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.

close

Find a Location

Wells Fargo Advisors has 380 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

BBB accredited

Near

Country

USUnited States

Please enter a valid location.

Filter

• 

  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

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

• 

  Wells Fargo Advisors

  701 S. Carroll Blvd. Denton, TX 76201

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:03/30/2023

  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.

  Filed a Death Claim with AIG and Wells Fargo to Liquidate an Annuity on ********* ********* *** ********
  I have yet to receive the funds. They continue to state that the claim is in processing. Claim that the only documents received were ********. As of March 30, 2023, I was told it takes 28 days from ********. Confirmation *********

  Business Response

  Date: 04/05/2023

  ********** ********** ********** ******
  ** *** ****
  ***** ****** ** *****
  
  ***** ** ****
  
  ******* ** ********
  **** ******** ****
  **** ****
  ******** ** *****
  
  ******** ** ******** **** ********
  **** ******* *****************
  ****** ******** ****** **** ******* ********
  ******* ****** ****** *** ****
  
  
  **** ******* ** ********* 
  
  We’re sorry to hear about the passing of ****** *******h. 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.
  
  We found you contacted the Better Business Bureau on March 30, 2023. You expressed dissatisfaction with
  submitting a claim for an annuity on more than occasion for the Individual Retirement Account ****) ending in
  ****. You explained your frustration with the timeframe to complete the claim process.
  
  Our records found you submitted a death certificate on May 10, 2021. A communication sent to you on May 18,
  2021, advised of missing documentation needed to complete the claim. On May 24, 2022, you sent an e-mail
  inquiring on documentation submitted in March of 2022. Our estate department responded the same day and
  advised that unfortunately an *** Beneficiary claim form had letters in the account number. Please be aware our
  imaging system for submission only recognizes the Wells Fargo Advisors account number on documentation. This
  means our system did not recognize which account to send the images. The e-mail advised the account number
  should only contain numbers and to re-submit. On September 29, 2022, we received updated claim forms. After
  review an e-mail was sent to you requesting information on the inherited *** account selection made in section 4.
  The e-mail explained an 8-digit account was needed with an acceptance letter from the outside firm. We received
  an updated *** Beneficiary claim form on February 16, 2023. A request was made to update and complete section
  4 of the form. On March 1, 2023, our estate department accepted the documentation and requested our annuity
  service center begin the process to contact ******* *******l a division of American International Group (AIG). On
  March 9, 2023, a formal lump sum *** annuity liquidation request was sent to ******* *******l by overnight mail.
  Please be aware we are reliant on AIG to process the request in a timely manner.
  
  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.
  
  
  ** *** ******* ******** **** ** **** ** *** ********* ********** ******** *** *** ********** ** ******** **** **** ***** ***** *** ******* *** *** ** *** *** *** *** ***** *****
  ********** ******** ******* *** ****** ** ********** ** *********************************************************************** *** ********** ***** ***** ******* ******* **
  *********************************************
  
  * **** ***** ***** ********* **** *** ****** *********
  ***** ********************
  
  ** ***** ** *** ** ***** *** ***** *** ******* ** *** ********* *** ** *** **** *** ** ******* ********** ***
  *********** ** *** ******** *** ******* *** ******* *** ****** **** ***** ******* ** ******* ****** * ** **
  ******** ***** ** ******* ******* *** ***** ** ********* ** ** **** *** **** **** *** *********** *** ****
  ********* ** *** *** ****** ** ***** ****** ***** ** ** ********* *** *** *********** ** ************* **** ******
  *** **** ******* ****** *** **** *** ********* ********* **** ******* ** **** ****** ****** ******* ******
  ********** *************** ** *************** **** *** ********* ****** ******* ******* **** **** ** ****
  **** ******* *****
  
  *** ** ******* **
  
  ** ********** **** **** *** ****** *** **** ** ******* *** ** *** **** ********** ****** *******
  ** ** *************** **** ******** ***** ***** ** **** *** ****** ******* ****** ****
  **** **** ** **** **** ******* ***** ** ****** ****************** ***** ******* ******
  
