Consumer complaint received 2020-01-10
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I am on an extended vacation in XXXX with my XXXX  infants, which was recorded with Wells Fargo and remains in the 'travel plan ' on my checking account. On Sunday XXXX I phoned Wells Fargo to dispute transactions against merchant, XXXX.it who had been charging for services not rendered and for product never received ( over a 4 month period while in XXXX ). FYI XXXX.it has no record of the disputed 'subscription ' or product charges, hence my pursuit to dispute the transactions on Sunday. 

After identifying all transactions with a Banker, she advised that I had two options : ( 1 ) my account would be frozen while the claims team investigated my disputes, or ( 2 ) a new debit card would be issued. I explicitly instructed, " I am in XXXX and we are traveling internationally in one week. My account can not be blocked because there are travel costs that I must make in order for us to travel. '' The Banker then corrected herself and explained " Well your account has already been blocked. So you have the option to request a new card ''. I again explained that we are in XXXX, we must travel to XXXX without question as our XXXX Area 90-day 'pass ' expires in one week. She placed the call on hold and tried to cancel the account 'block '. She returned and explained that due to policy, the account had been blocked and could not be unblocked, that it may remain blocked quote " up to 10 business days ''. I expressed my disappointment politely. I said " well I can only pray that there is a prompt resolution so the account is unblocked before Monday '' [ Monday being the day of our flights from XXXX to XXXX ]. I also explicitly stated " do not whatever you do, reissue a new card as I am not returning to the U.S soon, we are in XXXX and we absolutely must travel internationally in one week. '' She agreed. We finished the call. 

On Wednesday XXXX I received an automated email from Wells Fargo ( received this in the evening CEST ) stating that a new debit card had been issued and mailed to my former U.S mailing address. Against my explicit instructions, not to reissue a card. 

I phoned Wells Fargo on Friday XXXX and spoke to 3 Bankers including a Supervisor on duty, XXXX. I explained to all Bankers that the situation that the Bank has now put me in, is not simply without access to my sole account to feed, clothe ( diaper ) and provide for my infants ( I can not do so until a new debit card is now issued to me in XXXX, which may take 2 weeks ) and that this is a great distress, nor that I have 2 adult XXXX infant Business Airfares ( non refundable ) booked with XXXX XXXX and 1-night Hotel Accommodation in XXXX already booked and must now be forfeit - the seriousness is that we are stranded in regional XXXX with no financial means, and will subsequently overstay a XXXX pass and be illegal in XXXX. We will, on the XXXX XXXX be banned from re-entering any XXXX country for 3 years. 

The malpractice of Bankers at Wells Fargo has put my infants and I at extreme risk and hardship. We were made homeless in XXXX XXXX a year ago after squatters overran an XXXX rental and XXXX failed to compensate for the XXXX damages. Since arriving in XXXX, a family friend had opened her home to us while I have been trying to launch my business. The negligence by Bankers at Wells Fargo has severed the only opportunity of a temporary home for my babies and I and Wells Fargo is fully accountable. All conversations with Wells Fargo are recorded as per regulations and available by subpoena.

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