Consumer complaint received 2025-12-16 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: ID

Complaint narrative:
Unlawful Retention of Cleared Funds and Pattern of Systemic Failure I am filing this complaint against Wells Fargo for the unlawful and repeated retention of funds that were fully verified and paid by the originating banks. This pattern of misconduct by the centralized Risk Management Team has caused direct, quantifiable financial damages.

1. First Incident ( Pattern of Misconduct ) : Date : XX/XX/XXXX Amount : {$100000.00} Action Taken : Deposit made. Funds were held by Wells Fargo Risk Management. 

Result : My Branch Manager ( XXXX XXXX ) personally verified that the funds were available from the Issuing Bank XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ), yet the central team retained the funds for an arbitrary period, establishing a dangerous precedent for overriding verification.

2. Second Incident ( Current Damage ) : Date : XX/XX/XXXX Amount : {$150000.00} Action Taken : Deposit made. The Issuing Bank XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) confirmed the check cleared, and the funds were paid to Wells Fargo. My Branch Manager personally verified this information and initially released the hold. 

Result : The centralized Loss Prevention Department / Risk Management Team immediately reinstated the hold, overriding the Branch Manager 's decision and the external verification that the funds were cleared and in Wells Fargo 's possession.

3. Procedural Chaos and Evasion of Ownership : Since the hold reinstatement on XX/XX/XXXX, I have spent multiple hours attempting to resolve the issue with Wells Fargo 's central departments ( Loss Prevention and Executive Office for Small Business ). I have been caught in a procedural 'hamster wheel ' where I received conflicting instructions and no final resolution : Loss Prevention dictated a verification process be completed by the Branch Manager, which was done, yet they immediately reinstated the hold.

I was then sent back and forth between the Loss Prevention Department and the Executive Office, with each department claiming the other was the only one with the authority to release the hold.

No representative or supervisor from any central department will confirm that Wells Fargo is in possession of the cleared {$150000.00} from XXXX XXXX, nor will they take ownership of the decision to remove the hold. 

4. Direct Financial Damages : The unlawful retention of these cleared funds directly caused a {$21000.00} check payable to XXXX XXXX to be returned for insufficient funds. This has resulted in penalty fees and has negatively impacted my credit standing with an external creditor. 

5. Demand for Resolution : I demand the immediate and permanent release of the {$150000.00} deposit. I also demand full reversal of all Wells Fargo fees and compensation for all fees and damages assessed by XXXX XXXX due to the returned check. I am awaiting a copy of the specific Wells Fargo policy that allows the bank to reinstate a hold on funds already verified and paid by the originating bank.

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