  **********
  
  **** **
  ********* ****** **** **********
  ********** ********** ********** ******
  
  *** ****** ******** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/17/2023

  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 in August of last year; it took two months to find out I was to sole beneficiary and Wells Fargo Clearing Services is the middle company who handles account. I Started paperwork Dec. 7, 2022, after being rejected 4 times, for small things, once because I have a joint checking account with my husband in a community law state, which makes no sense. Last submission for funds was February 22, 2023.
  Wells Fargo has repeatedly lied to me, the last lie: two different advisors from Wells Fargo indicated they submitted paperwork to Prudential for release of funds but they rejected due to an unreadable death certificate, which my Brother has resent a copy of death certificate. I contacted Prudential and they have verbally indicated they have NEVER received a claim for this account. I am at a loss of what if anything I can do at this point.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/17/2023

  Thank you for your email, after reviewing paperwork I noted this claim was sent in Jan 31, 2023, not Feb 22.  Feb date was when I filed complaint with Wells Fargo.  Sorry for the confusion, this has just been going on for a long time.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/27/2023

  Please see attached business response. 

  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.
  
  We understand your deep frustration pertaining to this matter and sincerely apologize that your experience has
  
  fallen short of expectations. Please understand that when a client passes away, accounts must be managed by
  
  state 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.
  
  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.
  
  After review, we can confirm that we originally received a request for the funds from this account to be transferred
  
  into an account that you are not the owner of. We can transfer funds into an account you are the owner of, or issue
  
  a check. We can also confirm that we previously rejected a copy of the death certificate because it was illegible. As
  
  of March 29, 2023, an acceptable copy of the death certificate is on file.

  Please allow us to apologize for the multiple broken links sent in an attempt to direct you to the spousal consent
  
  form. We sent the documents you provided to our legal department for review. After review, it was determined
  
  that the documents provided do not override the need for the spousal consent form. Our records show that a copy
  
  of the form was sent to you via email on April 18, 2023. If you did not receive it, or have any additional questions,
  
  please contact our Estate Processing department at ###-###-####, Monday through Friday from
  
  7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Central Time.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/17/2023

  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.

  For the assets held in my deceased mother's IRA account, Wells Fargo Advisors requested a beneficiary application and a letter describing how the assets should be redistributed between me and my brothers. We submitted those materials. Wells Fargo Advisors was asked to move the assets from my mother's accounts to the inheritance accounts that each of us set up at Wells Fargo Advisors. So far, they have not done that. They received the necessary documents by February 8.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/05/2023

  ********** ********** ********** ******
  ** *** ****
  ***** ****** ** *****
  
  ***** ** ****
  
  ******* *******
  *** *** ****
  *********** ** *****
  
  ******** ***** ********** ** **** ********
  **** ********** ****************** ****************** *****************
  ******* ****** ****** *** ****
  ****** ******** ******* ****** **** *********
  ****** ***** ***** *******
  
  **** ******* ******** 
  
  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.
  
  We are responding to concerns which you expressed to us in regards to your Estate processing experience and the
  difficulty that you have experienced with transferring the assets in the account ending in **** to the named
  beneficiaries.
  
  Wells Fargo Advisors strives to provide our clients with the most outstanding customer service, and we sincerely
  regret that your experience has fallen short of your expectations.
  
  We have reviewed with our back office, that a letter of instruction (LOI) is needed to complete the transfer of
  assets. The current LOI on file, does not mention the correct Committee on Uniform Securities Identification
  Procedures (CUSIP). We have confirmed that ******** ***** ********* is divisible by 25 and that
  ********* ********* is divisible by 1000. Kindly resubmit the LOI with updated instructions as the current LOI
  that we have on file instructs us to divide ******* ** *** ** ************* ****** ******** ***** ******* ***
  ****** ******* *** *** ** ******* *******. Please have all of the beneficiaries sign the LOI before submitting
  back to us. Should you require assistance completing the form, please contact our Estate processing team at **
  ************* **** *** ********* ****** ******* ****** **** **** **** ** **** **** ******* *****
  
  How to contact us
  
  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.
  
