A Wells Fargo customer in California just filed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the bank of draining customers’ accounts in blatant violation of consumer protection laws.
The plaintiff, piano teacher Helen Palma, alleges Wells Fargo unlawfully seized funds from her bank account after she fell behind on credit card payments, reports ClassAction.org.
According to the filing, the bank won a judgement against Palma for outstanding credit card debt.
But the lawsuit claims Wells Fargo then abruptly drained Palma’s checking and savings accounts without obtaining a required bank levy – allegedly violating state laws that require banks to give customers proper notice, offer a chance to file a claim of exemption as well as leave a minimum balance of $1,900 in customer’s accounts.
“In blatant disregard of these rules, Wells Fargo skipped the legal process for a bank levy, which would have prevented it from taking any money out of [the plaintiff’s] accounts, and instead unlawfully helped itself to her funds and leave [sic] her with only $102.74 to her name.”
Palma’s class action seeks to protect all residents of California who may have had their funds illegally withdrawn by Wells Fargo within the last four years.
To date, Wells Fargo has not returned the funds to Palma and has never proved that it had authorization to seize them, according to the suit.
Specifically, the lawsuit accuses Wells Fargo of violating the Truth in Lending Act, Rosenthal Fair Debt Collections Practices Act and California Unfair Competition Law.
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