Consumer complaint received 2018-07-16
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: AZ
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Applying for a mortgage or refinancing an existing mortgage

Complaint:
I am requesting the refund of {$450.00} plus interest for a fraudulent charge by an incompetent and later terminated employee of Wells Fargo. Interest should be paid with the full refund because of the poor handling and deceptive practices of Wells Fargo Bank. Deceptive and fraudulent practices of which Wells Fargo has paid out large amounts of fines for the illegal practices. 
In XXXX I applied for mortgage refinancing with the XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX local branch of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. I was unaware at the time that the Wells Fargo branch employee who handled the application did not follow a Wells Fargo promotion of waiving the appraisal regarding refinancing VA loans and that this employee had made several other errors in processing applications. That information was from another employee at the XXXX XXXX branch who revealed to me the termination reason. 
The employee processing my application charged me {$450.00} in error for the appraisal that was not required. Approximately three days later I received information of the appraisal waive, that was in place at the time of my application which prompted to return to the bank branch. I presented my challenge to the employee who initially processed the application. That employee advised me he had been removed from processing mortgage loans and he could not help me. I left the branch very irritated and then returned the next day and spoke with the assistant branch manager about the situation and stated I wanted to file a formal complaint. I was informed the employee who completed the application was no longer employed at that branch and I was given a phone number to call to submit my complaint about being charged {$450.00} in error and to seek a refund. I have tried on several occasions to file a complaint within the Wells Fargo Bank structure through their mortgage services section, I believe based in the XXXX. I have received the worse examples of poor customer service and what is termed being given the run-a-round. The first time the individual taking the phone call stated she could not find the application records. Subsequent phone attempts information would be taken with no response. The last attempt I spoke with an employee who was the best example of an arrogant, rude and possessing extremely poor communication skills. 
I received a letter in response to my complaint stating the application process was handled appropriately. I could not conduct a respective phone conversation with this person because of his extreme rudeness. 
I don't understand the finding of handled appropriately, when the employee who processed the application was dismissed from Wells Fargo, not just because of the mishandling of my application but several others. 
Approximately, two months of that same year, XXXX, I submitted online a refinance application through the Wells Fargo XXXXXXXX XXXX branch and the process was completed with the appraisal being waived and I was informed that it was the policy of Wells Fargo to waive the appraisal fee on VA refinance applications. I maintained that Wells Fargo mortgage until XXXX. 
In XXXX, I was contacted by a Wells Fargo mortgage agent who presented a refinance offer on my current Wells Fargo VA mortgage loan, One of the factors of the offer was a lower percentage rate and another factor was the waiver on the appraisal. So, the appraisal waiver on VA refinance loans was and remains a common policy and practice within Wells Fargo mortgage banking. 
The rude and arrogant employee had lied he could not find where Wells Fargo waived appraisals which clearly indicates either lying or incompetence because it is a practice. It appears that employee chose not to do a competent job in handling my complaint to the point of lying which is unacceptable in order to try and justify not refunding the deceptive and fraudulent fee I was charged. 
Basically throughout the Wells Fargo promotions for VA refinance, the waiver of the appraisal was clearly advertised then and continued today. I was charged the {$450.00} by an incompetent employee who should not have been processing VA refinance applications. 
I was charged the {$450.00} appraisal fee by an incompetent Wells Fargo employee who after my application was instructed to not process any mortgage applications and then shortly after that employee was terminated. There is no better evidence of the wrongful, fraudulent fee charging than for Wells Fargo to terminate that individual. 
I do have account number information and a complaint process number. That information was omitted according to the instructions for submitting this complaint. 
Conclusion : Again as noted in my opening, the recourse I am seeking is the full refund of the mishandled, deceptive fee collection of {$450.00} plus applicable interest for the unnecessary delay in providing the full refund just as Wells Fargo would charge me interest for delinquent payment of a valid refund.

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