Consumer complaint received 2024-04-15
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (CA)

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notification from Wells Fargo bank by email as well as an app notification that our family small business checking & credit card accounts and line of credit were closed on XX/XX/XXXX with no explanation. This came as a complete surprise. Upon calling Wells Fargo client services, the customer services representative said that it was closed because there was a discrepancy in the address. He admitted that even though Wells Fargo has been aggressively promoting its digital channels, no notification was ever sent by email, text, or via the mobile app, and no one had attempted to call us. 

He claimed that a letter was sent to us in XX/XX/XXXX which we never received! Despite the request, he didn't provide any tracking number or any additional information. 

Despite several escalations and visiting the branch, Wells Fargo has not provided a satisfactory explanation on why the accounts were closed. 

when I enquired about the remaining account balance, he assured me that a check had already been mailed to the address on file and should receive it by XX/XX/XXXX at the latest. I asked to talk to a manager and he said there is no manager to talk to, but he is going to escalate the matter. He also admitted that this was a common concern raised by many angry customers whose accounts were closed without notice.

I did receive a call a few days later from a customer escalation and a canned response on XX/XX/XXXX that included a copy of the letter that was supposedly sent to us informing us of the address change, the letter did NOT address our concern on why we were NOT contacted by email, phone, text or App and Wells Fargo relied on postal service ONLY which is notoriously infamous for being unreliable. 

Meanwhile, no check was received at the address though I did receive notification of account closure AFTER THE FACT. so I called Wells Fargo again around XX/XX/XXXX where I

was told that a certified check was mailed. the representative was unable to provide me with any tracking number or check number. She advised me to go to a branch where she assured me that a replacement check would be issued. I made an appointment at the XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( address included earlier ) where the real horror story started. I spent XXXX hours there starting with Associate Personal Banker XXXX XXXX XXXX and then with XXXX XXXX  Branch Manager XXXX XXXX. They spent XXXX hours calling various groups within Wells Fargo and insisted that I needed to fill out a " Declaration of Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Cashier 's check '' and pay for a XXXX XXXX. they also insisted that I needed to get a signature guarantee from another financial institution.

How can I lose a check that I never received? also, I

never asked for it to be mailed- they should have given me the option to do an electronic transfer or pick it up from a branch. And why do they need a signature guarantee from another bank? I have a personal bank account with
them since 1987!!!

I refused to go through their senseless process and pay funds from my own money for a surety bond because THEY lost my check ( or worse, never issued it ) and go to another bank for a signature guarantee.

Once again, the bank manager entered an escalation on my behalf.

I received a call from someone named XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX who left a number. I called back and talked to XXXX XXXX, an Escalation representative who took all the details. She also shared that they have been seeing a lot of similar complaints where accounts were closed without notification. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I got a letter telling me that the case was being closed and asking me to call the same XXXX number where I started : ( the letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX just reiterated that a check was mailed but didn't provide me with any tracking number or other substantiation.

Also, I'm not sure why Wells Fargo wants me to talk to them again- they have all the information they need. Even if they mailed me a check for the account balance at their discretion, I haven't received it. they should be just able to do a stop payment on the original check and issue me a new one!

at this point, it had become obvious that Wells Fargo which is infamous for its unethical conduct had no intention of giving our funds to us. Looks like they have gone from opening customer accounts without permission to closing them without notification. 

A XXXX search shows XXXX of such complaints about Wells Fargo closing accounts that have low balances for spurious reasons.