Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Wells Fargo Advisors's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Wells Fargo Advisors

  1 N Jefferson Ave Saint Louis, MO 63103-2254

• 

  Wells Fargo Advisors

  1000 Broadway Ste 625 Oakland, CA 94607-4042

• 

  Wells Fargo Advisors

  10 Mechanic Street Worcester, MA 01608

• 

  Wells Fargo Advisors

  6075 Poplar Ave #650 Memphis, TN 38119

• 

  Wells Fargo Advisors

  28100 US 19 N Ste 500 Clearwater, FL 33761-2687

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/07/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I rolled my Wells Fargo *** over to a ******* ***************** in 2015. In *** 2023, Wells Fargo informed me that around June 22 you will be mailed a check for $1,114.91, which represents a refund of advisory fees for the time period of 10/8/2009 through 4/9/2015 plus interest. I received a check for $1,055.82 on June 26, 2023 - it was short $59.09 because ** tax was withheld. The *** is still at ******* *****, no distributions taken.Per the *** letter, for ***s transferred to another *** ********* and wish to make a non-taxable direct transfer please do not cash this refund check before contacting us. I called Wells Fargo ************* | 05/25/23 12:20 PM | spoke to Pear]. She said to complete the WITHHOLDING INFORMATION (SUBSTITUTE FORM W4-R) form included with the letter: enter 0 for federal tax W/H, & select I do not want state income tax withheld from my distribution. I returned form *** 25.On June 27, I called Wells Fargo regarding the check ************* | spoke to *********]. The call lasted 1 hour 29 mins! He confirmed receipt of form in ***. He CONTINUALLY put me on hold while he checked with ************ He said a June 14 IRS tax law change requires ** W/H. I questioned why my W/H choice was even solicited, & why Wells Fargo didnt know about it to offer a 0-tax rollover option. I stated Wells Fargo owes me $59.09 - they can correct this check or send me a separate check. At the 1 hour 1 min point I asked to speak to a supervisor. I was placed on hold 18 mins! No supervisor was available but **************** had a plan; he will:1) e-mail the Closed Accounts Team to temporarily reopen my *** 2) place a Stop Payment on the check 3) reverse the ** tax withholding 4) call me by EOD June 29 to let me know if I need to fill out a form to have the check reissued to ******* ***** No follow-up from Wells Fargo. To resolve. I want a check for $1,114.91 payable to: ******* ***** and Associates ********* for [my name] ***.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/20/2023

  I received a Transaction Notice via **** from Wells Fargo 07/18/23.  It informs of a transaction described as follows:
  Transaction ********************************** | Date:  07/12/2023  | Description:  Cash Check issue #RR02516749  |  Net Dollar Amount:  $1,114.91  | Payee Information, Recipient:  [my name]
  This is concerning in that I requested in my Wells Fargo phone call & in my BBB complaint that the payment should be payable to my ******* ***************** account.  That should assure the transaction will be handled as NON-TAXABLE.  This latest information does not note that it is a TRANSFER to another custodian.  Based on prior errors by Wells Fargo (e.g.,the reason for this payment, withholding from the first check, not communicating as promised, etc.), I am not confident that Wells Fargo will report this transaction properly (non-taxable) in year-end tax forms if it is payable to me rather than to my traditional *** at ******* ***** (where the funds would already be if Wells Fargo had not made fee errors on my *** account).

  Business Response

  Date: 07/21/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/22/2023

  Yesterday via **** I received a check from Wells Fargo (# ******* RR) payable to me for $1,114.91.  The check stub includes a Description of REGULAR DIST TOTAL with a Payment Type of REGT. This implies the transaction is TAXABLE. This transaction is a transfer of *** funds to a different custodian and should NOT be taxable.  This check needs to be stopped and reissued as follows:  Payable to:  **************************************** custodian for [my name] ***.  Send to:  ************************************************************************************************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/28/2023

  In response to Wells Fargos letter dated July 20, 2023, please note that the frustration that they repeatedly reference resulted from Wells Fargo personnels lack of knowledge of basic advisory functions, inaccurate statements of fact (i.e., a new IRS law requires **************), and lack of follow-through or communication from Wells Fargo regarding next steps.  I hope that when they regularly evaluate their staffing needs they review root causes of their lengthy hold times especially in light of the failure of those lengthy hold times to resolve the purpose of the call.
  
  As instructed by Wells Fargo, I will deposit check #*******RR for $1,114.91 into my bank account and write a check for the same amount payable to ******* ***** to transfer the funds into my traditional IRA.
  
