Consumer complaint received 2017-06-24
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Banking errors
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (CA)

Dear Sir or Madam : I wish to file a complaint against Wells Fargo Bank for taking my SSI XXXX payment funds from me. I urgently need this money in order to buy food for the rest of this month. On XXXX XXXX, 2017 I sent this fax to the Levy Processing/Legal Orders Department regarding taking part of my SSI payment funds from my Savings Account and my Prepaid Card as fees for processing a legal order. This is illegal. SSI payments can not be garnished or levied. Wells Fargo also now claims that my Prepaid Card is overdrawn by {$77.00}. I can not understand how a bank can draft a Prepaid Card and create an overdraft in order to pay fees to another department at that bank.
This is a very unethical way to manage a Prepaid Card for a customer.
Furthermore, the State of California Franchise Tax Board has withdrawn the witholding order because the levy is due to an erroneous personal income tax assessment. The State of California Franchise Tax Board faxed a Withdrawl of a Witholding Order to Wells Fargo Bank on XXXX XXXX, 2017. As of today, XXXX XXXX, 2017 the Legal Orders Department at Wells Fargo Bank has not responded to my request. I attempted to contact Wells Fargo through the online customer service messaging system through my online banking account. I was directed to the Legal Orders Department. Thank you for your assistance. Best, XXXX XXXX Transmission Date : XXXX XXXX, 2107 To : Wells Fargo Bank Levy Processing Fax Number : XXXX Telephone Number : XXXX From : XXXX XXXX XXXX Fax Number : XXXX Telephone Number : XXXX Dear Sir or Madam : I am writing to report and error made by your department and request correction of this error by depositing all of the funds drafted from two of my deposit accounts held at your bank back into these accounts without delay or hindrance. I am XXXX and need my SSI XXXX payments to purchase food for the rest of this month. At the present time, the only money being deposited into Wells Fargo Bank is SSI payments. By law, SSI payments can not be garnished or levied. It appears that your researchers failed to take note of the fact that the funds in the current accounts that were drafted in response to a levy request are SSI payment funds transferred from the checking account into which my monthly SSI payments are deposited into the two accounts that were drafted. Wells Fargo Bank is aware that SSI payments can not be garnished or levied and has rejected previous levies of my Checking Account, Number XXXX on this basis and has sent me letters by U.S. Mail advising me of rejection of levy request. A total of {$120.00} has been drafted from two of my accounts by Wells Fargo Bank in response to a levy request. I wish to note for the record that I find it difficult to understand how an account that is in fact a prepaid debit card can be drafted by your department in a manner that leaves me, your customer, with an apparent overdraft of XXXX on that prepaid card. On XXXX XXXX, 2017, Wells Fargo Bank drafted my Wells Fargo EasyPay Card, Account Number XXXX for {$98.00}. This is referenced in my online banking account summary as " LEGAL ORDER FEE DEBIT CASE # XXXX '' Additionally, on XXXX XXXX, 2017, Wells Fargo Bank drafted my Wells Fargo Way2Save Savings, Account Number XXXX for the amount of {$26.00}. This is also referenced in my online banking account summary as " LEGAL ORDER FEE DEBIT CASE # XXXX '' Once again, my SSI payments can not be garnished or levied. Please correct this error without delay or hindrance and deposit the funds drafted from my accounts back into the accounts on the next business day. Please contact me by return facsimile transmission regarding this matter. My personal fax number is XXXX. If you are precluded from sending me a fax because my fax number is not already on file with Wells Fargo Bank, you may email me at XXXXXXXXXXXX I am attaching PDF format print outs of the relevant portions of my online banking accounts summaries for your perusal. Thank you for your prompt time and assistance with this matter. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX