Consumer complaint received 2022-12-16
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Cashing a check

Complaint:
I have a mortgage account for my property in XXXX XXXX with Wells Fargo Bank and have opened an Escrow Account with them. I recently closed my XXXX Account and the Customer Support at Wells Fargo said they will return the remaining balance to me via a check, which amounts to {$9400.00}. 

Wells Fargo have confirmed that the check have been mailed out since XX/XX/XXXX however, I have not received the check in the mail, although I have received every other mail they confirmed was sent out on the same day, including the final statement of the escrow account. 

I called Wells Fargo Bank several times to follow-up on this and they insisted that the check is in-transit. I called again on Monday XX/XX/XXXX and they informed me that my check was cashed to a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX Account. I never received the check hence I did not endorse it and cashed it in. I do not know what happened but I have never received my check and Wells Fargo refuses to send me another check. 

Wells Fargo said that someone XXXX have stolen my mail, forged my endorsement and cashed my check, although I don't know that for sure. In my view, I don't even know if the check left the escrow department. Wells Fargo refused to return my money. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Wells Fargo sent me a copies of the cashed check mentioned above, and immediately, I realize a fraudster has forged my endorsement and cash it to their chase account. I took the check and went to a XXXXXXXX XXXX  branch to inform them of this scam that has happened and to let them know that a scammer has an account at XXXX XXXX  and that they processed stolen property with a fraudulent endorsement. The XXXX rep apologized, but said nothing they could do to cancel the check till Wells Fargo filed a dispute. 

I called Wells Fargo again to told them what XXXX told me, and they said they will open the investigation and this investigation can last for 9 months! This is my money that they owe and they do not want to return it to me until, potentially, 9 months later! I was supposed to use the money to pay for the property tax that's due this month and my monthly mortgage, but now I do not know how I am going to pay. 

Another problem is that whenever I requested to work with a specific Customer Support rep that I spoke with and had explained my situation in fine detail, the Wells Fargo rep always rejected. Every time I called back to follow up, I have to repeat my entire story to a different rep. 

Last but not least, Wells Fargo forced the communication via postal mail, which takes a very long time for one-way communication and unreliable. This is why the check was stolen in the first place! They refuse to assign a dedicated person to help me, in a more timely and more secure communication channel, such as working with someone at their branch. 

In this whole situation, Wells Fargo shows they did not respect me, wanted to hold my money XXXX for 9 months for something that has nothing to do with me, I never even receive the check. They refuse to be collaborative and resolve the situation in a more timely manner for such a large amount of money 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 explanation