  Many thanks to BBB for facilitating my claim.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/28/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/29/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My father passed away in 2022 and I have been trying to help my 91 yr old mother deal with closing out their Wells Fargo accounts. It's been months of headaches! We thought my dad's IRA account was settled and everything was transferred to my mom. But then a month ago a dividend payment went into my dad's account. We were hoping Wells Fargo Advisors would automatically forward the money to my mom....but of course that was wishful thinking. Today we attempted to call Wells Fargo advisors to ask about getting the money and we were told it has to be handled by their Estate department..no one else was able to help. So we called the Estate department and was on hold for 1 hour 15 mins. I called Wells Fargo advisors to say we can't get through, we are still on hold etc, and they said sorry, nothing they can do....only the Estate department can handle this. So we continued holding....after two hours, 30 minutes and 10 seconds we finally hung up! Never got help, no chance of getting through. Beyond disturbing that this is the way Wells Fargo treats their customers! How is my 91 year old mother supposed to handle this on her own? When every last cent is out of every Wells Fargo account of my parents, it will be a glorious day! HORRIBLE COMPANY!

  Business Response

  Date: 07/07/2023

  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns. We’ve completed our research and are ready to
  share our findings.
  Our records confirm that on June 30, 2023, you expressed concerns to the Better Business Bureau regarding funds
  that had not been credited to your mother’s account. Due to not being authorized on the account referenced, we
  are unable to share any information with you. We will be responding directly to our client in regards to this matter.
  We apologize for the frustration this issue has caused
  How to contact us
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, please contact
  us at ###-###-####. ext. ******* We’re ready to help you Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  Central Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls.
  Sincerely,
  ***** ** ********* ****** **** ********** ********** ********** ********** ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/12/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I in fact do have the ability to handle my mother's financial issues.  I have full financial power of attorney for her.  There is no reasonable way to get in touch with the Estate Department of Wells Fargo Advisors.  Holding for hours on end is not an option!  We have asked in the past that all Wells Fargo accounts be closed...so not sure why when the dividend was deposited in my deceased father's IRA a check wasn't issued and mailed to my mom. Wells Fargo has been a total nightmare to deal with!  All we want is to have the dividend money sent to my mom and the accounts closed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response. 

  July 20, 2023 

  ***** ******* *****
  
  **** ****** **** *****
  
  ******** ** ***** Subject: We’re responding to your concerns Case number: ***************** Client name: ***** ******* Better Business Bureau case #********  Dear ***** *****:  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns regarding the residuals remaining in your father’s account. We’ve completed our research and are ready to share our findings.  First and foremost, we at Wells Fargo Advisors wish to extend our deepest sympathy about your loss. Please accept our condolences. Please be advised that we cannot accept the Power of Attorney (POA) paperwork you provided since the documentation has been altered. Please provide new POA paperwork if you would like to be added to your mother’s account. Therefore, due to not being authorized we are unable to share any information with you. We will be responding directly to our client in regard to this matter. We apologize for the frustration this issue has caused you and your family.  Should you have any additional questions about your account or this process, please contact our WellsTrade® representatives at ************* ****************. They are available Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Central Time.  We sincerely apologize for the frustration this issue has caused      How to contact us  We appreciate the time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, please contact us at  *************** **** *******. We’re ready to help you Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls. 

  Sincerely,  ***** ** ********* ******
  
  **** ********** ********** ********** ********** ******
  
  *** ****** ******** ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/24/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  The Power of Attorney has NEVER been altered!  Not sure what you are talking about.  Funny, **** ******* had no problem accepting the POA, neither did *******....of course only issues would be with Wells Fargo.  We will call the WF advisors number and have all the accounts closed on Thursday.  It's been nothing but frustration and a nightmare dealing with WF since my father's passing.   No need to respond as we will be finished with WF in the very near future.
  
  
  
  
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/10/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My late father passed away on August 5, 2022 and I had requested Wells Fargo Advisors and First Clearing LLC (WFA) to distribute the assets in my late father’s Transfer on Death (TOD) brokerage account on January 23, 2023.
  I provided the following documents to WFA for the distribution of my late father’s TOD brokerage account:
  1)Dec 14, 22 Death certificate issued by the “Births and Deaths Registry, Hong Kong”
  2)Jan 23, 23 Request for Distribution of Eligible Assets from a Transfer on Death (TOD) account
  3)Jan 23, 23 “Affidavit of Domicile” executed by me, stating that my father was a California resident at the time of his death
  4)Feb 1, 23 Form DS-2060 “Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Or U.S. Non-Citizen National Abroad” in my father’s name, noting the date, place and cause of my father’s death.
  The DS-2060 also provided Evidence of U.S. Citizenship of my late father.
  
  Note that the Form DS-2060 is an official document, acceptable in any U.S. jurisdiction for the settlement of legal, financial and estate matters.
  
  To this date, WFA has not distributed the assets of my late father’s TOD to my mother and I, the beneficiaries. WFA Legal team wanted
  1) IRS Transfer Certificate - certificate applies to non-US citizens/residents decedents. My father was a US citizen, thus N/A.
  2 US court appointment of a duly qualified executor to sign transfer instructions - My late father's account was a Transfer of Death (TOD) account. Distribution of TOD account does not required qualified executor to sign transfer instruction.
  
  I have requested WFA Legal to explain to me why they needed the above 2 documents for distribution of a TOD of a US decedent. WFA Legal refused to talk to me, but said that they would talk to my CPA, citing conflict of interest, which did not make sense to me. I was the beneficiary of the TOD account & I was the one corresponding with WFA, why all of a sudden “conflict of interest”? On top of that, I am a well-qualified Tax CPA.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/23/2023

  Please see the attached business response. 

  June 23,2023

  ***** ***
  
  ** *** ***** ******
  
  ****** ***** ******* ** **********

  Subject:  We're responding to your concerns

  Case Number *****************

  Account Number ending in:****

  Better Business Bureau, case number: ********

  Client name; ***** ***

   

  Dear ***** ****

  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns shared with us on June 12, 2023, from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) regarding how our legal team is handling the interpretation of the law to receive the asset of ***** ***.  You

  are the beneficiary on the account and believe no other documentation other than the death certificate should be required to access the funds. We've completed our research and are ready to share our findings.

   

  First and foremost, please accept our deepest sympathies and allow us to apologize for any frustration or inconvenience you experienced. At Wells Fargo, we pride ourselves on developing and maintaining quality financial relationships and strive

  to consistently deliver the exemplary service we know our customers deserve. It was disappointing to learn that we have not met your expectations.

   

  A review of the matter that Wells Fargo Advisors previously addressed your concerns  in a letter May 23, 2023, which is enclosed for your records.  Wells Fargo Advisors regrets that you do not agree with our prior decision.  However, a secondary 

  review of your concerns has been conducted and no new information was presented to support a different conclusion. As such, Wells Fargo Advisors' position on the matter remains unchanged.

   

  Due to a conflict of interest, our legal department does not communicate directly with you. You would either have to provide the previously requested documentation from the legal team to Senior Wealth Client Financial Advisor, *** ******, or schedule

  time with *** to have our legal team to speak with either you or your attorney or CPA, as well as ***, on a conference call. Should you have any questions about this process, requested documentation, or to proceed with either option provided in the 

  enclosed letter, please contact Senior Wealth Client Financial Advisor, *** ******, at ###-###-####.

   

  How to contact us:

  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have any questions, please contact us at ###-###-####, ext. *******. We are ready to help you Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central Time. We accept telecommunications

  service calls.

   

  Sincerely,

  
  
  ****** ** ********* ****** **** ********** ********** ********** ********** ******
  
  *********
  
  *** ****** ******** ******
  
   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/14/2023

  I talked to Well Fargo personnel, ***** *******, yesterday 7/13/2023.  He indicated that Wells Fargo (WFA) did not have the  "Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Non-Citizen National Abroad", Form DS-2060, of my late father for proof of US citizenship. 

  I had previously sent the form to WFA on February 1, 2023 for proof of US citizenship of my late father, but apparently Wells Fargo did not look at the document as Mr. ******* noted that did not have the form in record.  WFA did not exam info provided to them previously and led to request of incorrect info.  Mr. ******* told me it would not hurt to re-send the info, which I did yesterday, but got a call from my contact, Mr. ****** at WFA that he did not know where to send the DS-2060 form.

  Additional information: As noted above, WFA did not look at information sent to them, previously, for proper procedure for a US decedent Transfer-on-death account.  Therefore, WFA should contact Mr. ****** and review documentation (WFA claimed unable to locate previously) for proper resolution.  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response. 

   

  July 19, 2023 

  ***** ***
  
  ** *** ***** ******
  
  ****** ***** ******* ** ********** Subject: We’re responding to your concerns Wells Fargo case number: *********91750069

  Account number ending in: 244

  1 Better Business Bureau, case number: ********

  Client name: ***** ***

    Dear ***** ***:

