Consumer complaint received 2017-06-12
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Savings account
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Sub-issue: Non-sufficient funds and associated fees

Complaint:
I am disputing the set off taken by Wells Fargo from my saving account ending in XXXX. In addition, due to an account opened by Wells Fargo with no written authorization from me, monthly fees of {$30.00} were applied to another Wells Fargo account. 1. In XXXX, my daughter needed a bank account that was in her name but that her spouse could not access. We went to a Wells Fargo branch to open an account. We explained the situation to the Wells Fargo employee who recommended the type of account to meet her needs. I made it very clear that I did not want financial responsibility for this account. We discussed overdraft protection and again I made it very clear that I did not want to be responsible for this protection. I was told that I had to sign for the account to have it linked to my account and so that it would appear on my internet Wells Fargo site, but not be visible on my daughters site. The account was opened in good faith based upon the information provided by the Wells Fargo representative. I was specifically told that I had no financial  responsibility for this account. 2. I never had a debit card or checks for this account. The account was overdrawn in XXXX XXXX. It is obvious that these were not my charges. A set off amount was later taken from my saving account to cover the overdrawn amount and multiple fees. ( I was not notified of this until at least a week after the money was taken. ) 3. I called Wells Fargo on XXXX XXXX, XXXX to question the set off. I was on the phone with a representative for over an hour. She put me on hold numerous times to speak to other departments. She told me that it was a mistake that Wells Fargo took this as a setoff from account and that the money would be returned to my account. She told me not to close the account but to remove my name from the account. The money was returned to my account as she promised. 4. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I went to the Wells Fargo Branch on XXXX XXXX in XXXX. I spoke to a teller who said she could not help me I had to wait for another representative to help me. I waited for 30 minutes and finally left because I was on my lunch hour. No one spoke to me, offered to help, or told me how long the wait would be. 5. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I returned to the same branch and spoke to a Wells Fargo employee, XXXX XXXX. By this time, Wells Fargo was again in the process of taking the money as a set off from my saving account. This employee told me the exact opposite of the phone representative. He told me to close the account and said that I could not remove my name from the account. He said if I left the account open, Wells Fargo would deduct more fees. Based on his information I closed the account. He stated that the account was in my name because I signed for it, and he showed me paperwork with my signature. He could not help me with information regarding the set off taken from my account. 6. I asked why this was opened as free checking account and later Wells Fargo charged {$30.00} moth. He said if was a PMA account and there were no fees because it was linked to my other Wells Fargo accounts. There are no fees on any other accounts that I have with Wells Fargo. 7. Again I called Wells Fargo on XXXX XXXX, XXXX and spoke to a representative named XXXX. She provided additional conflicting information. She said I should not have closed the account. She could see that the set off had been reversed previously, but she did not have the authority to do anything. The only thing she could do was take the information to her team for review. I asked when I could expect a response regarding the decision. She said no one would call me I should just watch to see if the money was returned to my account. 8. I sent an e-mail through the Wells Fargo website asking for information. I received a response on XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX According to this response, the account with my daughter was opened with no fees because it was linked to my other accounts. Later when another account was opened in my and my husbands name, Wells Fargo began to charge fees on another account ( ending in XXXX ) because only one account could be linked for the purposes of waiving fees. This second account ( ending in XXXX ) was opened after multiple phone calls from Wells Fargo representative. I never signed paperwork for this account. 9. The response from XXXX XXXX also stated that since the account has been closed, the option to dispute the Right of Setoff transaction is not available. The response regarding the fees on the account was much the same since the account has been closed, we are not able to review the account for any possible courtesy refund of the fees assessed. I follow the recommendation of a Wells Fargo employee to close an account, and then another Wells Fargo employee tells me that because I closed the account, they can not review for corrections. 10. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX called me and gave me three choices : do nothing, Wells Fargo would return the {$750.00} to my account, or Wells Fargo would return {$60.00} in fees to me. I asked if Wells Fargo would remove the money from my account again if I chose to have it returned. The response was no it would just be listed as a debt against me. I told him to return the money to my account. 11. The money was not returned to my account as offered. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX again called me. Now, he tells me I have two options do nothing or have the money returned to my account. But to have money returned, I have to call and set up a payment plan. So I have to give Wells Fargo more money. I had no response last time I made my choice and Wells Fargo did not do what was promised. Basically, I have two issues : 1. An account ( ending in XXXX ) was opened based on recommendations from a Wells Fargo employees. When this account was overdrawn, Wells Fargo took the money from my account ( ending in XXXX ) even though I was told I had no financial responsibility for this account and when I called the bank in XXXX, I was told it was a mistake. If Wells Fargo provides information and advice to customers, they should be required to honor what they state. 2. After multiple phone calls from Wells Fargo trying to coerce us into opening additional accounst, an account ( ending in XXXX ) was opened with no signed paperwork. Wells Fargo then began charging $ XXXX/month on another account. They collected hundreds of dollars in fees based on an account opened without signed authorization. Wells Fargo links my account for the purpose of taking a set off amount, but not for waving fees. Please review these issues. Wells Fargo continues to provide false and conflicting information to me.

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