Complaint Review: Wells Fargo Bank - Portland Oregon

I have only been banking with Wells Fargo for about a month. I admit I had poor history with checking accounts, but not because I was bad with money (the specifics of a US Bank account were intentionally misrepresented when I was 18.) At first I was blaming myself for the overdrafts, though I wasn't writing checks and I was checking my available balance online several times per day.

I have never spent more than I have, not in cash loans and not in this account. However, once the fees started rolling in, it was impossible to get a clear answer as to why. Why is it that when I deposit a check and my account is well padded, it only takes the check one day, and when I'm close to zero it takes five? Payroll checks, personal -- it doesn't matter.

After disputing the first set of charges (from my check-order being placed sooner than I was told and going through in even less time than I was told,) my personal banker removed two OD fees but left the one for the checks. He considered it my fault though the bank had put the order in early and processed the funds only HOURS before I deposited funds into the account.

After that it became a nightmare. A check I had deposited, which was to cover my rent, took FIVE DAYS to clear. It posted two hours AFTER my rent check was rejected. I was assesed $75 in fees by my landlord, and because of the $30 fee from Wells Fargo for the 'bounced' check, I had incurred THREE MORE Overdraft charges.

I had THOSE corrected ... but my account was short. It didn't match my ledger or even close to what I thought was supposed to be in the account after the reversal of fees. Figuring, again, that it was my error, I simply spent what was 'available' as not to overdraw and incur any further fees.

Mistake. Mistake because there were even more overdraft fees waiting due to charges that had processed that day before my check went through, but after the reversal was made. The rep on the phone hadn't bothered to tell me about those.

I think the silliest thing is that pending charges come out of my available balance, meaning the money was there at purchase time, but when I'm assesed OD fees, it's only the fee (not a charge for the item itself.) Meaning they've removed the money from what's available, but somehow when the time comes to officially post the charge, I'm assesed a fee if my new available balance can't cover it. I do not understand this... this bank overcomplicates even the tiniest transactions.

Anyway, back to the other nightmare. I call in to dispute yet another set of OD charges (mind you, my rent was due only two weeks ago, so this is still going on and all in a two week period.) The operator sees my problem, but says it's still my fault. When I talk to a supervisor, she gives me a 'courtesy credit' .. as in the bank doesn't assume responsibility.

I wake up the next morning, having made NO purchases the previous day, to a -$15 balance. Out of a $960 check that has posted and only $700 removed from my account for rent. Apparently, the rep has overlooked very important pending charges that could be affected by their erroneous fees.

When I call in, I ask simply if I'm in the clear to put $15 in my account and zero out. Plain and simple, so I don't incur any MORE fees for my car payment check after she's removed even MORE erroneous fees from my account. She says that I'm in "The Safehouse." Direct quote. Guess what happened after I deposited the $15.

More fees from charges that I had made against my account that day when I knew the money had been refunded. Only, because the charges were made *again* HOURS before the reversal of fees, they were considered Overdraft. I called again THE NEXT DAY to speak with someone and was met with very contemptuous and condescending tone. Apparently I've become some monster in their notes, one that constantly overdraws and then complains. I assure you, this is not the case.

In speaking with this woman, she gave me yet another 'courtesy credit' rather than admitting there was something wrong with my account, or rather strange. She then said that due to my purchases the previous day that were still pending (*again* they were taken out of my Available Balance ALREADY,) I would be -$1.04 in my account (which of course means $34.01 after the fee.) So, knowing just how thorough Wells is, I put $25 in instead. After the reversal, clearing of charges and deposit, I had $37 in my account. The first time in a week it was where it should be.

That didn't last. I spent $35 this weekend on various Christmas items, gifts, etc. Well, the reversal didn't happen as quickly this time as it had previously. As a matter of fact, it took all weekend, though I had requested it Friday before 4pm. Cutoff time for weekdays. So I got two more overdrafts for the purchases I made this weekend. Which also begs the question, when there's no money in my account (in fact it's negative,) why am I still able to use my Debit Card?

Mind you, these did NOT appear until last night. Allowing me to deposit a check and spend about $30 of it on a Christmas Party before I even KNEW the reversal hadn't happened on time. (*AGAIN* this was already posted on my account as of Saturday, but didn't actually go through until midday Monday. Isn't that FRAUD?)

So now I'm stuck with Negative available because my paycheck is still 'pending' and I'm $-.40 due ONLY to fees. Isn't that silly? That I'm only $.40 short with $66 in fees? That means I had *almost* enough (minus that $.40) in my account to pay for all of this, and had made a small deposit to help cover a check I had written, and ONE FEE caused ANOTHER. This is NOT RIGHT. And it's been happening for two weeks.

I don't know what to do .. but with the purchases I made yesterday for the party, I'll probably have $99 in OD fees AGAIN (mind you, they refused to remove these past two from yesterday.) One of the OD fees I'll receive is for only $.89!! And it's not even my fault! The bank has been charging a merry-go-round of s****.>