Consumer complaint received 2022-11-01
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
I was scammed out of a net amount of {$2800.00}. I bank with Wells Fargo & used XXXX after the bank CLEARED/ made the funds from the Checks available. 

Below is what happened : I am a college student. I currently work remotely part-time for XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX I received an email to my work email from XXXX sharing a job opportunity Part-time with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX. XXXX is who I worked with for my current job of 2 years with XXXX company. I've never met my manager, so there was no reason for me think this wasn't legitimate. She said to reach out to XXXX XXXX XXXX for further details & a pdf of the Job description was provided. I reached out. A 2-page contract was sent to me. XXXX XXXX & XXXX XXXX the Human Resource Specialist name on the contract both have Linked In profiles which I researched when trying to validate if all this will legitimate. I signed the contract & sent a picture of my Driver License, along with my Bank Name Wells Fargo & my cell phone number. I also XXXX  looking for scams with the XXXX XXXX XXXX nothing showed up. I looked for typos & issues with email addresses & didn't notice anything. The job was to help those in needs by ordering items and/or sending money to the. My job title was XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX. The appointment letter appears to be on XXXX XXXX XXXX letterhead. I was told I would receive an email with students names educational workers with XXXX to send cash donations or purchase items for. That my 100 % cooperation HONESTY & SINCERITY was needed throughout my work time. First, I received an electronic check for {$1800.00} on XX/XX/2022. I deposited through e-check with Wells Fargo. I waited for the check to clear my bank. The Check cleared. On XX/XX/2022 the check cleared. I sent XXXX a picture of the deposit confirmation per her request. XXXX sent an email on XX/XX/XXXX, stating there had been a small change in task for this week, stating the items were being purchased by another team member & that I should send the {$18000.00} to XXXX XXXX through XXXX & stating the urgency of doing it immediately because they have an enormous group of people with XXXX in immediate need. I sent {$1000.00} on XX/XX/2022 because that's the maximum I could send. She told me to send the remaining {$870.00} to XXXX XXXX at XXXX I did, it didn't go through. She said send it through XXXX to @ XXXX XXXX last 4 digits of phone number XXXX. I did & it went through. Later that afternoon XX/XX/2022 at XXXX she sent me another check. Both checks were from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Check numbers XXXX ( {$1800.00} ) & # XXXX ( {$1600.00} ) on a XXXX XXXX  check. The check cleared. This time the XXXX recipient @ XXXX was denied by XXXX as a SCAM!!!!! This time when I checked my bank account the first Check for {$1800.00} had been returned!!!!!! I don't understand because the bank had cleared it otherwise, I would not have transferred the money. That's why I waited. The second XXXX payment was still pending I called Wells Fargo Fraud department. She said she might be able to stop the second XXXX, after some time passed, she came back & said she couldn't. I have claim numbers with Wells Fargo to try to get my money back. XXXX Identified the Fraud & didn't complete the transaction & returned my money. Wells Fargo should not have cleared those checks & let those XXXX transactions go through. Please help me get my money back. I thought the bank & XXXX were supposed to be the safest ways to send & receive money & that they were there to help protect you. I have since read that Wells Fargo, XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  own the company that owns XXXX, so why aren't they doing more to protect their customers? Again, please help me. I have all the emails, reference numbers & claim numbers. Also, will the scammers now use my information to scam others? What can I do to protect myself, my accounts & credit from them? They don't know my social security number, but they have all my license information & know the last 4 digits of my bank account number. 
reported this to Wells Fargo bank & XXXX through Wells Fargo Fraud department on Thursday XX/XX/2022 as soon as I aware of this from 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