Consumer complaint received 2025-02-02 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: AK

Complaint narrative:
Complaint : False accusation of Social Security fraud made by Wells Fargo and refusal of Wells Fargo to rectify their mistake ; unwillingness of Wells Fargo to even inform me of their action and repeated untruthfulness. 

Unwillingness of Wells Fargo Customer Service/Call center to even inform me what had happened to my funds in my checking account, untruth regarding the initiator of the freezing ( as I learned later, my account was frozen ) of my account and assets. Wells Fargo blamed the Department of the Treasury/Social Security Administration for having initiated the freezing of ALL assets in my account prior to XX/XX/XXXX, although I later learned that there were no problems from the government side and Wells Fargo apparently had initiated the unjustified freezing of my account. 

Events : My late husband, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, passed away on XX/XX/XXXX ( Line of Duty death ). He had a pre-marriage ( non-military ) retirement account for which he had failed to appoint a beneficiary. The funds were put in the Estate of XXXX XXXX and paid out to me, as required by law, in the XXXX year after his death. I had an appointment with XXXX XXXX, banker, of Wells Fargo in XXXX XXXX on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX. The amount of the payout was under {$50000.00}, therefore I had been informed that I could simply deposit the check into my checking account without any issues. With over-phone-assistance of the Wells Fargo Estate Department, XXXX XXXX and I completed all necessary paperwork, deposited the check into my checking account, and I was advised by XXXX XXXX that I had access to {$400.00} of the deposited check right away, and the rest would be available the next day. I verified the deposit on the mobile Wells Fargo app, it looked correct, and I did not worry about anything further. 

AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CONTAINS PERSONAL INFORMATION Receipt of deposit In the morning of Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notification from the Wells Fargo app on my phone, informing me that a credit card balance payment was rejected by Wells Fargo due to insufficient funds in my checking account. 

AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CONTAINS PERSONAL INFORMATION Notification of insuffcient funds. 

I was supposed to have {$13000.00} plus the three days prior deposited check in the amount of {$48000.00} in my checking account ( minus {$88.00} for a withdrawal ). Alarmed, I opened the app, saw that I had an ending balance of {$61000.00} as of XX/XX/XXXX ( date of the deposit of the check ) in the account, and an incoming, pending wire transfer of {$870.00} ( dated XX/XX/XXXX ). The available balance was exactly the pending {$870.00}. 

AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CONTAINS PERSONAL INFORMATION Proof of account balance vs available funds I initially assumed that there was a problem with the app but called Wells Fargo at XXXX right away. The Wells Fargo Call Center representative, after I had been put on hold for a bit, transferred me to the Wells Fargo Estate Department, where I was informed, after they reviewed my file, that they could not help me and that I needed to call the regular customer service line again. 

I did as I was instructed ; I stated my case again and asked why my funds ( original assets and deposited check amount shown on the app as being in my account but were not reflected in my available balance ). This was when Wells Fargo started to engage in dishonest behavior and delay tactics. I was put on hold for an extended period just to be told by the representative that they didnt know what was going on and that I needed to be transferred to someone else. This sequence recurred several times. I was transferred over and over and my case got elevated to someone else aga

in. One representative asked me if I owed money to the IRS or anyone else. I stated that I didnt and asked why that was even a question. Yet again I simply got transferred. At this time, after about 1 hrs of having been passed aro
und, I drove to the Wells Fargo branch in XXXX XXXX to talk to a banker in person while I was still on hold with the Wells Fargo XXXX XXXXr.

