Consumer complaint received 2017-09-21
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: AL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Card opened as result of identity theft or fraud

Complaint:
In the last year I have become a victim of identity theft. I have faxed letters, sent certified copies of letters and mailed letters to inform Wells Fargo Bank I am a victim of identity theft and a bank account and secured credit card was opened fraudulently in my name using my social security number. I sent them a copy of the FCRA 's Notice to furnishers of information and asked them what their process was for victims of identity theft. They should have proper guidelines in place to deal with matters like this. 

My experience has been unpleasant and very hard. After I contacted the XXXX to dispute the negative inaccurate information being reported from Wells Fargo I received a letter on XX/XX/XXXX outlining an investigation of facts that are just not true. There is no truth to any of the facts outlined by XXXX XXXX at Wells Fargo Executive Offices. She is making bold claims of me applying for accounts at Wells Fargo branch locations, making payments to accounts I never had and opening secured credit cards from accounts I never had. They sent me a copy of an application contains my first and last name, annual income and a fraudulent signature that is not mine. I repeat, the signature they are using to verify me to these accounts is not my signature. 

I sent Wells Fargo a letter disputing the accounts and informing them the accounts had been opened up as a result of fraud/identity theft. I also made clear I wanted them to stop reporting accounts to XXXX that had been opened as a result of identity theft and that the information need to be deleted from my credit file at the soonest time possible otherwise Wells Fargo could face hefty fines for not following the law. I also made a identity theft report and filed an FTC report and gave Wells Fargo a copy of the reports. 

Here is a letter I sent to Wells Fargo in XX/XX/XXXX : : : : XX/XX/XXXX Case # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Alabama XXXX Wells Fargo Bank NA XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX IA XXXX Dear XXXX XXXX, I am in receipt of your letter dated XX/XX/XXXX. I tried calling twice and left voicemails, but the calls were unreturned. Thank you for addressing this urgent matter. 

You should know After carefully reviewing your letter, I can confirm I am not the listed owner of this account. I encourage you to re-investigate the facts you have stated in your letter. 

Account Opening - Your letter states that the account was opened on XX/XX/XXXX after I submitted an application at a Wells Fargo Bank location and you enclosed a copy of the signed application for my review. It is my claim I have never stepped foot in a Wells Fargo Bank location to apply for a bank account or secured credit card. This simply did not happen. 
Furthermore, the signed application you sent On XX/XX/XXXX does in fact have a signature, however upon careful review it is NOT MY SIGNATURE. The signature on your application is fraudulent. It is not my signature. My correct signature can be found on the letter and FTC identity theft affidavit I sent on XX/XX/XXXX and faxed on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Secured collateral - I have never had a bank account with Wells Fargo Bank. If any account did exist it was the result of identity theft and should be treated as such. Enclosed is a copy of the obligations of furnishers under the FCRA Notice to Furnishers of Information. Please read the notice and govern yourself according to the law. 

Lost/Stolen - On XX/XX/XXXX you claim I reported a card lost/stolen and a new card was issued and sent to me. It is my claim I have never had an account or reported a card lost/stolen with Wells Fargo Bank. This did not happen. You also claim cards were mailed to me at addresses I have never lived in my entire life. The addresses these cards were sent to were addresses I have never been associated with. The addresses you sent the cards to are : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Georgia XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Georgia XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Georgia XXXX I have never lived at any of these addresses. Or received mail at any of these addresses. These addresses are a result of fraud. 

Transactions - I have never had a bank account or secured card account with Wells Fargo Bank, therefore I have never made any purchases or payments at any Wells Fargo Bank locations. If an online payment was made with an account in my name it is the result of identity theft and should be treated as such. 
Please send me the appropriate documentation to address the matter of having a bank account opened fraudulently in my name. 

Account Closed - After reviewing my credit report and seeing the fraudulent account opened I sent a written request to close the account and remove it from my credit file at the soonest time possible. 

Should you have any additional questions regarding my claim please contact me directly at XXXX. I am available 7 days a week from XXXX until XXXX Eastern Time. 

I trust Wells Fargo Bank will act accordingly to this matter and following the guideline set forth by the FCRA and the FTC in regards to reporting inaccurate information to the credit bureaus. 

Please close this account and remove it from my XXXX Credit File at the soonest time possible. 

With kind regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX Enclosures : identity theft report letter sent/faxed on XX/XX/XXXX NOTICE TO FURNISHERS OF INFORMATION Obligations of Furnishers under the FCRA

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