  
  ** *** ******* ******** **** ** **** ** *** ********* ********** ******** *** *** ********** ** ******** **** **** ***** ***** *** ******* *** *** ** *** *** *** *** ***** *****
  ********** ******** ******* *** ****** ** ********** ** *********************************************************************** *** ********** ***** ***** ******* ******* **
  *********************************************
  
  * **** ***** ***** ********* **** *** ****** *********
  ***** ********************
  
  ** ********** **** **** *** ****** *** **** ** ******* *** ** *** **** ********** ****** *******
  ** ** ************** **** ******** ***** ***** ** **** *** ****** ******* ****** **** **** **** ** **** ****
  ******* ***** ** ****** ****************** ***** ******* ******
  
  **********
  
  ******* **
  ********* ****** **** **********
  ********** ********** ********** ******
  
  *** ****** ******** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/20/2023

  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 received 2022 ****R from wells fargo advisors from a closed *** that needs to be amended. WFA has the distribution code as a 1 which it needs to be corrected to G. This error has triggered an IRS tax bill in the amount of $44k. I reached out to wells fargo advisors, purchase ** office where my accounts were once held on Thursday, 2/16/23. ********************/branch liaison answered the phone, I thoroughly explained my concerns and what I needed assistance with. She was quick to dismiss my concerns and spoke very loudly over me. Jelmena did some research, called me back about 30 minutes later. When ******* called me back she stated that this was not going to be a quick fix and would need to pass me off to one of her client associates. As per ******* she was way too busy to work on my issue, she also refused to provide me with her work email address. Later on I emailed the branch manager ************************* and left her a vociemail, it's now Monday 2/20, I have not heard back from anyone. I called their executive office to escalate my request, worked with client facing they had me on the phone for over an hour. They confirmed I would receive the *** ********* reflecting the *** ********* On Saturday I received an email from wells fargo advisors with the incorrect *** *********. I cannot explain the my level of frustration with this firm!!! All the time I have wasted for a simple request and not a single one of their employees has had the courtesy to get back to me. I need a copy of the closed *** ********* immediately, along with an amended **** r.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/11/2023

  Enterprise ****************************
  PO Box ****
  ***********, ** *****
  
  
  
  
  
  May 11, 2023
  
  
  
  *********************** & ***************************
  **************************************************************
  
  
  
  
  Subject: Were responding to your concerns
  Case number: *****************, ***************** & *****************
  Account number ending in: ****
  **********************, case number: ********
  Client name: *********************** ***
  
  Dear *********************** & ***************************:
  
  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns. Weve completed our research and are ready to
  share our findings.
  
  Our records indicate that you both expressed your dissatisfaction beginning February 16, 2023, with the inability
  to amend the distribution coding on the 2022 tax document (1099-R) for Gregs Wells Fargo Advisors (***)
  Individual Retirement Account ***** ending ****. It is our understanding that this dissatisfaction was expressed
  in various phone calls and emails to the *** branch, the ************************* (***), and also with the
  Better Business Bureau (BBB). ***s intent is to provide hassle-free service to all customers with the most
  professional, courteous, and efficient financial services and we apologize that your experience has fallen short of
  your expectations.
  
  We verified that ****** emailed Financial Advisory Branch Manager, *************************, on February 16, 2023, and
  expressed dissatisfaction with the level of customer service received from the branch to amend the distribution
  coding on the 2022 form 1099-R. We confirmed that ****** explained that the distribution was processed to
  ******* ***** from Gregs account in January 2022 incorrectly, which resulted in an ************************
  (IRS) tax bill for $44,000.00. Our records confirmed that ******* email stated this was due to an error made by
  their *** Financial Advisor (FA), ***************************** office. In addition, ****** expressed these same concerns in the
  BBB case #******** that we received dated February 21, 2023.
  