   We received your June 29, 2023, rebuttal to our June 23, 3034 Better Business Bureau (BBB) response of your BBB complaint that was filed June 12, 2023, regarding how our legal team is handling the interpretation of the law to receive the asset of ***** ***. You are the beneficiary on the account and believe no other documentation other than the death certificate should be required to access the funds. We've completed our research and are ready to share our findings.   We apologize for any frustration you may have experienced seeking to remedy this problem. We understand that customers experience difficulty from time to time and this complaint response initiative is part of the acknowledgement and assessment of those difficulties so that we might improve our service and our customer satisfaction.  A review of the matter uncovered that Wells Fargo Advisors previously addressed your concerns in a letter dated May 23, 2023, and again in a letter dated June 23, 2023, which are enclosed for your records. Wells Fargo Advisors regrets that you do not agree with our prior decision. However, an additional review of your concerns has been conducted and no new information was presented to support a different conclusion. As such, Wells Fargo Advisors' position on the matter remains unchanged.  Due to a conflict of interest, our legal department does not communicate directly with you. You would either have to provide the previously requested documentation from our legal team to Senior Wealth Client Financial Advisor, *** ******, or schedule a time with *** to have our legal team speak with either your attorney or CPA, as well as ***, on a conference call. Should you have any questions about this process, requested documentation, or to proceed with either option provided in the enclosed letter, please contact Senior Wealth Client Financial Advisor, *** ******, at ###-###-####.  Case status  We have closed the case as of the date of this letter. If we receive additional information, we will open a new case to address any remaining or new concerns.  How to contact us  We appreciate the time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, you may reach us at ###-###-####, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls.

    Sincerely, 

  ***** **

  Escalations Representative – Registered  Enterprise Complaints Management Office

  ** *** ***** ***** ****** ** *****
  
  *********
  
  *** ****** ******** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/08/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In 1983 I opened two IRA's. On Thursday, 6/1/23 I tried to close one and have the money deposited in my Wells Fargo checking account. They said there's a lock on my account because they don't have certain forms, even though I had to fill out these forms to open the accounts. They said they would do a temporary lift of the lock, so I could sell the investments. Then they electronically send me a form to fill out, then the next day they void the form saying there's a lock on my account. I have been on the phone with them four days in a row and the first time I went into a branch to try to sort this out. Please help.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/21/2023

  June 21, 2023
  

   
  BBB
  
  RE:  Case# ********
  Enterprise File No. ********
  
  To Whom it May Concern: 
  
  Please accept this correspondence as our response to the complaint filed with your office. We have reviewed the concerns raised by Mr. *****. Mr. ***** rented a 2020 Ford EcoSport bearing California registration ******* from Enterprise Leasing Company – West, LLC, dba National Car Rental in the Las Vegas International Airport. 
  
  At the time the renter took possession of the 2020 Ford EcoSport, the vehicle was determined to be rented without damage. The vehicle was returned with damage. Per the rental contract executed by Mr. *****, he is responsible for all vehicle damage which occurs during his rental period. 
  
  After reviewing the concerns presented by Mr. *****, and notwithstanding the foregoing contractual obligations, we have decided to close our file as a matter of customer service.  At National Car Rental, we strive to satisfy all our customers by providing excellent customer service. We hope that our diligent efforts to resolve and address this matter have demonstrated our commitment to customer service. 
  
  Sincerely, 
  ******* ******* *******
  ****** ******** ****
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/07/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been trying to get the funds from my deceased mother's Wells Fargo Advisory Acct for two years. I have completed all the documents that they have send me (some multiple times) which the WELLS FARGO ADVISORY office gave me when I went to their office physically. They took so long to process notarized documents that when I finally called them to ask why the latest delay they said the notary public stamp had expired (even though they had the documents for months prior to the notary stamp expiration. I sent in all new documents. On 6/6/23 I received an email through First Clearing asking me to "validate the account information" on the Letter of Authorization (LOA) that I sent in. I just got off the phone (three people later and 38 minutes) only to be told the form that they didn't attach to the last email would be emailed to me by the end of the day. I have spent hours on the phone and gotten nowhere trying to close out the account - completing every document they have sent me to no avail. I have attached the most recent documents sent to WFA but have many more if you would like me to provide.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/20/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response. 