Phone log of my calls to Wells Fargo Call Center AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST XXXX XXXX, Relationship Banker and Assistant Vice President, at Wells Fargo was nice enough to assist me. I have worked with XXXX XXXX several times in the past. She always was extremely professional, courteous, and knowledgeable. I felt confident that this ordeal would be resolved shortly. 
While I was still on hold with the Wells Fargo Call Center, I stated my case to XXXX XXXX, and she called her Wells Fargo contact. After about 20 minutes ( I was still on hold with the Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX ), XXXX XXXX informed me that, The Department of Treasury froze the account. I inquired as to why and was informed that she was told that I was still receiving Social Security benefits for [ my ] deceased husband F and that I had to call the Social Security Administration. Now that I knew what the problem was, I felt confident that it would be resolved in a matter of minutes. I explained to XXXX XXXX that I, as the parent/guardian of my son XXXX XXXX XXXX, was receiving my sons Survivor benefits from the Social Security Administration into my checking account ; that the received Social Security benefits were for XXXX XXXX XXXX ( son, survivor benefits ), not XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( deceased husband ) From what I understood ( I was still on hold with the Wells Fargo Call Center ) XXXX XXXX relayed the information regarding the apparent name mix up to her Wells Fargo contact she was on the phone with and who instructed her to tell me to call the Social Security Administration , and for me to explain to them that they made a mistake regarding the name. Only the Social Security Administration could unfreeze my account as they were the ones who froze it according to Wells Fargo.

At this point I hung up my call to the Wells Fargo Call center as I was either on hold or being transferred to the next person who put me on hold for almost 90 minutes. 
I asked XXXX XXXX what might have triggered the Social Security Administration, after six years, to determine that I was fraudulently receiving Social Security benefits for my husband. XXXX XXXX responded that she did not know. I inquired if the deposit of the check might have triggered anything, as the account and ALL my assets in it were frozen right after I made the deposit. XXXX XXXX ASSURED me that this was NOT the case and that Wells Fargo had nothing to do with the freezing of my account! 
AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Note, XXXX XXXX handed to me with the information she wrote down for me, stating that I was still receiving benefits for F and to call Social Security Administration with phone # I called the Social Security Administration. My call was answered after having been on hold for 3 hrs and 15 minutes. I spoke to an extremely kind, understanding, and helpful representative. After I explained my situation, she checked her system and told me that there were NO problems regarding the paid Social Security benefits in her system. She advised me to call the Department of Treasury to inquire if they were aware of anything. At this time it was XXXX in Alaska XXXX and the Department of Treasury was closed ( business hours XXXX XXXX EST ). 

Phone Log available upon request. 

I found myself in a situation where I would not have access to ANY ( other than the pending deposit amount of {$870.00} ) assets in my account until at least Monday. It was Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, bills were due at the beginning of XXXX, etc. Payment of an invoice already had been rejected by Wells Fargo. And it was the weekend!

At my wits end, I decided to call Wells Fargo Call Center again. I asked for a supervisor because I was rather frustrated and wanted to talk to someone who had better access to information right away, rather than being transferred for hours again. The supervisor informed me that my account was frozen, and that I needed to call 1-888-790-7980. He could not tell me why my account was frozen or whom I was supposed to call. However, he provided me with the mysterious1-888 number.

I called the 1-888 number and ended up with the Wells Fargo Estate Department again . I instantly added this number to my address book as it became apparent that the Wells Fargo Estate Department was a major player in my ordeal. 

This time I was lucky! I stated my case, this times in tears, because I was exhausted ( so far I had spent over 5 hours on hold, and had to drive to the Wells Fargo branch in XXXX XXXX all without being any closer to resolving this issue, having to repeat my account regarding my deceased husband which is emotional painful to me, etc ). The representative was wonderful, asked if he could place me on hold because he wanted to check all the way back to the date of my husbands passing. After about 20 minutes he came back and informed me that indeed my account and all assets ( with the exception of the pending deposit of {$870.00} ) were frozen because of suspected Social Security fraud. I asked him if the deposit of the check that was made out to the Estate of XXXX XXXX had triggered the Social Security Administration/Department of Treasury to freeze my account. The representative did not directly answer my question, which struck me as odd. When I inquired further as to what triggered the freezing of my assets by the government it became apparent by the provided responses, that it was NOT the government that suspected Social Security Fraud, but WELLS FARGO who accused me of fraud. It was not the government that froze my account it was Wells Fargo! 
EVEN AFTER HAVING INFORMED WELLS FARGO OF THE MISTAKE REGARDING THE NAME OF THE RECIPIENT OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, WELLS FARGO CALL CENTER CONTINUED TO DECEIVE ME, REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH ANY INFORMATION AND MADE NO EFFORT TO RECIFIED THEIR MISTAKE. 
I was informed by the helpful representative that nothing could be done until Monday, and that I should bring documentation that shows that the Social Security benefits were paid out to XXXX XXXX XXXX, my son, and not to XXXX XXXX XXXX, my dead husband. 

