Consumer complaint received 2024-08-06
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Didn't receive terms that were advertised
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (PA)

I would like to complain about Wells Fargo. The response from the bank has been incomplete, misleading, and myopic. 
Wells Fargo has an ongoing promotion which the bank refused to honor. According to this promotion, a customer is supposed to receive {$300.00} for opening a new checking account funded a total of {$1000.00} within 90 days of opening the account. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
However, after I opened a checking account on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Wells Fargo blocked this account under the allegation that something was wrong about my address or phone number. In fact, nothing was wrong, and my address information and phone have remained unchanged throughout this incident. However, my phone calls to the bank about the blockage of my account were useless until, on XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I went to a local branch, spoke to the manager, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and made a new deposit. Only then was the account usable, though the bank, perhaps because of the blockage, could not find my initial deposit which ultimately was returned to XXXXXXXX XXXX  from which the funds were drawn. I therefore had to make a fresh deposit on XXXX XXXX. 
I then made two {$500.00} deposits on XX/XX/XXXX, which clearly were within 90 days of having a functioning account. The issue thus is whether the 90 days should count from the time when I requested the account ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX ) or from XXXX XXXX, XXXX, when the blockage was removed and I actually was permitted to deposit the qualifying funds. Another consideration is that the banks loss of my initial deposit reinforces the fact that I did not have a working account until XXXX XXXX. 
There is nothing in the original offer about having less than 90 days to make the qualifying deposits if the bank makes a mistake or otherwise prevents the customer from using the account. I am inclined to think that the blockage of my account was just a ruse to deny me the promotional offer. I believe that Wells Fargo is engaged in an unfair, deceptive business practice : namely, luring customers to give the bank interest-free funds, but then withholding the {$300.00} bonus. 
If other customers are similarly denied the promotional offer under contrived circumstances, Wells may be facing another scandal, as when the bank was found to have opened fictitious accounts to meet sales goals. 
I believe that the bank not only should honor its offer to me, but be required to state how many other customers like me were denied an advertised promotion on the basis of manufactured problems solely under the banks control. 
Documentation is available on request, but the above-referenced dates and amounts have not been disputed. The dispute instead centers on implications of these facts. 
A minor issue in comparison is the cost of checks which I now can not use since, having lost faith in the bank, I closed my account on XXXX XXXX, XXXX. 
Email is the best way to reach me. Please do not send text messages to my phone, which is only for voice communication.