Consumer complaint received 2021-07-25
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not handled or disbursed as instructed

Complaint:
My grandma, XXXX XXXX XXXX, died on XX/XX/2021. The last four of her SSN was XXXX. She had a Wells Fargo Advisors IRA policy that my mom and I were named as beneficiaries. The issue is, we contacted Wells Fargo and were given the run around for months. 

My mom was initially told she had to go to a branch location to present the death certificate. When she went into the branch, the branch told her she needed to get paperwork from estate processing. The branch put in an inquiry for this on XX/XX/XXXX. Then, XX/XX/XXXX, I called the estate processing department. I've followed up numerous times after sitting on hold for 40 mins at a time. I was told their turn around time was 3 to 5 business days. 

Because I was not getting anywhere with the estate processing department, the one representative I spoke with on XX/XX/XXXX put in a complaint with the enterprise complaint department. XXXX ended up calling me from the enterprise complaint department. He was checking into some things and was supposed to call me back. I called him numerous times after the initial telephone conversation and he never called me back again. Since I work in the legal department of a bank and handle complaints, I am not sure how your employees can just ghost a customer. Especially since I also have my mortgage AND a credit card through your bank. This is extremely unprofessional and very suspicious behavior. 

In addition to the unprofessional behavior by XXXX in your enterprise complaint department, I was told that if my mom and I were not the beneficiaries, we would not receive the paperwork to fill out with our personal information. Your company sent us both the paperwork to fill out. I filled out the paperwork but needed my grandma 's account number. I called Wells Fargo and spoke with the estate processing department, who provided me with my grandma 's full account number. Also, my mom had an employee at her bank, XXXX, call Wells Fargo, and the employee confirmed that my mom was a beneficiary. They said she was the only beneficiary listed ; however, she still can not get answers from Wells Fargo after sending in her paperwork. If I was not a beneficiary, why was I sent the paperwork? Why was I provided the full account number ( which is PII and not supposed to be provided to third-parties )? 

The way that my mom and I have been treated is not okay. My mom is ill and my grandma financially supported her. Basically, we are just trying to get whatever information XXXX needs to process the IRA distribution. The executrix, XXXX XXXX, of the will was even called and told my mom is a beneficiary, and needed her information. Then, your company called XXXX back and told her my mom was not a beneficiary. I understand that you can not address my mom 's concerns in the CFPB from me so she will also be filing a CFPB. We are also considering contacting the AGs of our states ( NC and GA ) to investigate what Wells Fargo is doing with IRAs that are supposed to be distributed unless this matter is resolved in the next week. We are also considering speaking to an atty in each of our states to get answers, since Wells Fargo has not been truthful in the encounters we have had.

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