Consumer complaint received 2016-08-23
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: GA
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Account opening, closing, or management

Complaint:
I received a check from my mom for {$750.00}. I deposited it in my checking account ( XXXX/XXXX/16 ) and withdrew the funds the next day. Four days later my checkcard is declined and I am told by my bank that their loss prevention department suspected the check was counterfit. The check had already cleared my mom 's account. My payroll had also just deposited and it was enough to cover the check XXXX3 times over. I had no cash and they refused to release any funds. I spoke to XXXX different people before ending up with XXXX in the executive section. She was unhelpful, basically told me I needed to submit a Proof letter. She informed me I needed a letter and with the check number, amount, case number, my moms phone number and that she wrote the check. My mom provided the information and I verified they had recieved it. I was told that they should relase the hold in XXXX48 hours. They did authorize a partial amount for withdrawl, but returned several incoming payments that I had previously submitted. On Monday morning I called again. My account was still on hold. I was escalated to the executive side again and was told by XXXX that the letter was n't sufficient. My mom then went into a XXXX XXXX XXXX Branch ( this is her bank ). They told her that they did not have letter head in the branches, but made copies of the cleared check authorized and verified my mom did authorize it as well as her signature and used the official XXXX stamp to certify its authenicity. That was sent to them on Monday the XXXX. They still refused to release funds and were indicating their intentions to close my account in spite of me providing all the information they requested. The next morning my mom went to a Wells Fargo branch with all of the information to provide unquestionable proof that it was not fraud. Wells Fargo refused to help her because she was not the account holder. The W.F. investigator then made the decision that it was not a legitimate check ( or so loss prevention told me ) and that they were closing my accounts XXXX XXXX and that I would recieve a cashiers check in the mail shortly there after. So that left me having NO MONEY and multiple returned items and overdue bills until at least XXXX XXXX. I requested the manager of the exectuive office to call me and they never did. I have gone to XXXX different local branches and every officer at each location tells me that it makes no sense that the documentation should be sufficient, but none of them have been able to override loss prevention. I contacted them once again yesterday and they grudgingly agreed to release my funds with the condition that I close the account after I had said that I would be contacting the CFPB. I now have no checking account and have been denied opening a new account with several other banks due to the freeze and " fraud '' that Wells Fargo is claiming.

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