Consumer complaint received 2021-03-02
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: VA
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
I recently refinanced my conventional residential mortgage. This was done through XXXX XXXX, and I was advised via letter dated XX/XX/XXXX that Wells Fargo had purchased my loan. I received the letter on XX/XX/XXXX and began taking steps to set up online automatic payments through Wells Fargo 's online banking website at https : //www.wellsfargo.com/. 

I previously had a Wells Fargo mortgage, but this was paid off around XXXX, at which time the account was closed. I have never had any other Wells Fargo account. 

I attempted to create a new account, and was unable to do so. I also could not provide credentials that were recognized so that I could reset any existing account, so I contacted Wells Fargo on XX/XX/XXXX at about XXXX XX/XX/XXXX EST. 

I initially spoke with XXXX. We walked through steps, but continued getting error messages. She connected me with IT for online banking, and provided XXXX as an additional contact number. I spoke with a gentleman ( didn't catch the name ) who also tried setting up access. We were able to get authentication text messages and enrollment announcements to send, but then he ran into trouble with trying to " link '' the account and said he needed to connect with the escalation team in the corporate office. 

I was then transferred to XXXX, an " escalation specialist. '' XXXX and I played a version of " guess the property '' ( a/k/a go fish ) to see if I could associate my identity with whatever property she was seeing on my profile ; this was presumably for verification of some kind. I mentioned the prior mortgage in XXXX that was closed in XXXX, my father 's account in Colorado ( which was never mine, and closed in XXXX after he passed away XXXX, and neither were correct. I mentioned I didn't have any other account interests. 

I then mentioned living in DC and being aware that my Significant Other had a Wells Fargo mortgage for that property ( " SO 's House '' ). I provided the address and this appeared to be the " correct '' address associated with me. Since I have never had an account with Wells Fargo when at that property, and further since I have never had any financial interest in the mortgage for that property, I do not know how my personal information could possibly be associated with that account. 

XXXX could not answer the question, and connected me with XXXX in Wells Fargo 's customer advocacy group ( also part of the corporate office ). The stated reason for not being able to connect my online banking profile to the current mortgage was because I have two separate " profiles, '' one of which was apparently created in error " at the branch. '' My mortgage account was entered into the system based off what was already on file, but instead of using the existing profile and updating with a new address ( the refinance home ), a new profile was apparently created for me, resulting in some unspecified failure to match profiles to accounts. 

My concern is that this mistake should not have even been possible. 

The only way that my identity could be associated with SO 's House is through a credit report check. My understanding is that credit report information is only subject to narrow, specific uses under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). I do not know how creating a customer profile would qualify, and I was certainly not advised of same either before or during this process. 

If, instead, my information was maintained as part of some kind of non-FCRA marketing product, then it has been improperly commingled with loan servicing data, which triggers concerns of a different sort since it appears to circumvent the protections and notice requirements of FCRA, and other statutes of potential relevance, including the Gramm-Leach-Blilely Act. 

Please note that XXXX confirmed a complaint has been filed on my behalf by XXXX ( b/c she is part of the consumer advocacy dept ), but I do not know if this was merely an internal complaint or other. My case number has been elevated to Wells Fargo 's Case Management department, which is part of executive office : Case # XXXX.

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