Wells Fargo settles complaints of deaf customers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wells Fargo (News - Alert) & Co. has reached an agreement with the government to pay up to $16 million to settle complaints from customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or had speech defects.

The settlement involving Wells Fargo's nearly 10,000 retail banking, brokerage and mortgage stores is designed to ensure equal access under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

According to the Justice Department, some disabled customers of Wells Fargo were referred to a device for text communication via a telephone line that told them to leave a message, which the government says went unanswered.

The Justice Department says the bank began addressing the customers' concerns before the government began looking into the matter.