  Our research confirmed that ****** expressed dissatisfaction in the February 27, 2023 email communication to
  the *** representative that we sent the incorrect *** ********** and this was not the statement for ************
  
  Investment products and services are offered
  Investment and Insurance Products are:
  through Wells Fargo Advisors, a trade name used
  Not Insured by the **** or *****************************
  by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member
  Not a Deposit or Other Obligation of, or Guaranteed by, the Bank or ******** 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
  ending **** that was requested. We apologize for the confusion with this and the frustration this may have
  caused while you attempted to resolve this issue and have included a copy of ***** January 2022 *** *** **************
  
  We reviewed Gregs *** account activity, and confirmed the January 26, 2022, electronic transfer to a *******
  ***** bank account for $123, ******, with the residual electronic transfer for $38.90 on January 31, 2022. ** our
  attempt to determine if this was rolled over at the contra firm (******* *****) to a qualified account within the
  allowable IRS timeframe, or if ******* office processed the external distribution request incorrectly, we would
  require documentation on this matter to warrant a corrected 1099-R.
  
  We confirmed that **** spoke to *** representative, ****************, on March 3, 2023, and that ****** explained that
  the letter of acceptance from the receiving firm would be required to code this distribution as a rollover to a
  Qualified Retirement Plan (QRP). Our records indicate that ****** sent **** an email explaining this and provided
  Securities Operations Representatives email address, ****************************************** to forward this
  documentation to correct the 1099-R.
  
  Additionally, since the branch no longer has access to your closed *** *** account, we suggest that you call the
  *** *** at **************. They are available Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Central Time and
  can provide additional assistance if needed.
  
  How to contact **
  
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact **. If you have questions, please contact
  me at ****************************. Were 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,
  
  ******************
  Executive Office Case Specialist
  Enterprise ****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/15/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Our organization has had an investment account with ********************************************* for about 15 years. I am the Treasurer and am on the account signature card. The account number is *********. We no longer want them to handle our account and want it moved to another company. They said because of an admin hold on our account they had to get it temporarily lifted before we can transfer the funds. Three times now, by three different advisors Ive been told the best and easiest way to do this is to have the account hold temporarily lifted by an admin support team and then move the funds. But nothing ever gets done on their side so our money continues to sit in limbo. *** asked to speak to this admin support team and was told that is not possible. We hope you can help with this matter.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/20/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response.     

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  Dear ******************************:
  Thank you for your patience while we completed a secondary review into your concerns regarding the transfer of the account ending in **** and the inability to speak with our back-office support team. Weve completed our research and are ready to share our findings.
  We confirmed after a secondary review the account was correctly transferred per instructions. We confirmed authorized instructions were received on March 14, 2023, to complete an Automated Customer Account Transfer (ACAT) for the account ending in ****. The transfer was completed on March 17, for $9,406.96 net amount to the ************************** account ending in ****. A residual balance of $162.85 was transferred on March 27. The account ending in **** now has a zero balance. As previously stated, please understand Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA) back-office representatives do not communicate directly with clients because those representatives are not client facing and the Financial Advisors (FA) would be able to answer all questions regarding the account and status of action items.
  We apologize for any frustration and inconvenience this matter may have caused. Should you have any questions about this process or your account, please contact our Wells Fargo Advisors Solutions representatives at **************. They are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
  How to contact **
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact **. If you have questions, please contact ** at ****************************. Were 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,
  ****************
  Executive Office Case Specialist
  Enterprise ****************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/23/2023

  The issue was finally resolved to our satisfaction.  I checked my phone history and had mistakenly blocked calls from Wells Fargo so did not receive a notification from them until now.  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/10/2023

  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.