  Enterprise Complaints Management Office

  ** *** ****
  
  ***** ****** ** *****

  We may collect personal data as part of the complaint resolution process. For the categories of personal data that Wells Fargo may collect and how we use it, see the Wells Fargo California Consumer Privacy Act Notice at Collection at ********************************************************************** See additional Wells Fargo privacy notices at **************** Investment and Insurance Products are: •  Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency •  Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate •  Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors, a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.  ECMO-BT173_Res_M_E072023 July 20, 2023    ******** **** *** ***** **** *** **** ******* ** ********** Subject: We’re responding to your concerns Wells Fargo case number: ****************** ***************** Account number ending in: **** Better Business Bureau, case number: ******** Dear ******** *****  Thank you for contacting us. We would like to express our condolences for the loss of Margery King. We completed our research and are providing details to address your concerns.  In review of the events, you expressed concerns with the completion of the Estate process. Due to our ongoing commitment to ensuring that client concerns are given due attention, these comments were forwarded to the Commercial, Investment, & Centralized Complaint Executive Office for review and response.  According to our records, you were informed of the necessary documentation to submit after inquiring about the Estate process on May 27, 2021. An additional inquiry was made on November 24, 2021, where you were notified to submit a Small Estate Affidavit. The document was provided on December 1, 2021, but it was rejected on December 13, 2021, because it was not in good order. We were pleased to see a Small Estate Affidavit and Letter of Authorization (LOA) were submitted on February 14, 2022, but the LOA was rejected on February 23, 2022, because a check is not an available disbursement method when there are securities in the account. The next inquiry about the process was made on January 30, 2023, and you were told to submit an LOA.  After inquiring again on April 6, 2023, you were advised to submit an LOA and new Small Estate Affidavit due to the notary commission being expired. The requested documents were submitted on April 11, 2023, but the LOA was rejected on April 22, 2023, because a check wasn’t a valid payment method due to securities in the account. An LOA with in-kind transfer instructions to an external firm was provided on May 22, 2023, but it was rejected on June 6, 2023. The account owner death was over 16 months ago; therefore, an account valuation is required due to Automated Customer Account Transfer (ACAT) guidelines.    Our records indicate the account valuation was completed on June 14, 2023. Another LOA was submitted on June 7, 2023, but it was rejected on June 23, 2023, because the receiving account title wasn’t provided. The same LOA was submitted on June 27, 2023, but we reviewed the form and confirmed that it contained a receiving account title. Please know we escalated the matter within Estate Processing. We were pleased to see the ACAT was initiated on July 13, 2023, and completed on July 18, 2023.  At Wells Fargo Advisors, we pride ourselves on developing and maintaining quality financial relationships and strive to consistently deliver the exemplary service we know our customers deserve. Please allow us to apologize for any frustration or inconvenience these matters have caused, including inaccurate and conflicting information that you have received throughout your experience.  Case status  We have closed the case as of the date of this letter. If we receive additional information, we will open a new case to address any remaining or new concerns.  How to contact us  We appreciate the time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, you may reach me at ###-###-####, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls. 

  Sincerely, 

  Joseph K. Escalations Representative – Registered  Enterprise Complaints Management Office

  ** *** *****
  
  ***** ****** ** *****
  
  *** ****** ******** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/04/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am attempting to take ownership of a Uniform Transfers to Minors Act in my name (gifted by my aunt) now that I am an adult. I am stuck in a loop of Wells Fargo Customer Service tells me to submit one form, which I do, and then I get a generic form letter rejection telling me I need to submit another form instead, which I do, and then that is rejected saying I need to file the first form, and so on. It is clear their generic customer service and form processing department has no idea how to execute the transfer since I keep getting told to submit forms I have already sent (nor do the forms seem to really apply to transferring a UTMA account). I have tried resolving this with calls to their generic customer service numerous times but they offer no solution other than telling me to submit forms I have already submitted. I have asked them to identify a dedicated person who understands the process and will take ownership of my issue until the transaction can be completed but they seem unable to make this happen. At one point I got a call from **** at extension ****** at ###-###-#### who agreed with me that the responses I was getting made no sense but she offered no help other than that I should submit the form again and she would "look into it". I could never get **** to return my call again, despite calling five times over two weeks and leaving messages. I have tried submitting forms again several more times after that call and they are still being rejected for the same reasons.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/09/2023

  June 9, 2023
  
  
  
  ******* ****
  ** **** *** *
  ***** ******* ** **********
  
  
  
  
  Subject: We’re responding to your concerns
  Case number(s): *****************, *****************
  Account numbers ending in: **** & ****
  Better Business Bureau (BBB): [Agency Case #********]
  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): [ Agency Case #***************]
  
  Dear ******* ****:
  
  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns. We’ve completed our research and are ready to
  share our findings.
  
  We are responding to concerns which you expressed to the BBB and CFPB in regards to the difficulty that you have
  experienced with transferring the Uniform Transfer to Minors Act (UTMA) account ending in **** to your account
  ending in ****, now that you have reached the Age of Termination.
  
  Our goal is to provide helpful, friendly service, and we apologize that your experiences did not reflect our
  standards. We sincerely regret that you did not receive our best throughout your experience.
  
  We have reviewed with our back office that in order to complete your request, that we must verify your signature
  on the receiving account ending in **** as there is no specimen signature on file aside from the transfer
  paperwork. In order to fix this issue, please call ###-###-####, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to
  midnight Eastern Time, to have your signature verbally verified and the service request reactivated. Also, the
  delivering account ending in **** needs an associated persons record for both parties before the transfer can
  occur, and we have contacted the appropriate department on your behalf for this to be completed. Once your
  signature is verified and the associated persons record is set up, which will take two business days from the date of
  this letter, we will reactivate the service request so that the transfer may be completed.
  
