Consumer complaint received 2024-04-17 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem accessing account
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
On Monday XXXX I applied for the Wells Fargo clear banking account! I was approved my account was open allegedly so I proceeded to enroll in online banking entering all of my up-to-date information as they asked. So everything is going smoothly then, after setting up my online profile I finally was going to log in to the app to begin using my account, which is the reason I applied for it in the first place and they want to send a security code to my number on file! Sounds simple right? So I tap to send the code, and the number they are asking me to access the code is not the number that I gave them not a number that I own and definitely was not one that I added to the account! So I try everything Im pretty phone savvy so I attempt to put my correct number in and well in order to save the updated information I have to enter a code from guess where? The same number Im trying to remove from my brand new account. So then I call the customer service rep. She wasnt any help because I just had to jump through hoops to get the rep on the phone because they were adamant about getting my debit or account number which I couldnt provide because my account was only 20 min. Old but when I finally did get her on the line she was prompting me to send her the code which at the time was an option but due to me scrambling thru emails and links in the emails trying to find the account number they wanted so badly which was never found because why would they make it easy for the account owner to access their own account info right? So she was frustrated with me and told me to call back when I could send her the code! Ok I tried to find the page prompting me to send the code to a rep finally after 10 min I call back to customer service again XXXX XXXX finally get another rep on the phone she was kind, helpful, but also limited to the help that she could provide due to this number on My account that I could not access m! what I did learn from her is that WellsFargo will use past contact information they have archived and add them to new accounts!!! So they decided that it was a good idea to use a phone number that I had back in XXXX and also make it the number my security code is texted to in order for me to access anything on my account! And so I gave up trying on Monday. Here we are two days later I attempt to open my wellsfargo app I have my login info saved in my XXXX chain so no need for me to type it in or even have to remember or facial recognition can acces my account in place of that and it tells me Im temporarily locked out of my account! Furious! Im wondering how can that be I call customer for my third time now mind you I havent even once been able to use my account and the rep tells me because I cant provide a debit or account number that he can not help me or give me any information on his end! I said ok Id like to speak to higher up! Puts me on hold and after a couple minutes another man by the name of XXXX XXXX out of XXXX AZ comes on I explain my entire situation once again I give him my social security number and dramatically explain my issues with the whole situation and he basically told me that he couldnt help me because I dont have my debit or account number because well it was never given to me and I was unable to recieve a code from a number that MAY have been my number 10-11 years ago so I said ok I would like to speak to higher up and allegedly he was as high ups s it goes. So I got his full name and here I am! This is absolutely absurd that I would have to deal with all of these issues as soon as I open an account with them! They are definitely a well known & trusted banking company who treated me as if I I was at fault for not being able to access my new account even though they set up the contact info with a phone number that I havent had since XXXX If that was the case why would they have me waste my time putting my up-to date info when enrolling for the account if they were gon na override account details with what they have on file from previous accounts and now I cant just open my banking app and set up direct deposit or setup anything for that matter this is not the way you treat new / returning customers whos businesss they claim to value

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