Consumer complaint received 2026-03-03 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Cashing a check
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: MN

Complaint narrative:
Who I am / relationship to Wells Fargo I have been a Wells Fargo customer for approximately 30 years. My adult son is also a Wells Fargo customer and maintains an account we keep open specifically for situations where he needs access to funds. What happened ( fee charged at check cashing ) Prior to leaving the country on or around XX/XX/XXXX : I wrote my son a check for {$300.00}, payable to him, drawn on my Wells Fargo account. Purpose : He needed cash available to make a payment to our driver when we returned from a trip abroad. On or around XX/XX/XXXX : He went to XXXX XXXX XXXX MN to cash the check. Wells Fargo charged him a {$10.00} fee and paid out {$290.00}. We believe the fee was improper given that ( a ) the check was drawn on Wells Fargo, and ( b ) he is a Wells Fargo account holder. Steps taken to resolve / inconsistent handling On or around XX/XX/XXXX : My wife went to the branch with the transaction receipt to request a refund. Branch staff told her we had to call phone support to request any fee refund. XX/XX/XXXX : She called phone support. A representative issued a provisional {$10.00} credit and opened an investigation on or around XXXX : I later received and opened a letter stating the investigation was complete and the {$10.00} provisional credit was reversed, stating it had been inappropriately credited ( no clear, specific explanation or policy basis was provided ). XXXX : I called Wells Fargo to understand why. After waiting on hold, the representative told me I needed to go back to the branch to obtain the credit because it was the branchs error. I declined because we had already been directed away from the branch and into phone support, and I requested a manager. [ XXXX : The manager said they would escalate the matter to the XXXX group ( highest level available ) and told me 210 days. However, within about an hour I received an email denying the request again. XXXX : I called the XXXX XXXX number. I was told the denial occurred because the request did not include my sons account information, even though he is an account holder and his account should be readily identifiable. The representative reopened the request and again advised 210 days. Why Im filing with CFPB The issue is not only the {$10.00} fee, it is hardly the {$10.00} fee at all. But it is about the confusing and inconsistent dispute process, including being sent from branch to phone support, then told to return to branch, then escalated, then denied quickly without what appears to be a complete review. I am concerned Wells Fargos process makes it unnecessarily difficult for consumers to obtain small, legitimate refunds and may discourage follow-through. I believe this to be intentional as a way to discourage taking the process to completion and benefiting WF in added inappropriate fees. Documents and case numbers available upon request as available. With each level of the seeming resolution documents were disposed of thinking the issue resolved. Again I believe this tactic is intentionally used by WF. I can't imagine those with less means, time to allocate, tenacity or even worse XXXX as a second language navigating this process to its successful completion.

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