Consumer complaint received 2018-09-17
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: VA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Loan sold or transferred to another company

Complaint:
I co-signed on a 2013 XXXX XXXX XXXX for my grandson. The vehicle was put in shop for repair ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX VA ) Two persons appeared in shop advising one of them was my grandson. No ID was ever obtained by Clerk and the car was handed over to said person 's. I called shop to make arrangements to pick up vehicle and found they had released it to person 's unknown to me and none that took possession of the vehicle was my grandson. I called police and found car had been impounded by XXXX XXXX ( XXXX VA ) I called spoke to impoundment clerk who advised I had to court to get it released. When I appeared in court Judge advised he could only release vehicle to me but could not do anything about the impoundment bill. I called tow company back and found impoundment fees were almost {$2500.00} which I did not have and they refused to work with me regarding their bill. Inasmuch as I am a paralegal I looked up VA Code Section and found that the bank holding title ( Wells Fargo Dealer Services - Acct # XXXX ) could identify themselves as lienholder and vehicle could be released to bank at no charge. I contacted Wells Fargo and explained my situation and what happened and was advised by impoundment department they would look into it and to call back in two days. I advised that tow company had already set a sale date to auction vehicle so time was of the essence. I called back in two day and was advised by Wells Fargo they would make immediate contact with tow company and I would get a letter in approximately two weeks advising of any charges for retrieving said vehicle. Two weeks elapsed and I had not heard from Wells Fargo Bank so I called back impoundment department only to be routed to repossession department. I was then shocked to find that once Wells Fargo picked up vehicle they as a matter of retrieving said vehicle from the tow company automatically repossessed the vehicle. I explained I had spoken directly to Wells Fargo Impoundment Dept and was NEVER told vehicle would be automatically repossessed regardless if it was in default or not if Wells Fargo picked it up. If so, I would have tried to borrow the funds to get it out of Impoundment and forgo looking to bank for their assistance. Once I called Wells Fargo I also found they had put the vehicle up for auction. I tried again to speak to the Impoundment Dept but the Repossession Dept was so rude and refused to transfer my call to that said Dept and they had no direct dial number. I tried to hire an attorney before said auction scheduled by Wells Fargo had been had but no attorney would take my case because I was told it had " too many moving parts '' The vehicle was ultimately sold at auction before I could get any type of assistance. Wells Fargo Bank has now destroyed my credit report and credit score by this entire misunderstanding on their part and trying to now collect over {$7000.00} in deficiency for having to auction the vehicle. I am at a loss of where to start as my credit has been destroyed and it all began when the Repair shop ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) failed to obtain proper ID and allowed a thief to drive my vehicle off their lot. 

Is there anyway you can help me. I am recently divorced having to go on XXXX as well as raise an XXXX yr old XXXX child. I feel unfairly treated by all those involved in this situation. 

Most activity was over the phone but I will send any pertaint documents if you can help me. 

Thank you XXXX XXXX XXXX

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