Consumer complaint received 2023-09-01
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: IN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
This complaint is toward the online access and bill pay fraud practices of Wells Fargo. The situation is described ( maybe a little wordy ) below. 

This is the first email I sent to the " leadership '' at Wells Fargo : I have an elderly aunt in Connecticut that has been a customer for more than 20 years. She has a fair amount of money in your bank. I, too, am a customer, although my interactions have been with some auto and personal loans. 

I recently became Power of Attorney for my aunt while I was in Connecticut. I live in Indiana. When I got back to Indiana, I tried to get my POA registered with Wells Fargo so I could begin to catch my aunts bills up. I called the customer service line on Friday, XX/XX/XXXX. I was told I had to come into a branch and do some paperwork. Well, this was not really an answer I expected. Again, I live in Indiana. The closest branch bank to me is a 4 hour drive ( one way ). I have a fulltime job, just got back from driving to Connecticut and being off a week. So, I tried to see if there was a way with technology and all we have learned from COVID that something online could be done. I escalated the call up 4 levels only to be read the exact same script. 

I gave up and took Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX off from work, drove the 4 hours to XXXX IL. I got there at XXXX XXXX  only to be told I had to have an appointment ( note there was not one customer in the bank and 3 people working ). I tried to explain the situation of how I had to drive 4 hours. They said nothing they could do. They did give me an appointment at XXXX XXXX. I was in a town where there was absolutely nothing to do for 4 hours. Once I got into the appointment, it went well. 

I got home and started to set up my online bill pay to pay my aunts bills. I also had two checks I did mobile deposit for her. The next day, which was yesterday, Thursday XX/XX/XXXX, I tried to go back into my account and was locked out. I called the customer service number and was sent to the fraud department. I couldnt imagine why I was in the fraud department, but there I was. They explained that I could only get my account unlocked by going into a branch and showing my ID. XXXX really was taken off guard by this one. Another 10 hour day and missing work to show my ID that I showed them on Tuesday? This had to be a bad joke. I asked to have the call escalated. That person read the exact same script and would not consider any other options. I asked to once again, escalate, only to be told the same thing. 

I gave up and called the branch in XXXX IL and spoke with the person that helped me on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX. Her name is XXXX XXXX XXXX. Her banker number is XXXX XXXX. She said she would call and get everything straightened out for me. About an hour later, she called and had a 3-way set up with the fraud department. However, the fraud department would not talk with me on the phone. I hung up and XXXX called me back about an hour later. She explained that she got the same responses no way to do this unless I go in and show my ID. WOW, again! XXXX went to her manager ( didnt get their name ) and even they tried to talk on the phone to the fraud department. 

XXXX told me they were accusing me of having fake documentation ( my POA ) and that my aunt never used any online banking so this had to be a scam. Well, of course she never used online bankingshe is XXXX and doesnt have the internet! Your own legal department verified my documentation, but now the fraud department is denying it. 

I have two loan accounts with Wells Fargo. One for XXXX XXXX windows I purchased and one for a car I co-signed for my grandson. These accounts are also linked to this new account for my aunt. So, my two loan accounts are now blocked and I can not pay them online any longer either. 

I can show you pictures of the car and the windows, I can provide all sorts of other pictures, documents, etc. This is just the absolutely craziest mess I have ever been a part of. Oh, and I did get an email from Wells Fargo saying they are sending me a debit card. Will this also be blocked since I live in Indiana and my aunt lives in Connecticut. So much for the convenience of online banking. I have an account at a credit union that doesnt have 1 single branch and I have NEVER had this issue!!! 

The fraud department also told XXXX that even if they unlocked my account, it would be locked again as soon as I tried to pay any other bills. Funny Wells Fargo has never denied any of my payments on my loans that I have paid online. 

XX/XX/23 - my attorney in XXXX, CT took a copy of the POA to the local branch and talked to them. This cost me about {$300.00} in attorney time. The local branch manager is XXXX. 

