My mom recently moved and needed to open a new bank account. She selected Wells Fargo Bank as they were close to her new home. When she opened the account the customer service person at the branch told her she needed to open both a checking and a savings account. My mom did not need a savings account, but the person told her the account would be free if she opened both and put a small amount of money into her savings account. He also made it clear, as she asked him several times, that no further deposits into the savings account would be required. (My wife was with her and heard the same assertion.)
After a few months of having the account, my mom got a statement for her savings account and found they were charging her a $10/month service fee. She called to find out why and was told she was not making at least one deposit into her savings account each month. Trying to explain that was not the “deal” she was promised got her no where. However, after pushing VERY hard, they found a solution she can live with: Each month on the 10th they are going to make a deposit, electronically, from her checking account to her savings account. Each month on the 11th they are going to make a withdrawal in the same amount from her savings account and put the money back into her checking account.
As she is now making at least one deposit per month to her savings account, no fee will be assessed. They also reversed the earlier fees.
Silly or just stupid? Possibly both, but for sure annoying.
