Consumer complaint received 2015-08-25
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
Yesterday I received an email notification that my Wells Fargo account had been overdrawn and I had used my overdraft protection. I was surprised by this email as this account is only used to pay my student loans and I know exactly what goes into it and what comes out of it. I got online to check my account and found almost {$50.00} in fees in the last 3 months and a XXXX balance in my checking account. What surprised me the most was a $ 8 monthly service fee for each month in XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. I have had this account for 8 years ( since 2007 ) and have never paid a monthly service fee because I set up an automatic transfer of {$35.00} between my checking and savings account to waive the {$6.00} normal monthly fee of this type of account. As I checked back through my online statements I found the change happened around XXXX this year where my account must have been automatically " updated '' without my consent or knowledge to an account that now charges {$10.00} a month and the options to waive the fee have changed and my option to transfer to my savings account has been removed. The only options left to waive my monthly fee consisted of having a minimum {$1500.00} balance, having a direct deposit of at least $ XXXX, or having an automatic payment be taken for a Wells Fargo home loan or personal loan. None of these options are usable for me as this account is only used to pay my student loans. I currently live in XXXX and I do n't have the option to go into a branch near me to sort things out so I called the XXXX number and talked to XXXX separate people that both basically said they could not help me at all. The only suggestion they had was to call the branch I opened it at. This morning I called the branch and talked to a banker named XXXX. He was more helpful but overall said that since I live in XXXX and can not physically be there, he could not do anything to my accounts to help me. He confided that I was not the first to call and complain about this change that happened and that apparently this change happened to about XXXX types of older accounts that had been " grandfathered. '' He said they would have sent out a letter at the beginning of the year informing me of the changes. When I stated I did not receive any such letter he suggested it might have gotten lost in the mail or something as it would have been going overseas. I have since checked my letters from Wells Fargo in my filing cabinet and have not found any such letter, though I did find my most recent debit card which would have arrived around that time to my XXXX address, indicating the overseas mailing address is indeed correct. In XXXX we never have problems receiving mail and have a very reliable mail system. XXXX directed me back towards the phone call center which I had previously called, sending me in circles. I am appalled that Wells Fargo can change my account terms and type without my consent and I feel something is not correct here. Can I please get some help and direction in this matter. I noticed that there were some news articles from XXXX this year about a law suit against Wells Fargo in regards to them opening unauthorised fee attracting accounts. I am not sure if my case falls in this same category of incidents but it certainly does n't feel right. Any help is very much appreciated.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation