Consumer complaint received 2025-08-03 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Can't close your account
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: AR

Complaint narrative:
To Whom It May Concern, I am filing this formal complaint against Wells Fargo Bank regarding a serious case of identity theft involving both a credit card and a checking account fraudulently opened in my name. Despite my repeated efforts to resolve the issue directly with Wells Fargo, the situation remains unresolved due to ongoing negligence, poor communication, and a complete failure to escalate the matter as promised. 

In 2018, I provided my personal identifying informationincluding my Social Security number and Arkansas drivers licenseto a credit repair business called XXXX XXXX XXXX, operated by an individual named XXXX XXXX. I later discovered that this was not a legitimate business, and soon after began noticing fraudulent accounts being opened in my name. 

While I was able to catch and close several unauthorized credit accounts that appeared on my credit report, I was unaware that bank accountssuch as checking accountsdo not show up on credit reports. I only discovered this issue when I attempted to deposit my paycheck and was told I had been flagged in ChexSystems. After further investigation, I discovered that Wells Fargo was reporting both a credit card and a checking account that I did not authorize or open. I discovered bank accounts from on my Chexsystems report, that I did not open up. However Wells Fargo was not on there. But on my Credit report a Wells Fargo credit card was reporting, which is how I found out about the Wells Fargo checking account. 

I have never applied for, nor used, any Wells Fargo checking account or credit card, and I have no history of banking with your institution. I also do not live in Tennessee where the fraudulent accounts were openedI have been a resident of Arkansas for the past 15 years, which is clearly reflected on all of my official documentation ( state ID, lease, utility bills, etc. ). 

To make matters worse, every attempt to resolve this issue directly with Wells Fargo has been met with frustration and inadequate support. Most of the agents Ive spoken with are located in offshore call centers, where language barriers and poor communication have made it difficult to explain the situation or receive a clear path toward resolution. I have been promised multiple times that my case has been escalated to the fraud or XXXX team, only to find that no follow-up action was ever taken. The lack of accountability and transparency from Wells Fargo has left me with no alternative but to seek outside intervention. 

The continued reporting of these fraudulent accounts has damaged my reputation and my ability to access basic financial services. I have been denied new bank accounts, embarrassed while attempting to deposit my paychecks, and placed in a position of financial instability for something that was completely outside of my control. This has caused me tremendous emotional distress and continues to impact my daily life. 

This situation also raises serious concerns regarding Wells Fargos failure to follow identity theft and consumer protection laws, including provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which require financial institutions to verify identity and respond appropriately to fraud alerts. At the time the fraudulent accounts were opened, my credit file contained active fraud alerts, which clearly instructed lenders to contact me directly before opening any new accounts. Wells Fargo did not do so.

Accordingly, I am requesting the following : Immediate removal of all unauthorized accounts associated with my name and personal information from Wells Fargos records, ChexSystems, and any other reporting agencies, as well as my credit report.

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