Privacy Policy
Print this pageIn the information age, Wells Fargo's commitment to protect your information and your privacy extends to your online banking. While our privacy policies are the same whether you are online or not, we have extra measures in place to protect your privacy when you bank online with Wells Fargo.
How We Protect And Use Customer Information?
- We are committed to protecting the security and integrity of customer information through procedures and technology designed for this purpose.
- We collect and maintain customer information as part of servicing your account and your customer relationship.
- The customer information we collect is used to service your accounts and meet your financial needs.
- We share customer information with nonaffiliated third parties when they are acting on our behalf, acting jointly with us, or as permitted or required by law.
- Within the Wells Fargo companies, we share information so that we can work together to serve you.
- Important contact information for current customers.
- State Laws
1. We are committed to protecting the security and integrity of customer information through procedures and technology designed for this purpose.
- We limit employee access to customer information to those who have a business reason to know. Employees are required to honor our code of conduct, which includes standards to protect customer confidentiality.
- We maintain policies and procedures covering the proper physical security of workplaces and records.
- Our physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards meet or exceed federal standards regarding the protection of customer information.
- We require contractors and outside companies who work with us to adhere to strict privacy standards through their contracts with us.
2. We collect and maintain customer information as part of servicing your account and your customer relationship.
In the course of serving you, we collect information about you from a variety of sources, such as:
- Information you provide to us on applications or forms, such as your income and accounts with others;
- Information we receive from an outside company, such as a credit bureau, regarding your credit history or employment status; or
- Information about your transactions or experiences with companies affiliated with Wells Fargo & Company
3. The customer information we collect is used to service your accounts and meet your financial needs.
Information may be used among the Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies, as well as with authorized third parties (described in section 4), for a number of purposes, such as:
- To protect your accounts from unauthorized access or identity theft.
- To process your requests such as loan applications and purchases.
- To service your accounts by issuing checks and account statements.
- To keep you informed about financial services of interest to you.
4. We share customer information with nonaffiliated third parties when they are acting on our behalf, acting jointly with us, or as permitted or
required by law.
We may disclose the information we collect with nonaffiliated third parties that are acting on our behalf or as permitted or required by law, including:
- Companies that perform support services for us, such as data processors, technical systems consultants or check printers.
- Companies that help us market products and services to you, conduct surveys or provide marketing research.
- Government entities, courts or other entities (in response to subpoenas and other legal processes), or those with whom you have requested us to share information.
Important Notice about Credit Reporting: We may report information about your account(s) to credit bureaus and/or consumer reporting agencies. Late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your account(s) may be reflected in your credit report and/or consumer report.
It is important to note that we do not share customer information with other companies for the purpose of marketing their products to you, unless you specifically request in advance that we do so, or unless the sharing is in connection with:
- Maintaining or servicing an account with us, or with a third party as part of a private label credit card program or other extension of credit on behalf of the third party; or
- Marketing of our own products or services.
5. Within the Wells Fargo companies, we share information so that we can work together to serve you.
We may disclose all of the information we collect, as described above, within the affiliated Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies (which include but are not limited to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Wachovia Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Insurance, Inc., Wells Fargo Insurance Services, Inc., Wachovia Insurance Services, Inc., Wells Fargo Investments, L.L.C., and Wachovia Securities, L.L.C.), including:
- Our administrative and service units which, for example, service your accounts or prepare your account statements.
- Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies which provide financial and other services. These include consumer bankers, mortgage lenders, consumer lenders, securities broker-dealers, insurance agencies, and real estate brokerage companies. By law, information that helps us identify you or is derived from your transactions and experiences with us may be shared among the Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies (a) for purposes other than direct marketing, and (b) unless you instruct us otherwise, for direct marketing purposes. You can instruct us not to share other personal financial information about you with other Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies. In addition, if you select that option, we will not share your information about you with our affiliates for direct marketing purposes.
6. Important contact information for current customers.
As a customer, please note that if you choose not to receive solicitations by mail or any other channel , you may continue to receive marketing information about Wells Fargo and Wachovia products or services in regular account mailings and statements, when you visit us online or at an ATM. . You may also receive survey calls. For consumer accounts, Do Not Call preferences are effective as long as you’re an active customer or a minimum of 5 years. Do Not Mail preferences are effective for 3 years.
7. State Laws.
Some state laws may impose additional restrictions on disclosure of information on customers for certain purposes in those states.
- Nevada Residents – Nevada Statute Section 228.600(3) allows marketing calls to our existing customers listed on the National Do Not Call Registry. If you prefer not to receive marketing calls from us, you may be placed on our Internal Do Not Call list by calling 1-888-528-8460, or writing to Wells Fargo Operations, P.O. Box 5277, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5277. For more information contact us at the address above, or email: customerservice@wellsfargo.com., and include “Nevada Annual Notice” in the subject line of your email. You may also contact the Nevada Attorney General’s office: Bureau of Consumer Protection Office of the Nevada Attorney General 555 E. Washington Street, Suite 3900 Las Vegas, NV 89101 Phone: (702) 486-3132 Email: BCPINFO@ag.state.nv.us
- Vermont Residents – We will not share personal financial information about you other than transaction and experience information with other Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies for any purpose within accordance with Vermont law, nor will we share any personal financial information about you with other Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies for marketing purposes.