  
  
  
  Investment products and services are offered
  Investment and Insurance Products are:
  through Wells Fargo Advisors, a trade name used
  • Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency
  by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member
  • Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate
  SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank
  • Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested
  affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
  
  We may collect personal data as part of the complaint resolution process. For the categories of personal data that Wells Fargo may collect and how we use it, see the Wells Fargo
  California Consumer Privacy Act Notice at Collection at ****************. See additional Wells Fargo privacy notices at
  ****************.
  
  © 2021 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved.
  ECMO– BT173_Res_M_E_122021
  Should you have any questions regarding this process or your account, please contact our Wells Fargo Advisor
  Solutions representatives at ###-###-####. They are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
  Eastern Time.
  
  How to contact us
  
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, please contact
  us at ###-###-####. We’re ready to help you Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  Eastern Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* **
  ********* ****** **** **********
  ********** ********** ********** ******
  
  
  cc: Better Business Bureau
  cc: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/04/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We requested wells Fargo to send 2 documents to the BMV in Indiana for our out of state title transfer. The first was the title. The second was an authorization letter for my name change. They finally sent the title, but never sent the letter. I had to open a previous complaint in order to get the letter sent. By the time it was finally sent, the BMV had sent back the title, so we filled out another title request form. It has now been nearly a month and we have not received any notification that the title has been sent/ received. Our tags are expired and we are no longer eligible for temporary tags because of how long this process has taken.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/09/2023

  June 9, 2023
  
  
  
  ****** ********
  *** ***** ****
  *************** ** *****
  
  Subject: We’re responding to your concerns
  Case number: *****************
  Account number ending in: ****
  Better Business Bureau, case number ********
  
  
  
  Dear ****** ********:
  
  
  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns. We’ve completed our research and are ready to
  share our findings.
  
  What you need to know
  On June 5, 2023, you expressed concern about the amount of time that it is taking to receive the out of state title
  transfer that included a name change request.
  
  We can confirm that the final title modification request with supporting documentation was received, and a paper
  title was requested on June 8, 2023. It will take up to seven business days to arrive, and once received, will be sent
  by Federal Express to the Clarksville Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in Clarksville, IN. We are closely
  monitoring this out of state title transfer and are in continual contact with your local office.
  
  We want you to know that Wells Fargo has no control over the state regulations by which your state DMV
  operates and processes title transfers. We realize your time is valuable and we regret the time it has taken our
  combined offices to expedite this complex out of state title transfer with name change modification.
  
  At this time, we have no tracking information to provide to you; however, please be assured we are processing your
  request with the utmost urgency. You may feel free to contact me personally with any questions or status updates
  as we complete this transaction for you.
  
  About the service received
  On behalf of Wells Fargo Auto, I extend an apology for any inconvenience that this matter may have caused and
  for any service you received that did not meet your expectations. We want to assure you that when customer
  concerns are received by the Auto Complaint Executive Office, they are tracked to improve our services.
  
  
  
  
  
  We may collect personal data as part of the complaint resolution process. For the categories of personal data that Wells Fargo may collect and how we use it, see the Wells Fargo
  California Consumer Privacy Act Notice at Collection at **********************************************************************. See additional Wells Fargo privacy notices at
  *********************************************
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  How to contact us
  
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, please contact us at
  ###-###-####. We’re ready to help you Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
  
  We accept telecommunications relay service calls.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  ****** **
  ********* ****** **** **********
  Enterprise Complaints Management Office
  
  Enclosure
  
  cc: Better Business Bureau
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/03/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My 92 year old father passed away in late March and the brokerage investment account for my father and mother was frozen. I have been calling Wells Fargo Advisors Estate Care offices since April 17th in an effort to get these funds available for my 91 year old mother. The express purpose of setting these funds aside was to pay for long term care for my mother, who moved into an assisted living facility on May 15th.
  After a couple of weeks of calling I was finally able to open a new account with Wells Fargo Advisors on May 2nd to facilitate the transfer of funds. No transfer has occurred to date. I have repeatedly called for a status for when the funds would be transferred. I was repeatedly told all the necessary documents had been received by them and was given numerous timelines for completion, none of which have been met. I requested escalation three times during the past 7 weeks and have never received any communication on those. In the rare occasion I could get a phone extension for someone I had talked with previously it always immediately went to voicemail. I left a message each time but have never received any returned calls. Today, June 3rd, I received an email from Wells stating they needed the Letter Of Authorization to complete the processing. This form was e-mailed to my mother and I by Wells Fargo Advisors on May 1st when the new account was opened and it was signed and sent back that same day. I re-sent the LOA today and was, once again, given a timeline of 10-15 business days for completion. I have zero confidence this will occur. Please assist us.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/16/2023

  Dear **** *. ****** & ******* ******:
  
  We’re sorry to hear about the passing of ***** ** *****. We realize this can be a difficult time. Thank you for
  contacting us with your concerns. We’ve looked into it for you and are ready to share our findings.
  
