Consumer complaint received 2020-11-17
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Money was taken from your account on the wrong day or for the wrong amount

Complaint:
After being a business client of XXXX XXXX, which became the XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX, I have encountered multiple problems, irregularities, contract fraud, and abusive practices by them gouging me with {$880.00} in unwarranted and ill-explained fees without warning for nine months. These undeserved fees and charges were deducted from the business checking account during the transition to their new credit card processing company starting the first week of XX/XX/XXXX XXXX until we canceled our account with them on XX/XX/XXXX. During the hard economic times due to COVID, XXXX  caused financial harm and emotional distress although XXXX  claims it works for small businesses. They have not protected a female-minority senior citizen trying to sustain two struggling businesses with just one employee during a global economic crisis. 
Grievance details include : ( 1 ) forged Merchant Processing Application and Agreements with many errors ; ( 2 ) XX/XX/XXXX email from XXXX XXXX of XXXX about XXXX compliance which was responded to in early XXXX ; ( 3 ) XX/XX/XXXX letter regarding Taxpayer Identification Number for our merchant number which has been used since XX/XX/XXXX ; ( 4 ) XX/XX/XXXX email from XXXX XXXX, Branch Operation Manager, requesting a W9 form when XXXX had already inflicted penalty fees for lack of one Grievances Summary : 1. Exorbitant and unwarranted fees and penalties levied without warning for security compliance and employer identification number issues which stemmed from XXXX  incompetence. For example, in XXXX {$130.00} in fees were LEVIED DESPITE NO BUSINESS REVENUE, no credit sales processed ( {$67.00} per account number ). Due to the lack of notification about changes in fee structures and contracts with a forged electronic signature ( which I had not seen until XXXX XXXX despite my repeated questioning, XXXX continued to extract a financial toll through general and card-specific account fees. They did not honor my request to prorate the month of XXXX ending with my cancellation XX/XX/XXXX. 
2. General incompetence, lack of consideration at the least and abusive practices at the worst in failing to inform us of, and work with us on changes to our account ( including actual costs to be incurred and multiple new merchant numbers, etc. ) despite repeated requests for more explanation. I was not informed that during months of little to no revenue under the current COVID climate, I would still incur base fees and maintenance charges when no money was processed through XXXX. 
. 
New merchant numbers created in XXXX ( four statements for two businesses ) and then an additional two new merchant numbers starting with XXXX created in XXXX without informing us. We still have no idea as to why these additional account numbers were created. I am still not sure my business was paid all the money due. Did XXXX penalize us for other businesses ' mistakes? 

3. Misrepresentation/Fraud regarding contracts dated XX/XX/XXXX which I had never seen before, and which contain multiple errors. These were emailed after request for them, and also had an electronic signatures of my initials. This is an unauthorized signature on a document with my name misspelled. When pressured in XXXX, I reluctantly agreed to give XXXX our Internet Protocol address soon after an XX/XX/XXXX meeting in good faith and I feel that trust has been violated. 

4. Maltreatment with continuing issues and account cancellation I was left no choice but to try to talk with the new XXXX portfolio manager, XXXX XXXX. During our phone conversation, she implied that their fees were high for a small business with historically low revenue due to COVID circumstances. 
She was very rude, saying no fees would be returned, because it was all my fault. How can it be my fault when I could not get any answers for months? 

Text of XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX portfolio manager : Good afternoon XXXX, Our records show call attempts were made to XXXX XXXX  XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. Voicemails were left but calls were not returned to us. These calls would apply to the XXXX account as well. After we call a merchant twice for XXXX, it is the merchants responsibility to contact us to become XXXX  compliant. We intend for the XXXX non-compliance fee to act as an incentive for the merchant to become XXXX  compliant. Based on this, no refunds for XXXX  are due on these accounts. 



I looked at your processing history and your volumes are historically very low. We do not feel XXXX Processing is a one-size-fits-all processor. You may be better served by another type of processing. 



If you have further questions, please contact me. 



Regards, A drawing of a cartoon characterDescription automatically generatedXXXX XXXX XXXX Manager XXXX XXXX ) XXXX | ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ext. XXXX XXXX | XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX KS XXXX Engage with XXXX  online via our Blog, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation