Consumer-led protest held in wake of Wells Fargo accounts scandal
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The first consumer-led protest is taking place Friday in the wake of the Wells Fargo accounts scandal.
The social media movement called Hold Wells Fargo Accountable is picking up steam quickly on social media.
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It is a small protest but there are three people holding signs next to Wells Fargo and they're hoping their presence make people take notice.
It's business as usual in San Francisco's Financial District, but below the towers of countless banking institutions, one man has a request for all Wells Fargo customers. "Come vote with your money by closing your account," former customer Kevin Pham said.
Pham was furious when a report surfaced that Wells Fargo employees secretly opened accounts under existing customer's names without their knowledge.
It struck a chord, taking him back to 2010 when he left his banking position with Wells Fargo. "Every single day, you had to open 10 accounts. Every January, you had to open 20 accounts," he said.
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Pham says he could no longer stand doing unethical things to keep his job. Now he's taking his message to Facebook with a special page created, telling customers moving money is the most effective way to send a message.
"I used to be with Bank of America. I left them because I wasn't happy with their service, so at the end of the day it doesn't matter who you go with," customer Luis Orellana said.
"What unites us is stopping the powerful from preying on the powerless," Pham said.
Pham is not sure how many people decided to part ways with Wells Fargo, but he hopes his online and in person fight inspires consumers to pay more attention to their bank accounts.
A number of Wells Fargo managers have come out to speak to the protesters but they refuse to say anything on camera.
Pham has had 6,000 shares on Facebook.
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