Consumer complaint received 2021-09-14
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: DC
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
1. I spoke with Wells Fargo about having a hard time in general about having a hard time making payments and an over drafted checking account in XXXX 2021. I told them that I would resolve it soon having lost both of my jobs due to XXXX and not expecting a paycheck until I was able to start a new job and get paid a cycle after. Wells Fargo communicated that they understood and said they would give me until XXXX to resolve and asked if this applied to my other accounts and I said yes for my credit card account and they said that they had notated in the notes. 
2. Despite # 1, I still received communications about my outstanding balance for my credit card and chatted with an agent on the phone around XXXX XXXX, 2021. When chatting with this agent, he stated that he was calling specifically about the credit card -- so I referenced the previous phone call -- and he informed that my account was in danger of being closed despite me communicating the COVID-19 hardships and being told that I would receive that grace. During that call, we worked out a payment arrangement of around {$200.00}, however, I offered to pay more than the minimum that day to protect my account from being closed. I was going to use the money I had on hand from a prepaid card, however, the agent informed me that Wells Fargo would rather prefer a larger payment later that month. So instead of taking my payment, the agent insisted that XXXX setup an arrangement for later and set it up for me. In addition, I re-discussed how the credit reporting would still show current and not past due because of the COVID-19 pandemic and he said that it would. To sum, the agent called me, refused my payment that day of, reiterated my COVID-19 grace, setup a payment arrangement, and then verbally confirmed that my account would not be closed after answering a direct question on a recorded line. 
3. 2-3 days later, Wells Fargo closed my account. I contacted them immediately and referenced the call and asked them to re-open it again and to fix the error. I communicated the significant harm that it had did to my credit health and what that meant during the public health pandemic and Wells Fargo made me a claim # and told that they would investigate it and provide me with more info. Wells Fargo never followed up. 
4. Fast forward to XX/XX/2021, after getting discouraged and working with a credit counselor, I noticed that Wells Fargo had been reporting some significant negative credit history despite the balance being resolved. I reached out to Wells Fargo to ask about the investigation and to ask they keep their word at least for the credit reporting as the balance was settled. They informed me that they sent a report citing a provision in the contract stating that they can close any account whenever they want and that was the case here. I asked about the verbal agreement and commitment they made to me just days prior to closing my account and they communicated that they reviewed the call and would not go into detail further on how they stated that they would not close my account. Also, helpful to note that I offered to pay that day and if done there is a likelihood my account would have not been closed but Wells Fargo insisted that I pay another day later that month and closed my account shortly after. Wells Fargo created an executive case and also informed me that the results of the XXXX 2021 investigation were sent by mail to an address that was not my mailing address that they found at the post office. When I asked why they would randomly send private financial information to an address that was never listed on my account over the other two accounts, they had no response. 
5. Later that month, still in XXXX 2021, the case manager : XXXX XXXX, sent me an email stating that she would be reviewing the call where Wells Fargo committed to everything in # 2 and she would reach out for more info before deciding the case. They set the deadline of finishing by XX/XX/2021 and I received no contact from XXXX before the decision was issued. I called multiple times before the case was finalized and chatted with others who attempted to reach out to her, and she refused to take all of my calls until I got a supervisor on the phone. She called 2-3 days before the deadline and communicated that she hadn't even looked into my case. Others in the office supported my advocacy and said that it was important to protect my credit health and that Wells Fargo had the capacity to live up to its commitments. That was not the case when the issue was decided. 
6. XXXX sent a letter on XX/XX/2021 to my correct mailing address that stated the same reasons cited in # 4. That they could do whatever they want despite having made any assurances to consumers. I called about this decision and was basically told that again and got no explanation on why this communication was sent to the correct mailing address and why the previous response had not, and they updated the credit reporting to stop reporting negative but still notated it as more than 60 days despite previous commitments. I asked was this ethical behavior for a consumer and let them know and they communicated to me verbally that they had no responsibility to consider any of those concerns because the contract I agreed to allowed them to do whatever they want without any notice.

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