Consumer complaint received 2023-06-27
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (CA)

Dear CFPB, I am submitting this complaint about the actions taken by, and conduct of, Wells Fargo Bank in closing my checking accounts -- personal and business -- and my two daughters checking accounts, linked to mine as secondary accounts, on XXXX XXXX XXXX, with no advance notice or warning whatsoever. It should be mentioned in this context that I was a customer of Wells Fargo Bank for 33 years, with an absolutely spotless record as a reliable and responsible customer. 

The following is the background of my complaint : I am the executive producer of a small-budget film. I am managing and overseeing the financing, the budget, of the film. On XX/XX/, a wire transfer of {$20000.00} was sent to my personal Wells Fargo account by a charitable organization called XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ( an entity which is helping to finance the film ), from their XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX ) account. Within 24 hours of receiving this money, I wired it to an attorney who is tasked with putting together the various contracts and agreements pertaining to the film. The {$20000.00} is his retainer for services rendered. 

The following is the chronology of events following my wiring of the {$20000.00} to the aforementioned attorney : On XXXX XXXX XXXX, an e-mail was sent to me by Wells Fargo advising me that my account, and my two daughters linked accounts, would be closed by XX/XX/, and a cashiers check mailed to me and my daughters for the money due us. In the interim, we are forbidden from making any withdrawals or payments from the accounts. I immediately called Wells Fargo and was informed that the wire of {$20000.00} that was deposited in my account on XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  from XXXX XXXX XXXX in Texas was fraudulent. At no time did XXXX XXXX  ask for the money to be returned to them, and at this time XXXX XXXX  still doesnt want the money back -- because nothing about the wire was fraudulent, or in any other way illegitimate. 

To distressingly complicate matters even further, my daughter XXXX XXXX spoke on the phone to an exceedingly rude and callous Wells Fargo employee , who advised her that not only is this particular account closed, but that she is no longer welcome to ever have an account of any sort with Wells Fargo XXXX 

As well, Wells Fargo rubbed yet more salt in my wounds by apprising me during my XX/XX/XXXX call with them that my wired rent payment to my landlord of the previous day hadnt gone through despite my having pleaded with Wells Fargo to let the payment go through so that I wouldnt be late and pay penalties. I then had to obtain a loan from a friend in order to pay my rent, only to find out a few days later that the initial wire had, in fact, gone through, resulting in my rent being paid TWICE. This caused me enormous stress as, due to the misinformation given me by Wells Fargo, I had to take that day off work to seek out another source of money to get to my landlord. Bizarrely enough, and to add insult to injury, by contrast Wells Fargo informed me that my daughter XXXX XXXX check to her landlord would, in fact, be honored but it wasnt, and she had scramble to obtain the rent money, resulting in a delay which caused her to pay late fees. 

On XX/XX/, Wells Fargo sent me another e-mail, this time informing me that the closure of my and my daughters accounts would be delayed, that they were now expected to close by XX/XX/. Of course, this means that the issuing of the cashiers check for the money owed me and my daughters would also be similarly delayed. 

Finally, on XX/XX/, I received yet one more e-mail from Wells Fargo, this one informing me that the delay would be extended up to XX/XX/2023. 

This unconscionable, absurd, protracted delay in the return of my money and that of my daughters has caused me to pay large credit card interest charges as I am not able to pay the statement balance in full, which is what I have always done. My daughter, XXXX XXXX , is experiencing the same traumatic difficulty.