  Filed paperwork to withdraw funds from our Well Fargo Brokerage Account on January 27, 2023. At the time, we were told the maximum wait for funds was ten business days, but normally funds transferred much faster. We contacted the bank employee on Wednesday 2/08 and Thursday 2/09 to receive a date of when fund will be transferred. Our calls were not returned until today 2/10. Today, we were told that wells fargo will not transfer the funds for 24 days, because of demand.
  This delay is damaging because we have arranged to meet a financial obligation on Feb 21st and now lack the necessary funds. We question whether Wells Fargo can ethically and legally withhold our funds beyond 10 days. They appear to be in violation of their stated policies to their customers.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/24/2023

  **** ** ***** *
  ****** *****
  **** ******* ******
  ********** ** **********
  ******** ***** ********** ** **** ********
  **** ******* *****************
  ******* ****** ****** *** ****
  ****** ******** ******* **** ** * ********
  Dear **** ** *****:
  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns. We’ve completed our research and are ready to share our findings.
  First and foremost, please allow us to apologize regarding the difficulty you have experienced while trying to obtain your funds, the delay in receiving the funds and the overall poor customer service you feel you have received throughout the process.
  Please be advised that from our research we can confirm per your conversation with Financial Advisor Navjit Singh on February 15, 2023, your liquidation and disbursement request was successfully submitted to your Annuity Carrier on January 23, 2023, per your original request. Please know that your Advisors office spoke with your Annuity Carrier American International Group (***) on February 10, 2023, and *** stated that updated forms were needed in order to complete your request.
  Please note that your Financial Advisors office was also informed from *** on February 10, 2023, that due to heavy backlog; the liquidation and disbursement of funds could take up to 23 days to complete. However, your Advisor’s office was successful in requesting that your liquidation request be expedited with ***, and effective February 17, 2023, $230,537.46 was successfully transferred fromWe sincerely regret the frustration, inconvenience, and overall poor service you have experienced while trying to resolve this issue. We also highly value your feedback, as we use your feedback as our primary tool in improving our products and services. If you have additional questions or concerns, please reach out to our Investment Contact Center at *************, ****************, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Central Time.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/24/2023

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

  Wells Fargo mentions only that we contacted the business twice, this does not reflect that there were phone messages left asking for information about the funds and we received no reply.  We were originally told ten business days and never received any notification that additional time would be required.  Why wasn't the financial manager aware of delays and providing us with updates?

  On the 10th, which was fifteen business days after submitting the forms, we were told that WE had filled out the wrong forms.  We filled out the forms given to us by the advisor and he reviewed them while we were at the bank.  Now the claim is the original paperwork was correct.  Why were we told the paperwork was incorrect?  Why did the advisor refuse to accept any responsibility for providing the correct forms and have clarity about the amount or action to be taken?

  Lastly,  it is not a feeling about receiving poor service.  Wells Fargo provided poor service and terrible communication.  
  
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  **** * ****** *****

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response. Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns. We’ve completed our research and are ready to share our findings.  We received your follow-up complaint from the Better Business Bureau on April 24, 2023, regarding your dissatisfaction with our original response to your complaint related to the services provided by your Financial Advisors office. Including the lack of communication, returned phone calls and the incorrect timeframe provided in order to complete your liquidation and distribution request.   Please be advised that from our phone call on April 25, 2023, we were able to confirm that the reason your request wasn’t processed in the original 10 business day period as you were advised, was due to your ******* ******* ******** ************* ***** (***) not providing your Advisors office with their new updated liquidation and distribution forms.   Per our original letter sent on April 24, 2023, your Advisors office spoke with *** on February 10, 2023, and they were successful in submitting to *** the updated liquidation and distribution forms, and on February 17, 2023, your funds in the amount of $230,537.46, were transferred into your account ending in 4263.   We sincerely regret that your Advisors office did not return your phone calls in a timely manner, causing a delay to the entire process. Please know that we have reached out to the appropriate departments in attempts for coaching opportunities in order to rectify this for future customer service interactions. We always value your feedback, as we use your feedback in order to enhance our customer service interactions with our clients. If you have additional questions or concerns, please reach out to our Investment Contact Center at *************, (**************), Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Central 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. Central Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls. 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/04/2023

  Type:Product 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.