I immediately gathered the required documents and drove back to the Wells Fargo Branch in XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX was available, and I explained to her what I had been advised to do and what caused the freezing of my bank account. XXXX XXXX shared with me that she had suspected and discussed with her boss that there probably had been a misunderstanding regarding the names, and that they even verified their suspicion by reviewing my sons bank account that was listed under my name as he is a minor, and which clearly shows XXXX XXXX XXXX as his name. My sons Social Security benefits get deposited into my checking account as he is a minor and I am his mother/guardian. XXXX XXXX forwarded copies of my proof that my son was the recipient of the Social Security benefits to the Estate Department of Wells Fargo and informed me that it could take up to 10 days before I had access to my assets again. She further provided me with a complaint number. I have no knowledge what she wrote in the complaint. XXXX XXXX always has been wonderful and I am confident that she did everything in her power to assist me and to rectify the situation. I, however, have zero confidence in Wells Fargos commitment to rectify the situation in any way. Their Call Center Representatives ( I lost count as to how many different individuals I got transferred to and put on hold by ) demonstrated dishonest, deceiving, and disinterested behavior for hours! 

AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CONTAINS PERSONAL INFORMATION Proof that my son is receiving his Social Security survivor benefits as a minor child into my checking account. 
Transaction Details from my checking account AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CONTAINS PERSONAL INFORMATION Shows Social Security benefits deposit for my son Statement from the Social Security Administration regarding my sons benefits AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST CONTAINS PERSONAL INFORMATION Shows that son is entitled to survivor benefits ad that benefits are paid out to him under my care as he is a minor and I am his mother/legal guardian My grievance : I am NOT upset that someone at Wells Fargo did not double check before freezing my account and reporting Social Security fraud . Mistakes happen. 

I am however extremely upset that a ) I was not notified that my account got frozen>ven when I called the Call Center did not tell me that my account was frozen - they just put me on hold and kept on transferring me. NO ONE told me ANYTHING! It was XXXX XXXX at the local branch who informed me that my account was frozen!!! 
b ) That ALL my assets were frozen, not just the new deposit c ) I was REPEATELY LIED to, ignored by just being transferred for almost 3 hrs for something that could have been clarified in 20 minutes ( as proven by XXXX XXXX 's call to her internal Wells Fargo contact ) d ) I do not appreciate being treated like a criminal and questioned/accused of owing money to the IRS, etc e ) I am under the strong impression that much of the outrageous treatment I received from the Wells Fargo Call Center was caused by the fact that I am foreign born and a resident alien ( XXXX accent, legal immigrant as indicated on my account ). I guess many at Wells Fargo assume that all foreign born, non citizens are criminals. I was surely treated as such by all but two Wells Fargo employees ) I was wrongly accused, deceived, ignored, and lied to repeatedly for hours!!! If it had not been for the last representative who actually investigated what was going on and treated me with respect and decency I still would be in the dark. 

I am asking for your help in obtaining the following as soon as possible, as I have an appointment with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX in reference to the renewal of my Resident Alien ( Green ) Card : A letter of explanation and clarification to my innocence from Wells Fargo. According to representatives at Wells Fargo, the Department of Treasury is incorrectly under the impression that I committed Social Security Fraud and I am justifiably concerned how this will affect my immigrant status. 

I am the widow of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, who died XXXX  I nor anyone else deserves to be treated the way I was treated by the Wells Fargo XXXX Center, to include supervisors. Wells Fargos behavior, lies, deception, and unwillingness to address their wrongdoing can ruin someones livelihood!

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

With kindest regards, MMC I have also contacted my senator for assistance in obtaining a letter of clarification and admittance of wrongly accusing me, as I have an appointment for the renewal of my Alien resident card ( Green Card ) in one week and your guidance states that companies usually respond withing 15 days. I do not have 15 days for above stated concerns.

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 non-monetary relief