from his name before he could tell me what it was, it was on his XXXX. 

He assured me at this point that it would all be looked in to but it may take some considerable time. I'm absolutely floored this could even happen, this is my only account with Wells Fargo and I am glad I am soon going to be rid of this seemingly fraudulent environment. 

After getting off the phone with him I tried dialing that fraudulent number one more time just to make sure my notes on the automated message were correct and received this. 

" You have dialed a number that is not available from your calling area. ''

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