  Please allow us to begin by apologizing for the difficulty and frustration you may have experienced during the
  process of moving your account’s assets into a new, receiving account. We would also like to explain the reason for
  the delay in the completion of this process. The initial LOA that our back office received on May 3, 2023, was
  rejected for three reasons. First, the Death Certificate (DC) for the decedent was not yet on file, the receiving
  account was not yet in good order to receive assets, and the LOA itself was signed by only two of the surviving
  owners of the deceased’s account. Please also allow us to also apologize for any failure to properly communicate
  this to you during this process.
  
  Once the receiving account was found to be in good order, and with the DC having been received, on May 19,
  2023, a resubmitted LOA could be reviewed for acceptance. Unfortunately, the LOA submitted, on June 3, 2023,
  was not able to be accepted due to it also being signed by only two of the three account owners. During our
  contact with **** ******, on June 6, 2023, we provided a full walkthrough on completing the LOA to Estate
  Processing’s specifications, and as a result, we can confirm that the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) submitted, on June
  6, 2023, has been approved and processed. Our records indicate that a full transfer of assets (a total of
  $279,514.49) has been transferred from the account ending in **** to the receiving account, as of June 7, 2023,
  as was related to **** ****** during our call, also on June 7, 2023.
  
  
  
  Investment products and services are offered
  Investment and Insurance Products are:
  through Wells Fargo Advisors, a trade name used
  • Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency
  by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member
  • Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate
  SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank
  • Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested
  affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
  
  We may collect personal data as part of the complaint resolution process. For the categories of personal data that Wells Fargo may collect and how we use it, see the Wells Fargo
  California Consumer Privacy Act Notice at Collection at *********************************************************************** See additional Wells Fargo privacy notices at
  *********************************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/01/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My mother passed away in February 2023. For months now, as the executor of her estate I have been trying to gain access to her Wells Fargo funds. I have sent in (not just once, but MULTIPLE times) her death certificate, letters of testamentary, opened a new estate account, sent in a signature page for the new account, sent in a Letter of Authorization to transfer the funds, but have gotten nothing but continuous runarounds and delay, delay delay. Every document that is needed has been sent weeks and even months ago, and no matter who I talk to I get different stories about what the supposed issues are. Some of the reps are terribly rude and ill-informed. Others have no idea what the problems are and why there is a delay. The estate department does not talk to the new accounts department, and both point fingers at the other when weeks and months have gone by with no resolution. After waiting weeks for "processing," I have received emails stating that the transfer could not occur because specific documents were missing, and when I called, the reps are clearly able to see the exact same documents that are supposedly missing, on their end (documents that I sent in months ago). I suspect that they want to make this is as difficult and drawn out as possible so that Wells Fargo continues to have access to the funds. The Securities and Exchange Commission states that this type of transaction should be done in a timely manner. This experience has been anything but timely. In fact, I have NEVER dealt with an organization as incompetent as Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Estate departments. I will NEVER use Wells Fargo for anything in the future, and would STRONGLY caution anyone who does.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/03/2023

  July 3, 2023
  
  
  
  ******** ****
  *** ********** ****
  ******** ** **********
  
  
  
  
  Subject: We’re responding to your concerns
  Case number: *****************, *****************
  Account numbers ending in: ***** ****
  Better Business Bureau, case number: ********
  
  
  Dear ******** ****:
  
  We’re sorry to hear about the passing of ******** ****. We realize this can be a difficult time. Thank you for
  contacting us with your concerns. We’ve looked into it for you and are ready to share our findings.
  
  In review of the events, you expressed concerns with the completion of the Estate process and with not receiving a
  resolution. Due to our ongoing commitment to ensuring that client concerns are given due attention, these
  comments were forwarded to the Commercial, Investment, & Centralized Complaint Executive Office for review
  and response.
  
  First and foremost, please accept our deepest sympathies and allow us to apologize for any frustration or
  inconvenience you experienced. Please understand that when a client passes away, accounts must be managed by
  estate laws, industry rules, and Firm policies and procedures. There is a multitude of information including multiple
  documents required to be on file, and in many cases, a new account is required to be opened and in good order
  before we can disburse funds. Due to these requirements, the estate process can be complex and cumbersome.
  