  Wells Fargo Advisors allowed over $55,000.00 to be stolen from my two accounts !
  Wells Fargo Advisors has been playing games with me for along time

  Business Response

  Date: 03/02/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response. 

  ********** ********** ********** ******
  ** *** ****
  ***** ****** ** *****
  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.
  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
  *********************************************
  * **** ***** ***** ********* **** *** ****** *********
  ***** ********************
  March 1, 2023
  **** ******
  **** ****** ****
  ****** ******* ** **********
  Subject: We’re responding to your concerns
  Case number: *****************
  Account numbers ending in: 6*** *** ****
  ****** ******** ******* **** ******* *********
  **** **** *******
  Thank you for your patience as we reviewed the comments in your complaint to the Better Business Bureau dated
  February 4, 2023. Specifically, you stated that Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA) allowed over $55,000.00 to be stolen
  from two accounts. You also stated that WFA has been playing games with you for a long time. We’ve completed
  our research and are ready to share our findings.
  Please understand that protecting our customer accounts is a responsibility we take very seriously. We
  continuously work to enhance our security, including creating awareness of potential fraud schemes and
  implementing security measures to address evolving online threats. This includes steps to help detect and prevent
  fraudulent and unauthorized account activity. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, it may still occur.
  We sent you a letter on February 17, 2023, to address your concerns expressed during your phone conversation
  with our Client Contact Center on January 4, 2023, regarding this matter. Specifically, you stated that your ex-
  girlfriend and their son depleted both your Transfer on Death (TOD) brokerage account ending in **** and your
  Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ending in **** while you were in the military during the period of
  October 2007 through April 2015.
  As stated in our previous letter dated February 17, 2023, after a thorough review of your WFA accounts, we
  learned that account activities for both your IRA ending in **** and TOD account ending in **** occurred during
  the periods of November 1, 2007, through December 31, 2012. Those activities include trade purchases and sales,
  IRA Distributions, deposits, and withdrawals consisting of both checks and Automated Clearing House (ACH).
  Currently, we do not have enough information to support that these transactions were fraudulent.
  Please know that we attempted to contact you to discuss this matter, but we were unable to connect with you. To
  do a further review, please provide more information regarding your claim.
  How to contact us
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions about this letter, please contact
  me 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,
  ****** **
  Executive Office Case Specialist
  Enterprise Complaints Management Office

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/27/2023

  Type:Order 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.

  February 6, 2022 ******************** died from diabetes and heart attack. Do you need another death certificate for ******? I do believe I sent you one last week with a letter. Donalds fax is ************ I had to send it. My death claim is for ***********. We do not want a rollover. I just need the monies to live on. I bank at harvesters credit union in *******. ******* death has hit me hard emotionally and physically. I need your help now please no rollovers check only to me in my name. This Wells Fargo refuses to help and rude to please help me get whats mine as far as ******* death claim. Should you need anything else? Please contact me.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/03/2022

