Consumer complaint received 2023-11-24
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
Subject : Urgent : Request for Immediate Resolution and Refund of Unauthorized Transactions I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of great concern regarding my Wells Fargo accounts. 
I have been a loyal customer since XXXX, and unfortunately, on XX/XX/XXXX, my accounts were subjected to a severe security breach. An unknown individual exploited my credentials, including my Social Security Number and a W-9 form, as per Wells Fargo 's online documentation, to open a personal account online. 

The unauthorized person took several actions, including : A. Changing my existing Cell Phone ( XXXX ) and business Phone number ( XXXX ) to XXXX to receive security codes for account access. 

B. Opening an unauthorized personal account ending in XXXX with a new address ( XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ) and altering my mailing address ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX ) to prevent the receipt of bank statements since XX/XX/XXXX. 

C.Wells Fargo customer service processed an online application for an unauthorized person at the location : XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX. Subsequently, a XXXX XXXX XXXX ending in XXXX was sent, linked to the unauthorized account ending in XXXX, according to Wells Fargo documentation. 
Shockingly, these changes did not trigger any red flags in Wells Fargo 's security measures. 

Despite my numerous attempts with Wells Fargo customer service, I have been denied documentation explaining how this unauthorized account was opened. The unauthorized person utilized their ATM Card from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX, engaging in various transactions, including withdrawals, transfers, recurring payments, miscellaneous purchases, and monthly charged bank services, totaling {$170000.00}. 

1-Total XXXX transactions and Amount {$84000.00} with XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX withdrawal from ATM machine located in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX According to XXXXXXXX XXXX it's ( Wells Fargo Bank + ATM XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Phone XXXX ). 

2- Total XXXX transactions and XXXX {$84000.00} transfer with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX. 

3- Recurring payment : Total {$3700.00}. 

4-Miscellaneous Purchases Total {$100.00}. 5-Monthly Charged Bank Service Total {$30.00}. 
The remaining balance in the unauthorized account as of XX/XX/XXXX, is {$26000.00}. 

Appallingly, these unusual transactions also did not trigger any red flags in Wells Fargo 's security measures. This is particularly alarming as, since XXXX, I have never utilized an ATM card and explicitly denied getting an ATM card for my business accounts.See opening business account documentation. The behavior exhibited in these transaction account ending in- XXXX does not align with the typical transaction patterns associated with my business accounts. 

The unauthorized person transferred funds from my XXXX business accounts ( ending in XXXX, XXXX, XXXX ) to the unauthorized personal account ending in XXXX, totaling {$190000.00}. After a two-month battle with customer service, I recovered the remaining balance of {$26000.00}. Following a call from Financial Crimes Senior Investigator, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX {$110000.00} also recovered. 
Based on my Wells Fargo documentation and calculations, an amount of {$52000.00} must also be refunded to my account ending in XXXX promptly and immediately in accordance with FDIC rules and regulations following my complaint. 

I am deeply concerned about the severe and alarming level of negligence exhibited by Wells Fargo in following matters : 1-Insufficient verification of the unauthorized person 's identity. 
2-Sending a XXXX XXXX XXXX to the changed XXXX XXXX address without proper scrutiny. 
3-Lack of communication through my untouched email ( XXXX ). 
4-Acknowledged lack of control over online account openings, as communicated by Wells Fargo representatives . I've observed that the current system allows for account openings without requesting a proper signature or utilizing advanced verification methods such as XXXX. Additionally, there appears to be a gap in the process by not requesting a driver 's license or an equivalent form of identification during the online account opening procedure. 

This incident has caused personal and emotional distress, and I demand an immediate refund of the remaining amount, {$52000.00}, to my account ending in XXXX promptly, inclusive of any accrued interest. Your prompt attention to this matter is vital in restoring my confidence in Wells Fargo 's commitment to security and customer service. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX  Phone number : XXXX Email : XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation