Wells Fargo Repossesses A Fully Paid Off Car (VIDEO)

Keeping up with your car payments, it seems, is not always enough to keep away the repo man. As King 5 TV reports, Adlantis Newton, a Tacoma, Washington, resident, says she faithfully paid her car payments of $299 each month and had a title proving that she owned her 1999 Chrysler LHS. Which didn't stop Wells Fargo from seizing the vehicle anyway. (Hat tip to the Big Picture)

Only after being called by King 5's Jesse Jones did anything happen. Newton tells King 5 News that the President of Wells Fargo -- presumably they're referring to John Stumpf -- called her personally about the matter. The car was soon delivered back to Newton's door.

WATCH King 5's segment:

Comments

[Mark Lacek]

02:21 AM on 11/21/2010

Occaisionally repossession assignments wind up in the hands of unqualified individuals claiming to be recovery agents. The vast majority of lenders have relationships with professional agencies. I would bet WF has the bases covered.

[GloriaY]

10:36 PM on 11/20/2010

ms Newton should be lawyering up and forget about any soft and courteous call from Wells Fargo. She must be just as ruthless, absolutely not a "nice lady."

[nadeen6]

01:38 PM on 11/12/2010

please help cant find a lawyer thanks ms newton

[Grimmsd]

04:17 PM on 11/04/2010

If I took a car that wasn't mine I would be in jail.
"Oops officer, I thought it was mine" wouldn't get me out of it.

[merger]

11:33 AM on 11/04/2010

You know the more I think about this the madder it makes me. These mega banks take our money in the form of bail outs, then refuse to lend it back to us, improperly foreclose on homes because of their shoddy bookkeeping and secretarial skills, and then out right steal a woman's car. Let's put these predator's out of business--no deposits, no loans, no savings accounts, not even a fine how do you do. LET'S STOP DOING BUSINESS WITH THESE INCOMPETENTS WHO HAVE NOW BECOME OUT RIGHT THIEVES. I AM NOT DOING BUSINESS WITH THE DEVIL ANYMORE.

[merger]

10:49 AM on 11/04/2010

So the banks are down to out right theft now. this lady showed a great deal of class, restraint, and mercy. WF could learn a thing or two from this dear lady about decency.

[gakabani]

10:13 AM on 11/04/2010

It seems that Wells Fargo is above the law when the police is not able to stop the repossession. So much for the police I may say, they are as corrupt as our banking system. I guess the current tenant in the white house cannot even see this.

[vindrag]

09:50 AM on 11/04/2010

This is another version of the mortgage/foreclosure fiasco.

[Uggg]

05:47 AM on 11/04/2010

A bank tried that with me back in the 90s paid off my truck they sent a repo man out I called the Police If they would have taken the truck they would have been I would have pressed charges the Repo guy called the bank then left they never came back

[Law-school-lady]

10:53 PM on 11/03/2010

This meets all the elements for grand theft! Grand theft imputes, meaning corporate officers can be CRIMINALLY liable and do time for their white-collar crime! I would urge the victim to seek prosecution from the District Attorney against the bank. We have to start holding these Bankster-gangsters liable for their crimes. Too often lately, our officials have failed to prosecute, and the banks feel more embowered and emboldened to commit more crimes against the people. The DAs work for We the People, and crime is against society. Don't let them get away with this.

[Merican]

08:54 PM on 11/03/2010

Corporations that steal cars are still car thieves. Someone should be going to jail.

[PuffDragon]

08:39 PM on 11/03/2010

A car dealer recently told me that if a lender tells you that you can refinance after a period of time, but then won't allow you to refinance after that time, this amounts to larceny. A felony crime.

Make sure that any promise to refinance is written in your contract from the get-go.

[Red45]

07:35 PM on 11/03/2010

A similar thing happened to me back in the 70's where the bank took my car because one of them THOUGHT my payment was late when it wasn't. I got an attorney and we settled with the bank for them giving back my car, waiving the rest of the money I owed, and paying all my legal bills. I hope she gets at least what I did. The bank went out of business a couple of years later--I don't wonder why.

[Red45]

07:29 PM on 11/03/2010

And did Wells Fargo compensate her in any way for the inconvenience of having her car taken away? I'm sure they didn't even apologize.

[PuffDragon]

08:46 PM on 11/03/2010

I would think that compensation would be in order for many reasons: lost work hours, and other major inconveniences.

"Oops, we stole your car!" doesn't seem to finish it.

[kcnativnla]

06:46 PM on 11/03/2010

Isn't taking a fully paid off car called "theft? Why didn't she call the cops?

[Red45]

07:30 PM on 11/03/2010

Apparently, Wells Fargo thinks they ARE the cops.

[Jennifer Wilmot]

08:22 PM on 11/03/2010

when a car is repossessed the bank informs the cops so they don't go searching for it. in the video she said she called the cops and they just told her to work it out with the bank.
same as the foreclosures, the sheriff shows up to kick the family but but isn't required to check the banks paperwork.

[Uggg]

05:49 AM on 11/04/2010

but the citizen can call the police and present the evidence of the title