  Dear ***************************** ****:
  Thank you for your patience while we looked into your concerns. This letter is in response to your complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau. I am responding to your inquiry on behalf of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (collectively Wells Fargo). Weve completed our research and are ready to share our findings.
  Were sorry to hear about the passing of ************************. We understand this can be a difficult time, and were here to help. Our research indicates that WestRock (formerly Rock-************* was a participant in the Rock-************ 401(k) ****************** Plan (the Plan), which was previously record kept by Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust (IRT). At the direction of the Plan Sponsor (WestRock), the Plan left Wells Fargo IRT and transferred to Empower on December 31, 2015. If you need further information regarding the balance thereafter, please contact the Plan Sponsor or Empower. The phone number provided for Empower at the time of transition is **************.
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, please contact us at ***************************. Were ready to help you Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time. We accept telecommunications relay service calls.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/16/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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 am the Executor for my deceased mother trust accounts. On 5/23/22 called Wells Fargo (WF) to inform them of death of my mother, ***************************, was told to send in death certificate, affidavit of domicile and cert of trust done on 7/20/22, no reponse called WF Estate ********* on 9/19/22 and was given a acct # and to send in Letter of Authorization (***). 10/13 Rec'd email funds can be added to acct called Estate proc said acct was set up wrong had to sent in another ***, done on 11/16. 11/28 rec'd email funds can be added to new acct called had to send in another ***. 12/23 Called again was now told a verbal password was set up for this account (1st time I was informed re: PW) WF request to have this removed was done on 12/28 I called Estate proc was told that acct was set up wrong (again), at this time I'm so frustrated I'm yelling at this woman who said she will have a supervisor call me. 2 days later supervisor (***) called left message w/ his phone #, I called him back, have to set up another account (I have 3 accts now) 1/6 sent in signature page for this new acct and another ***. 1/7 *** hadn't rec'd these. 1/10 called and was told that the wrong format (SSN v EIN) was entered on signature page and WF sent a request to have this changed to EIN # would take 24 hrs. 1/13 called *** format wasn't changed he would check and call back (no call back). 1/14 Rec'd email that I would have to send in another *** and to change format to EIN, however there is no area on the *** to enter a EIN number. I've been given the run around so often with Wells Fargo Advisors and am so frustrated after 6 months of endless phone calls I need some help to get the money from my deceased mother's account into an account to pay the beneficiaries. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/24/2023

  Dear *****************************:
  Were sorry to hear about the passing of ******************************. We realize this can be a difficult time and would like to extend our sincerest condolences. Thank you for contacting us with your concerns regarding the difficulty to process the estate claim for the trust account of ****************************. Weve completed our research and are ready to share our findings. Please note, we made attempts to contact you via phone on April 14, 2023 and April 17, 2023 to discuss this matter, but they were unsuccessful.
  Please allow us to apologize for any frustration or inconvenience this matter may have caused. Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA) strives to provide our clients with the most outstanding customer service, and we regret that, in this instance, you received less than our best.
  Please be advised, upon the death of a client, their account must be handled in accordance with state laws, industry rules and Firm policies and procedures. While each situation is unique, there are certain procedures that must be handled uniformly. During our review, we learned that the Letters of Administration court appointment received on October 25, 2022, confirms your authority over the Estate of the decedent; however, it does not confirm who the successor trustee of the trust account is. Kindly note, the executor of the Estate does not direct the assets from the trust account but rather the assets are directed by the successor trustee named when the trust was created.
  We verified we need an updated Trustee Certification of Investment Powers (****) form or a Legal Opinion from an attorney who is familiar with the trust to confirm who the successor trustee of the trust brokerage account is. Once we receive the **** or Legal Opinion confirming the successor trustee, we will need a signed Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the successor trustee with transfer instructions to be delivered to a trust account that isin the same named titled trust, has the same under agreement date and under a tax identification number either internally or externally. To submit the previous mentioned documents or if you have questions regarding the estate process, please contact our Estates Processing team via fax at **************, via email at *************************************************** or by phone at **************, Monday through Friday from
  7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/25/2023

  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:01/04/2023

  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 began the process of trying to gain access to funds in a brokerage account that was a part of my mothers estate in 2012. I went through the probate courts and obtained & submitted all of the necessary documents to do so. Wells Fargo made the process so complicated that I ultimately gave up out of total frustration. My husband and I began the process again in 2021 and spoke to countless people in ****** **********, submitted documents over and over at their request, were told repeatedly that they had everything needed, were told a manger would followup with us on multiple occasions and just flat out strung us along. They charged an annual fee on this account even though its status had been changed to deceased in 2012 with no trades taking place and should therefore not have been charged. Getting nowhere, we searched for an agency with the power to do something about our issues and discovered *****. Once a complaint had been filed WF suddenly was reaching out to us and working to distribute the funds. After over a year they suddenly realized that our document from probate had expired in 2014 which, had they actually been processing this request and reviewing the documents provided, they would have noticed. In the end we lost over $1,000 due to their delays while the markets declined and were only able to get one annual fee refunded. We were never given an explanation as to why this process took over a year tom complete. I also requested mediation through ***** & Wells Fargo never replied to the request. The amount of money we stand to get back does not warrant the cost of arbitration. Although, I do not anticipate recovering any of the aforementioned funds, I still wanted to share my grievances with the BBB.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/02/2023

  Please see the attached Bank response. 

