Consumer complaint received 2024-12-04 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: IN

Complaint narrative:
This letter serves as a formal demand regarding the unauthorized and reuse of my electronic signature by XXXX XXXX XXXX on agreements associated with Sales Order XXXX, dated XX/XX/year>, and subsequent agreements on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/year>. Additionally, I have uncovered systemic issues involving XXXX XXXX XXXX acting as an agent for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and facilitating agreements through its API integration with XXXX  that bypasses authentication protocols. These actions, executed under your agency relationship with Wells Fargo, represent serious breaches of federal and state laws. 

1. Summary of Violations Unauthorized Use of My Electronic Signature The XXXX  audit trail and related actions demonstrate multiple instances of unauthorized use of my electronic signature, facilitated by XXXX XXXX XXXX as an agent of Wells Fargo : XX/XX/year> ( Original Agreement ) : Signature ID : XXXX IP Address : XXXX Violation : My electronic signature was applied without full disclosure of the agreements terms, violating the E-SIGN Act and state consumer protection laws. 
XX/XX/year> ( Modified Agreement ) : Signature ID : XXXX IP Address : XXXX Violation : My electronic signature was fraudulently reused to modify terms without my authorization by XXXX XXXX XXXX support team by phone. 
XX/XX/year> ( Additional Modified Agreement ) : Signature ID : XXXX IP Address : XXXX Violation : My electronic signature was again reused without authorization to further alter terms. On this date, I observed the sales representative applying my e-signature on their tablet to process a change request. This action violated layered authentication protocols. 
XX/XX/year> ( Further Modified Agreement ) : Signature ID : XXXX IP Address : XXXX Violation : My electronic signature was reused yet again without my consent by XXXX XXXX XXXX support team over phone. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX  as an Agent of Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX XXXX facilitated these unauthorized agreements in its role as an agent for Wells Fargo, which financed the associated credit accounts. By acting on Wells Fargos behalf, XXXX  : Committed fraudulent acts that directly benefited Wells Fargo, including the creation and modification of agreements tied to financing terms. 
Enabled Wells Fargo to rely on unauthorized agreements for financial transactions, breaching federal consumer protection laws. 
Abused its agency relationship to circumvent critical safeguards, such as proper customer consent and authentication protocols. 
Systemic API Misuse XXXX XXXX XXXX  integration with XXXX  API allows employees to bypass layered authentication protocols, enabling them to fraudulently apply customer e-signatures. This systemic issue compromises the integrity of all agreements processed through this method and places thousands of customers at risk of similar abuse. 

Evidence of Systemic Issues Multiple E-Signatures Unrecognized : After receiving emails notifying me of four executed e-signatures, I created a new XXXX account on XX/XX/year>, using the same email address. Upon accessing the account, I found no record of signed documents, proving these signatures were applied through unauthorized methods. 
Observed Employee Misconduct : On XX/XX/year>, the sales representative applied my e-signature to a change request directly on their tablet without obtaining explicit consent or layered authentication. 
Widespread Complaints : Numerous reports from other customers online and via consumer protection agencies point to similar unauthorized actions, indicating a systemic failure to safeguard customer rights. 
2. Applicable Laws and Violations Your actions, combined with Wells Fargos role as the financier, violate several federal and state laws, including : E-SIGN Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq. ) : Requires clear and conspicuous consent and prohibits unauthorized use of electronic signatures. 
Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act ( IC 24-5-0.5 ) : Prohibits deceptive or unfair business practices, including fraudulent binding of customers to agreements. 
Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 45 ) : Prohibits unfair and deceptive acts affecting commerce. 
Consumer Financial Protection Act ( CFPA, 12 U.S.C. 5481 ) : Holds financial institutions like Wells Fargo accountable for deceptive practices executed by their agents.

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