XX/XX/23 - my attorney called Wells Fargo to discuss issues with online access. Cost {$320.00}. 

XX/XX/23 - my husband and I drove to Connecticut from Indiana and went to the local branch in person. My attorney went too, which cost me {$390.00}. We were in the branch for over an hour. Talked to XXXX and the fraud department over the phone. Finally got it resolved and had access to online banking again. 

XX/XX/23 - I paid some bills online from this account and things worked ok. At XXXXXXXX XXXX I got a call from the Wells Fargo fraud department and I provided them with my SS #, address, aunt 's SS #, they sent my phone a code, verified my email, told them the bills I paid, to whom and how much each was. They then asked me if I was in Indiana. I said yes and they said " are you sure ''. Really? Then the script got read to me again, " I understand, I'm very sorry, but you will need to come into your local branch to verify your ID ''. I do not have a local branch. The closest one is an 8-hour day away. 

XX/XX/23 - I called XXXX at the XXXX branch, we got in touch with her district manager. He came into the branch there and tried to get it resolved for me. Wells Fargo fraud department refused. I have a case number with Wells Fargo now, but in the meantime, I can write checks, however, I can not pay anything via online banking, AGAIN.

It is not my fault there is no branch close to me. And I do understand fraud is a big deal, but this is above and beyond crazy. I offered to do a XXXX  call and show them my face and ID. No, that is not good enough. Wells Fargo doesn't even seem to believe their own people that work there. 

XX/XX/23 - I received another email from the district manager that he was going back into the branch to try to work with XXXX and get it resolved. His name is XXXX. It is still not resolved 3 days later. XXXX said he is going to escalate this to his partner. 

XX/XX/23 - I sent this email to XXXX at Wells Fargo. Based on our latest conversation, I understand that Wells Fargo is not going to allow me get back into my online account without me coming into a branch which is not possible. Wells Fargo does not have a branch in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, or Michigan. The closest one to me is in western Illinois and is an 8-hour drive from my location. 

I will need to discuss my options with my attorney to once again gain access to online banking. 

Please escalate this within Wells Fargo to see what can be done since litigation is never a good answer. 

XX/XX/23 - I sent this email to Wells Fargo " leadership '' email ( not sure where it really goes ). I have taken our my personal information and the ticket number for your purposes. 

I have attached all my correspondence in this matter and I would like to add additional comments here. 

I struggle to understand how your fraud department is in total charge of your bank and your bank 's policies. These people in your fraud department are not in the US and I doubt seriously if any of them have ever walked into a Wells Fargo branch themselves. Yet, their only response is, " I understand, and I am sorry, but you will need to go into your local branch to resolve your issue. '' Now, this would be bad enough to repeatedly be told this after just a few online transactions, but when " your local branch '' is 8 hours away, this makes no sense. I have made the trek into the " local branch '' twice in the past 30 days and yet I am again locked out of my online account, and expected to go again. 

I have two additional accounts with Wells Fargo that are both loan accounts. These are all linked now ( wish I had never done that ) and guess what, Wells Fargo has never denied an online payment I have made from MY credit union to Wells Fargo. Why would that be? I am still the same person when I am making a payment vs. when I am trying to use my aunt 's account to pay her bills and pay for her place of residence. Funny how it seems to be a very double standard. 

I have spoken with XXXX several times, but Wells Fargo doesn't trust their district managers enough to take his word of what is really going on here. I could not work for a place that didn't trust their own employees to do the job you are paying them to do. He is supposed to be escalating this case, and I have no doubt he will. What I do doubt is that anyone at Wells Fargo has leadership over the fraud department. Wow is all I have to say. I believe I am going to have to wait until my aunt passes away to be able to reconcile her bills. I just hope she doesn't get tossed out of the XXXX XXXX  because I can't pay her bill there in a timely manner. 

Thanks for your help and I hope this complaint will help others.

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