Consumer complaint received 2026-05-19 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Application denied
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint regarding Wells Fargos handling of my credit card application ( Application # XXXX ). My experience reflects repeated procedural failures, lost documents, contradictory instructions, and unreasonable verification demands that have caused significant inconvenience and wasted time. I am requesting the CFPBs assistance in resolving this matter and ensuring the removal of the hard inquiry from my credit reports if Wells Fargo does not approve the application. * * Background and Timeline * * On or about XX/XX/year>, I applied online for the Wells Fargo XXXX Card after receiving an advertisement. I have excellent credit ( XXXX across all three bureaus ). I uploaded all requested documents, including my drivers license and two proofs of residency. My application was initially denied due to a misunderstanding of the residency requirement. I had submitted photos of windowed envelopes rather than the actual bills. After calling customer service, I was instructed to have the correct documents faxed from a Wells Fargo branch. I complied. A banker at the XXXX XXXX branch faxed the documents, including my drivers license. The next day, I was told my residency documents were accepted but my drivers license was rejected for being blurry, even though the branch copy was clear. I was instructed to fax it again. On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to a notary service and paid to fax two versions of my license : a standard copy and an enlarged XXXX x XXXX version. This time, the documents were rejected for being too dark. I was then instructed to mail the documents to Wells Fargos XXXX XXXX. XXXX, which I did on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called for an update and was told nothing had been received. I was then advised to return to a branch and have a banker XXXX the documents for a clean digital transmission. On XX/XX/XXXX, I returned to the branch and was assisted by banker XXXX XXXX, who provided exceptional service. She contacted the Reconsideration Department, encountered an unprofessional representative, escalated the matter, obtained the correct XXXX instructions, and personally scanned and submitted multiple clear copies of my license. She confirmed the clarity of the images before sending them. I was told the documents would be reviewed within 2448 hours. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called again and was told that no documents had been received since XX/XX/XXXX. This means both the mailed documents and the XXXX submission were unaccounted for. I then spoke with XXXX in Escalations, who acknowledged that my originally uploaded license was clear and legible, contradicting earlier rejections. She also mentioned a concern about a name variation ( XXXX XXXX vs. XXXX XXXX XXXX ), even though all three credit bureaus list these variations and I have held credit accounts under these names for decades. On XX/XX/XXXX, banker XXXX XXXX XXXX my documents again. The next day, she called me, explaining that they have accepted ALL of my documents, but now they are asking for " 2 years ' past tax returns ''. * * Issues of Concern * * 1. * * Repeated loss or mishandling of documents * * Multiple submissions through multiple channels ( branch fax, paid fax service, mail, and XXXX ) were either rejected without valid reason or never received at all. 2. * * Contradictory and unreasonable verification demands * * I was repeatedly told to fax it lighter or resend documents that were already confirmed clear. In XXXX, requiring faxed documents is outdated and unreliable. Branch bankers should be able to verify identification directly. 3. * * Inconsistent explanations for denial * * I was told my ID was blurry, then too dark, then that the originally uploaded ID was " perfectly clear and legible ) but flagged as a copy of a copy, which is incorrect ( it was a cell phone photo of my license, so it could be digitally uploaded as part of the initial online application ). Then, that my drivers license had my " middle name '' on it, but my application had " first & last names ''. I was also told that was a namevariation issue despite my long credit history under those variations ( that my driver 's license had my " middle name '' on it ). Now, after they finally agree that they have a clear copy of my driver 's license, copies of proof of residency, credit scores upward of XXXX or more, with debt-to-limit under 15 %. These shifting explanations suggest arbitrary or unreliable internal review processes, which may violate the requirement that credit decisions be based on accurate, consistent information. 4. * * Procedural failures unrelated to my creditworthiness * * I have complied with every request multiple times. The delays and failures are entirely due to XXXX XXXX internal processes, not my cooperation or credit profile.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation