Wells Fargo to Pay $33 Million — Customers Say They Were Tricked Into Recurring Monthly Charges

Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $33 million to resolve a class action lawsuit claiming the bank helped three companies — known in the case as Apex, Triangle, and Tarr — enroll consumers in recurring monthly subscription charges without their real knowledge or consent.

The lawsuit says consumers were signed up for these charges after responding to what appeared to be a free offer. Many customers say they never agreed to ongoing payments and only noticed something was wrong when they reviewed their bank statements carefully and found charges they didn’t recognize.

How the Scheme Allegedly Worked

According to the lawsuit, consumers were targeted with offers that appeared to be free — no-cost samples, prizes, or trial memberships. In reality, agreeing to the offer also enrolled them in a subscription that triggered recurring monthly charges to their bank account.

The charges were processed through Wells Fargo. The lawsuit claims the bank had reason to know these transactions were unauthorized or deceptive, and that it processed them anyway — making the bank a participant in the scheme rather than just an innocent bystander.

Why the Bank Is Part of This

You might wonder: why is a bank responsible for what another company did? Under consumer protection law, financial institutions have obligations when they process payments — particularly when those payments show signs of being unauthorized or misleading. When a bank continues processing charges from companies engaged in deceptive billing practices, the bank can share responsibility for the harm to consumers.

This type of case is not unusual. Several major banks have settled similar claims in recent years over their role in processing unauthorized recurring charges on behalf of third-party vendors.

Who May Qualify

You may be covered by this settlement if:

• You had a Wells Fargo bank account
• You noticed unexpected recurring charges from companies like Apex, Triangle, or Tarr on your statements
• You signed up for what seemed like a free offer and were later charged monthly without clear notice or your consent

If you’re not sure whether the charges on your account were related to this case, submit your information and a representative can help you check. There is no cost to find out.