new york scandal improper sales practice well fargo co extend thousands small-business owners accord u.s. lawmaker raise question scope bank issue unauthorized account sept. 29 letter view reuters tuesday sen. david vitter louisiana republican demand well fargo chief executive john stumpf provide full account customers affect vitter member u.s. senate bank committee also head small business committee discussions congressional staffers well fargo indicate fraudulent activity employees limit well fargo consumer bank operations vitter write thousands small business owners impact fraud person familiar vitter probe say well identify 10,000 small business account subject improper practice vitter spokeswoman cheyenne klotz decline comment specifics practice revelations well fargo problems small-business customers come almost month reach 190 million settlement open many million account retail customers name without knowledge bank say fire 5,300 employees improperly open account disclosures cause public furor stumpf face heat question two congressional committees u.s. authorities launch investigations bank sales practice include justice department labor department vast majority account settlement consumer account extent small business account include previously report total number potentially impact account say well spokeswoman jennifer langan state early well fargo already refund 115,000 account impact account include small business part retail bank business consumer financial protection board spokesman contradict well statement however say figure nearly million account affect include small business account well also battle lawsuits former employees customers shareholders relate issue second letter vitter request small business administration inspector general peggy gustafson investigate well senior bank executives apologize open account customers request characterize issue limit relatively customers employees retail bank early result vitter examination first hard sign problems may extend reuters also speak former well employee lawyer represent former employees former current well customer describe abusive sales practice multiple business account jose maldonado restaurant owner southern california bank well fargo 15 years say discover seven account enlist help accountant initially close extraneous ones ultimately move remain business bank america corp jpmorgan chase co. like well fargo anymore feel comfortable maldonado say interview past sometimes crazy account without permission langan decline comment maldonado account ex-wells fargo business banker decline identify say employees former branch require sell products small business customers hair-salon owners carpet cleaners package three regardless whether need typically include account check credit card process payroll often link additional save account say former well banker bankers also tack business credit card pressure call well insurance unit customer present push business liability policies langan well spokeswoman say bank discontinue package april 2015. attorney jonathan delshad file two class-action lawsuits well fargo september behalf former employees include one business banker say fire refuse create fake account hit sales quotas well suspend quotas oct. 1. former well fargo business bankers contact delshad lawsuit receive media attention say business owners also rip one write message provide reuters business corporate governance experts say small-business customers susceptible fraud customer owners typically knowledgeable business expertise bank service say peter conti-brown financial regulation professor university pennsylvania wharton school example new dentist borrow bank buy practice may need service even know exist payroll management credit-card clear potential abuse still exist say bank sell multiple unnecessary account credit card sole proprietors whose need rarely exceed make deposit write check risk abuse great bankers require sell certain number products meet performance goals best case sour relationship bad case get bankers commit fraud conti-brown say well fargo see things article correct lede add drop word exclusive well fargo account scandal extend small business u.s. senator