Consumer complaint received 2021-12-09
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem accessing account

Complaint:
Please note I have not supplied my account and billing address in this form for security measures. I will gladly supply such once I am comfortable with this information not getting into the wrong hands. You may contact me on my email or phone numbers I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX man and live in XXXX XXXX. I opened my XXXX checking account in person, at Wells Fargo bank XXXX XXXX in XXXX. 

In XXXX the bank advised me they were closing all XXXX accounts where the owner was a non resident alien. 

They offered a solution which was to open an account in my personal name and transferred the funds in my XXXX account to my personal account. 

In XXXX my XXXX XXXX XXXX daughter got a Debit Card [ DC ] on my account. 
It was used twice for some small amounts and in XXXX the card expired. 

In XX/XX/XXXX the bank advised me that I needed to update my XXXX  address- or they would close the account. My balance was then standing at {$480.00} XXXX. I duly updated my address in XX/XX/XXXX. 

In XX/XX/XXXX I was trying to make a minor contact details change and somehow the bank blocked my account because my pin was not entered correctly. 
The background to this is relevant in that the bank can not send a XXXX  to any XXXX  cell number. That leaves only the possibility of sending a code to my email address which needs to be monitored whilst I am on the call to Wells Fargo. In this case the Wells Fargo agent mistakenly sent the XXXX to my secondary cell number XXXX XXXX, which is owned by a friend. He was fast asleep XXXX XXXX at the time so that is probably why the XXXX was rejected. 

Anyhow I was not advised that my account was blocked and was unaware of this for reason that the account is not active, I don't access it regularly, I don't transact in or out of it XXXX my XXXX  business XXXX XXXX has gone quiet in the last few years. The last deposit was made in around XX/XX/XXXX and the last wire out was made in XX/XX/XXXX to pay for my daughters studies XXXX XXXXXXXX. 

Nevertheless I wanted to get a DC for use only when I travel XXXX, which is very seldom with C19 these days. The department issuing DCs could not verify me for reasons they could not say. Consequently a DC could not be issued. At this point I still did not know my account had an alert on it and was blocked for issuance of a DC. After many emails to my manager that went unanswered, I finally contacted the executive office. They were equally of no help as they could not verify me or find out what the problem was. 

On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX i was referred to another department dealing with blocked accounts ; the gent explained that my daughter who had had her credit card issued in XXXX and which had expired in XXXX, was listed as " on '' the account. This confused me, as she never was an account owner or holder, never had access, has never been in contact with the bank etc. 
The bank said she would need to call in to verify herself and update her address and also that she could not remove herself from the account unless both she and I were present at a branch- obviously impossible with me XXXX XXXX XXXX and she XXXX XXXXXXXX. The bank said that without her address update, the account would be closed. 

Consequently I took the decision in mid XX/XX/XXXX to close the account at Wells Fargo, it being so cumbersome to deal with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  and XXXX  not being able to visit a branch. 
Before doing so I needed to open an account at another bank to which I could wire my funds. 

On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I finally managed to receive my new account incoming wire details this just XXXX weeks after being told why the bank had blocked my account. I also pointed out verbally and in writing on numerous occasions since early in XXXX [ all on record ], that sending me a cashiers check was not an option as my new bank account which is digital, would not accept such. 

On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, without further notice Wells Fargo closed my account ; I was then unable to effect the wire transfer for which I had just opened my new bank account. 
When I went in to look at my balance, it was zero - from the day prior at {$480.00} XXXX. 

Naturally I am very upset as I was about to wire transfer my funds to my newly opened account - aside from which it is very upsetting to see a zero balance on my account that has for the last many months had a balance of {$480.00} XXXX. 

XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX I contacted the executive offices via email addresses we have been using for the past two months but to date ( now XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ) they have not responded. 

As things stand I am being stonewalled by the bank. They are not responding ; the bank has my {$480.00} XXXX and are sitting on it XXXX XXXX XXXX 

That is not a fair, reasonable or moral way to treat anyone, especially a loyal customer that has supported the bank for over 18 years with a very sizeable balance - never less than {$250.00} XXXX at any one time. 

I assure anyone that there is copious correspondence on this between the bank and myself, going back into XXXX. All on record. I have all their names, their phone numbers, transcripts of conversations and details of all correspondences between us.

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