Consumer complaint received 2019-08-27
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
I am writing in behalf of my XXXX- year old mother-in-law whose memory is failing her. 
Back in XX/XX/XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX she forgot to pay her XXXX XXXX XXXX bill. We realized her mistake, but not before she owed for a second month -- a total of {$700.00}. She paid with her Wells Fargo Credit Card ( posted by XXXX on XX/XX/2019. ) Credit card statements show Wells Fargo paid it on XX/XX/2019. 

Meanwhile, there was an unrelated problem with a fraudulent charge on my mother-in-law 's credit card ( a charge made by XXXX. ) After several phone calls, this could not be resolved, so the bank suggested that we dispute those XXXX charges and close that credit card and open a new one -- which we did. For some unknown reason ( and NOT at our request ) Wells Fargo also disputed the payment to XXXX and pulled back those funds on XX/XX/2019. When I realized this, I called Wells Fargo and told them we were NOT disputing the payment to XXXX and that they should release the funds back to XXXX. Credit card statements show this happened on XX/XX/XXXX. However, XXXX says they never got paid, They started making threatening calls to my mother-in-law about cutting off her services. 

When I called Wells Fargo, the person advised us to " just wait '' for the statement to post, or, alternatively, we could dispute the payment again. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX shut off all my mother-in-law 's XXXX-related services : landline, cellphone, XXXX XXXX, internet, and alarm alert bracelet. She could not dial out unless she was dialing an emergency number. After a long phone call, i was able to get things turned back on but only for a while. The threat continues. 

I have spent hours on the phone with both companies. Everyone is unhelpful when I ask for real action. Wells Fargo says they have paid. XXXX says they haven't. So we owe {$700.00} to the Wells Fargo credit card AND {$700.00} to XXXX. It has been suggested that we pay XXXX again, but I am afraid we won't get this straight, and then will be out over {$710.00}. 

XXXX says the problem can be solved if Wells Fargo provides proof of the Electronic Transfer, with a timestamp and transaction ID #. Wells Fargo says they can't provide that. As of XX/XX/2019 ( after we spent 3.5 hours in the office of a Wells Fargo branch manager,  on the phone with countless representatives of HER mammoth corporation ) we have finally gotten the matter up the ladder to a " resolution team '' at Wells Fargo, Though I asked for the matter to be expedited, the WF research analyst says they have up to 10 days ( or longer if needed ) to resolve the case. She said they " can not '' communicate with XXXX. The customer ( my mother-in-law ) has to do this. She says she will try to resolve by XX/XX/XXXX but might need longer. The XXXX cut-off of services is again looming. 

A possibly useful piece of information : While in the bank manager 's office on XX/XX/XXXX,  she was able to pull up a statement from the OLD credit card ( which we do not have and can not see. ) She saw a credit on the card of {$700.00} -- the exact amount owed to XXXX. The higher-ups at WF say this credit belongs to the bank, not to us, the customer. 

We find ourselves with no power -- between two giant corporations, both of which are not too interested in helping. We have spent countless hours over the past several weeks, with both companies and with the exception of the branch manger, no one cares to help us get it resolved. We will certainly appreciate any assistance you can give.

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 non-monetary relief