  
  Thank you for being our customer. You should know that ***** ******** recently emailed the Better Business
  Bureau, on January 4, 2023, regarding the account ending in ****. We don’t have permission to share information
  about the account with them, so we’re responding directly to you about their concerns.
  
  ***** indicated your dissatisfaction due to delays in processing your claim on assets with the ******* **********
  department via Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) to another firm. The process started
  with a successful probate on August 23, 2012, but stalled shortly afterwards, stating you felt overwhelmed and
  didn’t want to deal with it at that time, but you restarted your claim 9 years later, by contacting ****** **********
  who provided an email listing the documents required. It was shared it has taken approximately 24 calls to/from
  Wells Fargo ****** ********** team citing challenges from not being able to speak to the same representative
  that was familiar on what needed to be corrected or clarify what was missing amassing more delays.
  
  We researched your concerns, reviewed the case, and confirmed we sent an email on June 3, 2022, explaining that
  ******* rejected your ACAT transfer request, due to the debit balance in the account, they needed a margin
  agreement on file. Unfortunately, certain required documentation expired due to the passage of time, and you
  painstakingly worked with ******* ********** to correct errant submissions or omissions requiring corrections
  that added to the delays.
  
  We credited $175 for the 2022 Annual fee, on November 28, 2022, and Operations approved the claim, then
  initiated the ACATS which posted on December 16, 2022, providing a full payout of shares in kind and not a dollar
  value as alleged. We recognize that business decisions, such as our fee policy, impact our clients and we regularly
  
  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
  *********************************************
  
  * **** ***** ***** ********* **** *** ****** *********
  ***** ********************
  evaluate the fee schedule to ensure that we are fair and competitive. We declined voluntary mediation with
  Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (*****) since our previous response letter, sent on December 12, 2022,
  provided our resolution explaining the enduring attempts to satisfy regulators and process your estates claim.
  
  We apologize for how complicated this process can be and we appreciate your feedback, it is an effective way to
  improve future client experiences. Feel free to contact Wells Fargo ****** ********** at ************** for
  questions or assistance on your claim.
  
  
  How to contact us
  
  We appreciate your time and effort you took to contact us. If you have questions, please contact
  me a* *************** **** *******. We’re ready to help you Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00
  p.m. Mountain Time. Please note that I am unable to process requests or provide advice. We accept
  telecommunications relay service calls.
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/07/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  
  The response from Wells Fargo is identical to the response given to my ***** complaint. They did nothing but restate my complaints while providing no answers. They stated that they refunded one annual fee (which was only because I caught it) but ignored the issue that this account should not have accrued ANY annual fees from the time that they were notified of my mother's passing in 2012 and its status became inactive/deceased. They offered no explanation as to why they even attempted to transfer the funds on 6/22 only to realize months later that our probate document had expired. They make it sound as thought this is what delayed this process but fail to point out that this happened almost a year into the process****** ********** is what they do so that this was missed at the beginning of this process speaks greatly to their ineptitude. The constant requesting of the same documents repeatedly over the course of 1+ years was not addressed either which is no surprise. Wells Fargo, in my opinion intentionally delayed this entire process and had I not opened a case with *****, I would likely still be getting the runaround from them. Lastly, their comment that they denied mediation with ***** is false as per *****, they never replied to the request for mediation. If the amount that I stood to recover from years of annual fees were larger, I would be pursuing arbitration but it would not cover the costs involved.

  
  

  As someone who once was a customer having had a mortgage and vehicle loan with Wells Fargo, I will never do business with this institution again. They are crooks and the multiple lawsuits against them resulting in millions of dollars in judgements against them is proof of that.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ********