Consumer complaint received 2025-10-22 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — CD (Certificate of Deposit)
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to formally report a serious breach of privacy and misconduct that occurred at the Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX branch located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX on XX/XX/year>. 

On XX/XX/year> I made an appointment online through Wells Fargo to see a banker in person at Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, California XXXX for XX/XX/year> at XXXX. The email of the banker on the appointment confirmation email was XXXX. 

I arrived at the XXXX XXXX Wells Fargo a few minutes before XXXX and sat in the waiting area located in the middle of the bank. I looked around and all the male bankers who had offices were busy with clients so I waited to be called in for my appointment. As I sat there I noticed the banker sitting in the office behind me kept saying the name XXXX when talking to his client. My name is also XXXX. I thought it was really coincidental as not many people have my name and I dont hear my name called in public often. The banker repeatedly addressed the client by the name XXXX going through the account information and she would respond. After hearing my name being said multiple times in their appointment I began to listen to as much information as I could pick up on from where I was sitting, approx XXXX away. 

By that time it was past XXXX XXXX  and none of the bankers were checking in on me. As the banker behind me was talking I noticed he brought up details regarding a savings account and a CD. These were the two items I specifically wrote as the reason for my visit when I booked my appointment. Still listening, I noticed the savings account and CD details he was giving her, amounts, expiry dates, rates matched mine. He asked her what she wanted to do and she said she wanted to renew the CD, they then started to discuss terms and rates. 

At this point I was so confused as to how the woman had the same name as me and how her account details matched mine. XXXX minutes had passed since I came into the bank and sat down and I still hadn't been called by a banker for my appointment. 

I got up from my seat to check the banker 's name plaque on his desk, it said XXXX but the last name on the plaque was not XXXX, which was the last name on the email confirmation. I sat back down again, this whole time I was on high alert and trying hard to overhear their conversation as things were not adding up. I was getting really worried and was so confused. My XXXX  started beating rapidly as I was starting to think that this woman was impersonating me. Also, I did not understand how this was happening right in front of me. Everytime I sit with a banker they ask me to put my debit card and pin and check my ID before starting the appointment. I was shocked, confused and worried. 

Eventually the Branch Manager XXXX XXXX came out of her office and looked at the waiting area. I made eye contact with her as I was waiting for someone to ask if I needed help/call me in for my appointment. She went back to her office but came back out a minute later and asked me if I needed help. I then told her I think that the banker in the office behind me is talking about my account information to someone who is not me. I told her that I had an appointment for XXXX with XXXX XXXX and asked her who/where is XXXX XXXX? She then asked my name and goes into XXXX 's office, the office behind me, and looks at his screen. She comes back out and asks me for my ID. I give it to her and she goes back into XXXX 's office and shows him my ID and compares it to the account holder 's information that is pulled up on XXXX 's screen which matches my ID. At that point he realised he was in the appointment with the wrong person and was going through account details with the wrong customer. 

XXXX XXXX the Branch Manager then brings me into her office from the waiting area and we go through what happened. She opened a Customer Complaint for misconduct XXXX. I went through all of the above and recounted what happened with XXXX for more than XXXX hours as I was trying to figure out how this happened and what actions to take. She explained that this had never happened in all her years of experience and that she was not sure how to proceed but that she would file a complaint. My XXXX was beating so fast. I could not believe I witnessed that whole thing unfold in front of me and I was the one who had to bring it up to stop it. I am a very hypervigilant person so I was able to put the pieces together, had I not been I don't know how long that appointment would have gone on for and how much more account information would have been exposed and data breached. Also potential fraud/account changes made. 

For XXXX minutes XXXX XXXX had my account information pulled up and was going through my account information with a person that was not me. He was telling her account information and asking her what she would like to do and how she would like to move forward with my account. The whole time she was going along with it and saying yes to everything he was saying. 

I later found out the woman 's name was XXXX and she was also looking into renewing a CD. 

I am baffled at how no identification authentication happened before the appointment commenced. How did XXXX not check any information, age, name, lastname, address. The woman was clearly older than me, she was a senior, there was a clear age difference. I am now worried as to how easy it is for my banking information to be accessed and discussed with others. I am also really worried that no identity verification takes place before commencing an appointment with the banker and going through account details and changes. 

What happened and why did this happen? My XXXX has been racing since this has happened and I am in disbelief that this occurred. It is baffling to me that Wells Fargo, a big financial institution, is not doing simple identity checks when fraud and identity theft is so rampant. If I was not on alert and putting the pieces together I do not know how far their appointment would have gotten and what would have been altered and compromised as it seems like no precautions and checks were taken at all. 



What Happened : A Clear Privacy Violation Misidentification by the Banker : XXXX XXXX failed to verify the identity of the customer before accessing and discussing sensitive account details. This is a fundamental breach of banking protocol. 
Disclosure of Nonpublic Personal Information : Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act ( GLBA ), financial institutions are legally required to protect personal financial information. Sharing it with someone elseeven accidentallyis a violation. 
Failure of Internal Controls : The fact that no ID, debit card, or PIN was requested before discussing account details suggests a breakdown in Wells Fargos internal procedures for customer authentication. 
Why This Is Serious Potential Identity Theft Risk : Even though no changes were made, my account information was exposed to someone else. That alone is a data breach. 
Emotional Distress : My reactionconfusion, racing XXXX, fearis valid. I witnessed a situation that could have led to fraud or impersonation. 
Systemic Vulnerability : If this happened to me, it raises concerns about how often it might happen to others who arent as alert. 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXX PST - Called Wells Fargo XXXX Customer Service Number because I could not find out where to send my complaint to. Told XXXX that I wanted to file a complaint with a Wells Fargo branch due to misconduct and breach of information. XXXX answered and I read the above. She took notes and opened a new case XX/XX/year> - They finished their internal investigation and they provided no reasoning or resolution that is why I am reporting to the CFPB

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 monetary relief