Consumer complaint received 2016-05-11
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: MI
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Indicated committed crime not paying

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX, XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX XXXX, Iowa XXXX XXXX : UNFAIR PRACTICE Dear XXXX : This letter is in regards to Wells Fargo Bank and their decision in XXXX to change their billing cycle. The change meant I had to make XXXX payments within a one month period or be charged a late fee of {$28.00}. 

They also made it clear, if the payments were not at their desks by XXXX on the due date, the payments would be considered late, even if they were already in their building. The new rules and regulations came as a surprise because they were put in place without prior notification. 

The changes prompted me to contact the Michigan XXXX After explaining the situation to XXXX of their representatives, she stated, " What they are doing is illegal. '' She then asked me to send in a complaint. I sent the complaint and never heard from Wells Fargo again. 

Now that I am XXXX XXXX, my physician has recommended I move into a senior living facility. After running my credit, I was completely surprised to learn that over a ten year period, they continued to report a debt they made impossible for me to repay. 

Furthermore, in XXXX I offered to continue making payments if they would have agreed to go back to the original once a month billing cycle, they refused. There was no way I could afford to make regular payments and pay a late charge every month. 

Also, without a word of warning, they implemented a XXXX bill paying curfew and this is how it worked. Even if your payment was in their offices, the envelope had to be on XXXX of their representative 's desks before XXXX or you were charged a {$28.00} late charge. 

I contacted the XXXX and spoke with XXXX of their representatives concerning the XXXX. curfew. He stated, " How can a payment be late if it is already in their possession? That does n't make any sense. '' I contacted Wells Fargo 's customer service and asked how would a consumer know if their payments had cleared their XXXX curfew? In other words, if the clock strikes XXXX, would we be charged a late charge, she stated, " I did n't make the rules. '' Aforementioned, without advanced warning, Wells Fargo decided to change their billing cycle and in doing so, the consumers were setup for failure. I offered to continue making the original, once a month payments, but they refused to reverse their policy. 

Apparently, I am not the only XXXX who have had problems with this institution. The internet reveals over XXXX complaints and numerous class action lawsuits have been filed against them for fraud, undermining and deceptive practices. 

Over one thousand consumers can not be wrong. They are now billing the original account as XXXX different accounts. I spoke with XXXX XXXX XXXX about Wells Fargo 's behavior and practices, they both stated they had never heard of such. 

Had they not been caught switching the pay cycle and implementing the XXXX. bill paying curfew, they would have been able to collect {$330.00} a year in late fees from unsuspecting consumers. 

Would you please assist me in getting Wells Fargo to remove the debt, they made impossible to repay ten-years-ago? Aforementioned, had they not changed the payment cycle from 28 days to XXXX, the debt would have been settled.

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