  According to our records, you submitted Letters of Testamentary on April 11, 2023. However, no transfer was
  completed because a Letter of Authorization (LOA) containing transfer instructions was not submitted. We were
  pleased to see an LOA was provided on April 28, 2023, but it was rejected on May 11, 2023, because the receiving
  account ending in 0650 was not in good order. The next service request was rejected on June 1, 2023, for the same
  reason. Our records indicate the court document was submitted to the receiving account on June 2, 2023. Please
  know the document was booked on June 9, 2023, and the restriction was lifted on June 12, 2023. We emailed
  
  
  Investment products and services are offered
  Investment and Insurance Products are:
  through Wells Fargo Advisors, a trade name used
  • Not Insured by the FDIC or Any Federal Government Agency
  by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member
  • Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or Any Bank Affiliate
  SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank
  • Subject to Investment Risks, Including Possible Loss of the Principal Amount Invested
  affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
  
  We may collect personal data as part of the complaint resolution process. For the categories of personal data that Wells Fargo may collect and how we use it, see the Wells Fargo
  California Consumer Privacy Act Notice at Collection at ****************. See additional Wells Fargo privacy notices at
  ****************.
  
  © 2021 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved.
  ECMO– BT173_Res_M_E_122021
  Estate processing to have the service request reactivated. It was reactivated on June 15, 2023, and your internal
  transfer was completed on June 28, 2023.
  
  We understand that this is an inconvenient process especially during such a difficult time and are working
  diligently to make this a smoother transition for our clients. Please allow us to apologize for any frustration or
  inconvenience these matters have caused, including inaccurate and conflicting information that you have received
  throughout your experience.
  
  How to contact us
  
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, please contact
  me at ###-###-####. We’re ready to help you Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  Central Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** **
  ********* ****** **** **********
  ********** ********** ********** ******
  
  
  cc: Better Business Bureau
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/01/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I first contacted WF Advisors estate department at the beginning of May and began submitting the paperwork to transfer the funds from my late father's advisor account. WFA Advisors claimed to have never received these items despite me receiving an auto-reply from their system that my email was received. I was then told the forms were filled out incorrectly, so I asked their representative to walk me through filling the form out correctly. I was then referred to send the documents to a **********************************. I sent the docs to that email then called in to ensure they were received and were correct. The representative said all was in order and that the funds would transfer within 10 business days. I called back 11 business days later to check on the transfer and was told at first they had no paperwork, then told the paperwork they had on file was incorrect. I requested a call from Mr. ******** and was told he would call me back later that day. I received no call. I called back again the following day, and was told they aren't seeing any paperwork on the account. After explaining my situation so far, the representative put me on hold. After waiting on hold for over 40 minutes I was told Mr. ******** was in a meeting and would call me back (this is same thing I was told two days prior when I requested to speak with Mr. ********). It appears they are willfully avoiding communicating with me in order to resolve this.
  
  Additionally, I was advised that I must set up my own Advisor account. I have since discovered (from speaking with others who work in banking) that is not true, and that funds can be transferred directly to an outside account. I believe WFA intentionally misinformed me on that I would need to establish my own WF Advisor account in order to transfer the funds. It seems obvious that WFA is simply trying to hold onto funds that I'm entitled to for as long as possible. WFA is clearly engaging in tactics meant to stall and confuse consumers.
  They have not called me back or returned any emails to advise me on how to resolve this, despite my repeated and explicit requests.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/30/2023

  ******* ************ **** **** *** **** *** ******* ** **********

  Subject: We’re responding to your concerns

  Case number: *****************

  Account number ending in: ****

  Better Business Bureau, case number: ********

       Dear ******* ************:  We take allegations seriously, and we’ll work to understand what happened. We’ll review the concerns in detail and take action, as necessary. We’re committed to fixing any issues and making things right for you.  As per our conversation from June 13, 2023, your requested transfer of 50% of the assets of the account ending in **** was completed on June 12, 2023 (with your account, ending in 1248, receiving assets valued at $29,927.51, at the time of the transfer).   Please allow us to apologize for the poor service you experienced during your estate’s claim process, as well as the inconvenience caused by the delay in completing your requested asset transfer. We would like you to be aware that, as a self-managed client, you may or may not receive outgoing correspondence regarding your submissions. We may suggest you consider following up on any requests you make for your account(s) should those requests not be completed within the time frame provided to you by our service personnel. We understand that being requested to open a new account to receive your portion of your estate’s claim may represent an inconvenience, however, in order to protect all party’s assets / claims relating to the estate, this is often requested by our Estate Processing group’s personnel.  We appreciate the time you have taken to share your concerns, as they are invaluable in assessing our service levels and for identifying areas where we can initiate improvements. Your feedback is extremely important to us and we want to assure you that we will utilize this information as an opportunity to enhance our abilities to best assist our clients with their financial needs.