Consumer complaint received 2023-08-26
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I was recently approved for SSA XXXX XXXX Social Security issued a payment for back payment in the amount of {$32000.00} on XX/XX/23, which I received from U.S. Department of the Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service on XX/XX/23. I went into Wells Fargo branch # XXXX XXXX to deposit the check on XX/XX/23 at XXXX. At XXXX on XX/XX/23 I received an email from Wells Fargo informing me that they would be closing my account by XX/XX/23 " because of one or more checks deposited to or cashed against your account suspected to be altered ''. On XX/XX/23 I went to the same Wells Fargo branch to discuss the matter, where I was informed that the check from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service I deposited " did not look like other checks they have seen ''. I was humiliated in front of other bank customers as they loudly told me this ( treating me as if I was a criminal ). I was told that they could not help me or discuss anything with me and was told to call the number on the back of my debit card. I called the number while I was in the branch and was given a complaint of litigation number XXXX ( Reference # XXXX ). My account is frozen and am unable to view the deposited check or make any transactions. All funds in the account are frozen. I have no access to any money. Any payments I had scheduled immediately before and after depositing the check have been stopped. Late payment fees from many creditors have been charged due to this. I made numerous attempts to contact Wells Fargo Fraud Prevention Department for assistance to no avail. On XX/XX/23, I called the WF Fraud Prevention Department again and was treated very rudely by a representative named XXXX, who interrupted my mid sentence by transferring me to another representative name XXXX. I was informed that I can not get the check back and that they were returning the check to U.S. Department of the Treasury Bureau of the Fiscal Service that my account will close by XX/XX/23. I asked XXXX why I did not get any calls or texts regarding the suspicious activity ( as I had in the past ) BEFORE my account was frozen. She told me that two calls to me were made on XX/XX/23, which I did NOT receive. She verified my phone number and I reiterated that I did not receive any calls PRIOR to the email sent on XX/XX/23 stating that my account was going to be closed. On XX/XX/23, I contacted Bureau of the Fiscal Service, who can not give me specific information on the check issued. They asked me to ask SSA for proof of payment. Bureau of the Fiscal Service also told me the the bank should have called them to verify validity of the check ( that Wells Fargo just needed to provide a serial number on the check to verify that it's not fraudulent ). Wells Fargo refuses to tell me how they determined that the check I deposited was altered or fraudulent, so I doubt that they contacted Bureau of the Fiscal Service at all. I went to my local SSA office to get proof of payment. They provided me with my Notice of Award letter, which shows the back payment amount of {$32000.00}. As of today, no one has received the " returned '' check, so I can not ask for reissue of the check from SSA. I waited a year and a half for SSDI payments and have suffered financially due to loss of income in all that time. I am XXXX and this situation has caused me great emotional, mental and physical pain.

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