Consumer complaint received 2022-12-21
Product: Mortgage — Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage — 
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (FL)

I am requesting to be a part of the Wells Fargo XXXX with CFPB, from XX/XX/XXXX. 
In XXXX, while suffering XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX contacted Wells Fargo, ( my Mortgage Servicer ). I was requesting a modification to my mortgage. After many, many phone calls, ( many of which, were mysteriously cut off or dropped ), I was finally directed to a department that administered modifications. This department told me I was not eligible for a modification since Wells Fargo only " serviced '' my loan. The owner was XXXX  XXXX XXXX, who would not approve a modification. When I asked for contacts at XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX to start the request there, I was told no contacts would be provided. This is because Wells Fargo was who " serviced '' the loan, meaning all communication was to be directed through them. Yet they could not give me an answer about XXXX  declining a modification, nor could they give me a pathway toward a modification. I continued to call any number I could find for Wells Fargo, XXXX  and the Government 's line for their HARP program. 
I'm not sure what magic number I found, but I finally found someone who referred me to another department with-in Wells Fargo XXXX who would help modify the loan. This department, XXXX XXXX, said I would need to provide details proving a financial hardship for a period of 90 days. They requested that I fax both my pay stub and my wife 's pay stub, along with any documentation I had regarding our financial situation ; including current annual tax returns and those from XXXX years prior, monthly bills, any extra income, day care charges, etc. This accounted for nearly XXXX pages. They wanted these faxed weekly for a period of 90 days. No electronic filing options were available ( in XXXX? ) Their fax number often ( again, mysteriously ), cut off, or otherwise became disconnected during these long faxes. If, in XXXX days we were still in need, and we successfully submitted the weekly faxes, we would be reviewed for a modification. 
I sent my weekly faxed in for the required 90 days. I was, in fact, referred to another department, who would review these documents. After numerous calls and endless holds, I finally got a person, who told me the documentation was not complete. This man could not tell me what was not submitted properly. Simply, that I had not completed the 90 day period successfully. So, I if I still wanted to apply for a modification, had to start the process over. Which I did. This time I kept copies of every fax, stamped with a time and date when each individual page was sent, and the length of time my fax machine was connected to the Wells Fargo fax.. I also was provided a different number to call, to verify the faxes were received. After faxing the weekly required documents, I called the number EVERY week, to insure they received my faxes. The woman who answered was always polite, and verified the faxes made it. XXXX week, about 60 days into this round, I called, and the number went to voice mail, with an " out of office '' message for the woman, who explained she was on vacation that week. No alternate number provided to call in her absence. The following week, as clockwork, I faxed my XXXX plus pages in, and then called to follow up. The polite woman answered, only to tell me my mortgage modification application had been removed from her files, because I had missed the last week. I explained that I had not missed a week, and that I left her a voice mail. I also told her that I had the faxed, time/ date stamped documents, in my possession. I could send these over, too. She was sympathetic, but she explained there were no documents received on their end, and I would need to re-submit an application, and start the process again. 
I did this, and after another 90 days of tedious faxing and follow up phone calls, I was finally accepted for a " trial modification ''. Here is where it gets real ugly. I was given a " trial '' payment, which was significantly lower than my current monthly mortgage payment. 
It was explained : A ) This was a trial modification, to be paid for 90 days. 
B ) This was not my new mortgage payment, this was a trial payment, to see if I could successfully pay this amount. 
C ) The actual payment would be calculated upon completion of the trial ; based on the outstanding balance of the current mortgage, potentially new interest rate, new term, and my ability to successfully complete this 90 day trial. 

This was such a financial relief. However, I pressed them many times for details : the amount of my new payments, terms, etc. It was repeatedly explained, that the department who would determine the final terms of the mortgage modification, was not reviewing the details, until I successfully completed the trial. Details were very limited, but I was assured that the new payments would be similar to the trial payments. I didn't like this, but I was in a very difficult position. I accepted. I successfully completed the trial, making the new reduced payments, while catching up on other bills. 
I was told that I had indeed successfully completed the trial, and I was eligible for a mortgage modification. I was offered terms that I did not care for. I was given 7 days to sign the modification agreement, to accept these new terms. If I chose not to accept this modification ; I could either, return to the original mortgage terms, and immediately pay the difference on what was owed on the mortgage, versus what was paid " for '' the 90 day trial period, ( At the time, I had no idea what " paid " for '' the 90 day trial ' actually meant ). Or, I could go into foreclosure. Those were my options. Take their unattractive terms, pay back XXXX plus months of mortgage savings, or lose my home. Under duress, I accepted their modification. A loan I still have today. 
Finally, to add insult to injury, several months later, my XXXX XXXX took a big hit. I was informed the score was affected by being in " Forbearance ''. This was a new term to me. I had never heard this term before that particular phone call. It was then explained, while in forbearance, my trial modification payments were not sent to the loan owner ( XXXX  ). They were held by Wells Fargo. Since XXXX  was not paid, they reported that I had not paid my monthly mortgage payments for XXXX straight months to the big XXXX national credit reporting companies. How can this be? I paid exactly what was owed, based on my " Trial Modification ''. I was on time each month, and I was successful at this " Trial Modification ''. How can my credit be harmed by following my mortgage servicer 's requirements? This was NEVER explained to me, when the " XXXX XXXX '' was offered. Had it been explained, I would not have pursued a modification. 
At this point, after nearly 11 years, I have successfully rebuilt my XXXX XXXX, and have been making the monthly mortgage payments each and every month. The mortgage has been sold, and I happily have no more dealings with Wells Fargo. I was most definitely a victim of Wells Fargo 's dirty lending policies. I am hoping to qualify for a portion of the XX/XX/XXXX settlement which CFPB has pursued. Thank you.