You have choices at Wells Fargo Financial
How To Communicate A Preference To Us
- Call us at 1-888-528-8460,
- Online banking customers may indicate privacy preferences at wellsfargo.com
Your Choices
We may share information about you within the Wells Fargo and Wachovia companies. However, you may instruct us not to share certain personal financial information as described in section 5.
If you are satisfied with the current level of information you receive from Wells Fargo and Wachovia , you do not need to change your solicitation preference at this time. You may change your instructions at any time in the future. If you choose not to hear from us, you may not be notified about new services at Wells Fargo and Wachovia that may benefit you.
Your preference will apply to all consumer accounts linked to your Social Security Number. For joint accounts, any account holder may express a privacy preference on behalf of the other joint account holder.
This disclosure applies to consumers who have, or have had, a customer relationship with or have made an inquiry or application to one or more of the non-bank companies with “Wells Fargo Financial” in their names as well as Wells Fargo Financial National Bank.
The policies and practices described in this disclosure are subject to change, but we will communicate any significant changes to you as required by applicable law. The policies and practices described in this disclosure replace all previous notices or statements regarding this subject.
Tips To Help You Protect Your Customer Information
- Carry only necessary information with you. Leave your social security card and unused credits cards at home in a safe and secure location.
- Make photocopies of vital information you carry regularly and store them in a secure place, such as a safety deposit box.
- Do not provide your Social Security number unless absolutely necessary.
- Shred documents containing personal or financial information before discarding. Many fraud and identity theft events occur as a result of mail and garbage theft.
- Place outgoing mail in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox to reduce the chance of mail theft.
- Promptly retrieve incoming mail to limit the opportunity for theft.
Assistance To Victims Of Identity Theft
Contact us immediately if you suspect that someone has had unauthorized access to your Wells Fargo account , or access to your personal identifying information such as your Social Security Number or credit card information.We will take action to protect you. Call us at 1-800-TO-WELLS (1-800-869-3557), visit us online at wellsfargo.com, or visit us at your nearest Wells Fargo location.
In addition, you should also report the crime to your local law enforcement agency and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). To speak with a trained FTC telephone counselor, call toll-free at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338). Or to enter information about your complaint into a secure FTC online database, sign onto www.ftc.gov/idtheft. The site also provides links to numerous consumer education materials.
If You Want to Reduce The Number of Unsolicited Credit Offers You May Receive From Outside Sources Contact the National Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies at 1-888-567-8688 (1-888-5-OPTOUT) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com for details. Financial institutions and other companies provide information to the Credit Bureaus for credit verification, fraud control purposes, and prevention of identity theft. You may direct these agencies not to sell or share this information about you for marketing purposes.
You must register your own name and address with these organizations, because they cannot process any requests from us. Be sure to include any variations of your name, address and other information that have appeared in mailings or telephone calls that you have received.
Wells Fargo Financial Texas, Inc. and, for loans to Texas residents, Wells Fargo Financial Louisiana, Inc. are licensed and examined under the laws of the State of Texas and by state law are subject to regulatory oversight by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. Any consumer wishing to file a complaint against Wells Fargo Financial Texas, Inc. or against Wells Fargo Financial Louisiana, Inc. about a loan to a Texas resident should contact the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner through one of the means indicated below: In person or U.S. Mail: 2601 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78705-4207. Telephone No.: (800) 538-1579. Fax No.: (512) 936-7610. E-mail: consumer.complaints@occc.state.tx.us. Website: www.occc.state.tx.us
Ambos Wells Fargo Financial Texas, Inc., así como Wells Fargo Financial Louisiana, Inc. (para préstamos otorgados a residentes de Texas), son licenciados y sujetos a examinación bajo las leyes del Estado de Texas y, de conformidad con la ley estatal, están sujetos a la supervisión regulatoria de la Oficina del Comisionado de Crédito al Consumidor. Cualquier consumidor que desea presentar una queja contra Wells Fargo Financial Texas, Inc. o contra Wells Fargo Financial Louisiana, Inc., en relación con un préstamo otorgado a un residente de Texas, debe comunicarse con la Oficina del Comisionado de Crédito al Consumidor a través de uno de los medios indicados a continuación: En Persona o por Correo Postal de los Estados Unidos a: 2601 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78705-4207. Teléfono: (800) 538-1579. Por Fax: (512) 936-7610. Por Correo Electrónico al: consumer.complaints@occc.state.tx.us. Sitio Web: www.occc.state.tx.us.
Updated: 01/28/2009
