Consumer complaint received 2023-01-08
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Closing an account
Sub-issue: Funds not received from closed account

Complaint:
My mother passed away on XX/XX/XXXX. I'm her only child and my dad, her spouse is dead as well. 

She and my dad opened this account ending in XXXX back in XXXX. When my dad passed she added me as XXXX XXXX for this account. 

Upon her passing I made sure that I had all required documents to close her account and I made the appointment XXXX at Wells Fargo - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX This account had a balance of only {$320.00} and would have qualified to use their Affidavit of Collection for Small Balance Accounts. As this account did not exceed the {$1500.00}. amount to close. Their Banker who was also their Notary Public provided this form and made the transaction for this action. So at this point I thought the account would be closed. 

I had also just received a reimbursement check in the amount of {$2400.00} that was payment due to me that would have been her rent and services for XXXX. But she passed XXXX. I had to pay her rent in advance each month. But she passed on the XXXX and so they sent me the refund for her rent. The check was mailed to my home address and I received on XXXX I had it in my folder of documents when I went to the bank on the XXXX. I ask the banker and XXXX if they could only cash this check and I made it clear to them I was not wanting to keep her/my account open. They were not sure for this request and so they contacted their offices in California for advise and they were told to scan this check to them for review and after not XXXX but XXXX emails and XXXX scanning of this check they agreed it would be okay to cash this check and the funds would be available on Friday, XXXX. Their actions indicated this check was being cashed and I was given {$720.00} in advance on XXXX. I was told that the balance of {$2000.00} and would be available on Thursday, XXXX. But when I came back I was told that this check just dropped off their records and they had no clue what had happed to it. 

This was very upsetting to find they had lost my reimbursement funds. And that they had no clue where it was. I then told them I was going to contact the XXXX XXXX XXXX who issued me the check and have them place a stop payment on this check. When I contacted the XXXX XXXX XXXX on Monday XXXX they tell me that Wells Fargo had already cashed the check and it cleared their bank. 

I went back to the branch and had the XXXX contact their XXXX XXXX XXXX only to get the run around and that someone must have incorrectly advised them to cash this check for me. Then they advise me that somehow this check that I only wanted to be cashed, is now re-deposited back into the account I thought they closed back on XXXX and it has been locked down and I'm not able to close or get my funds back. Now it is considered over the amount that they had just performed the Affidavit of Collections for Small Balance Accounts back on XXXX. They have deposited this check back into a closed account without my permission. 

The branch XXXX did create an escalation request for this issue and I was provided a phone number to report all the events for this and the phone message each time I called and I did call at least 3 times would always state the this call would be recorded and I provided all the true events and someone would be getting back to me. 

Well they finally submitted a letter on XXXX and they basically lied and turn all the facts around to their favor. The check and my sole request on XXXX was to only cash this check. And my request was made to them only after I was told we had already completed the task of the first document for XXXX of Collections for the XXXX XXXX Account of the original {$320.00} in her account at the time of her death on XXXX. So this check I had brought to them on the XXXX was never to be deposited.

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