Consumer complaint received 2017-03-28
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Loan servicing, payments, escrow account

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX Wells Fargo conducted its annual escrow account review. It was determined that an escrow shortage of {$1300.00}. This amount could be divided and spread out over the next 12 payments making my mortgage payment {$1200.00}, or paid in one lump sum which would make my monthly payment $ XXXX. I elected to send Wells Fargo a lump sum. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I electronically sent two separate payments. One in the amount of {$1300.00} and the other in the amount of $ XXXX. Wells Fargo did not receive the payments until XX/XX/XXXX*. 
On XX/XX/XXXX those payments were reversed and held by Wells Fargo in an 'Unapplied Funds '' account associated with my loan. Wells Fargo did not return my payment, they held on to it. 
On XX/XX/XXXX and roughly every day for the following month I began receiving collection calls from Wells Fargo representatives all over the U.S. and who knows where else ( due to their accents ). One particular phone call I have a recording of*. The collection calls were for failing to make the XX/XX/XXXX payment or not making that payment in full. Over and over again I asked the collection agents " If I paid {$2400.00} on XX/XX/XXXX, and I know you received it because I have documentation that you received it, how is it that you are calling me for failing to pay {$1200.00} in the month of XXXX? '' None of them had an answer for me. On several occasions these employees of Wells Fargo would hang up on me. Specifically they would place the call on hold and never pick up again forcing me to disconnect the call from my end. 
Every collection call from Wells Fargo states " This call may be recorded and monitored ... '' It is actually stated twice per phone call. Once by the automatic answering service and once by the agent who answers the call. However when I inform the person on the other end that the call 'will ' be recorded, they would respond with " I do not authorize you to record me. '' Some agents actually go as far as to stop talking. Yet others continue to attempt to shake me down for more money. 
After approximately 30 collection calls ( this is excessive ) I went took the initiative and I finally got in touch with an Executive Resolution Specialist. This specialist said that she would stop the collection calls. Which she did. Then Wells Fargo proceeded to start sending collection letters. Within a 24 hour period I received six ( 6 ) letters demanding payment and stating that I have not paid my mortgage since XX/XX/XXXX*. Each of these letters threatened me with foreclosure, adverse reporting of information to the credit bureaus, and late fees imposed on my account*. These letters also went as far as to accuse me of being in need of 'financial help. ' On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from the Executive Resolution Specialist. The letter was dated XX/XX/XXXX and in it she acknowledged receipt of payment on XX/XX/XXXX, applying the funds to the wrong account, reversing the payments, holding the payments in the 'unapplied funds ' account, re-conducting an escrow account review, and retroactively changing ( or modifying ) mortgage payment amounts and principal balance. In this letter it also included the threat of adverse information being reported to the credit reporting agencies*. 
I never asked for, requested or applied for a mortgage with Wells Fargo. I never wanted to be a customer. 
Wells Fargo engages in deceitful, unethical, harassing, threatening, and overall offensive collection practices. The miscommunication between the departments of Wells Fargo and the failure to properly train their employees resulted in their failure to properly service my loan. 
* I have documentation or other evidence to substantiate this claim.

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