Consumer complaint received 2022-12-30
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Check cashing service
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I had a personal check from my XXXX bank stolen from USPS somewhere between me putting it in a local mailbox and it traveling to its intended target- the City of LA XXXX XXXX offices. The check, which was in the amount of {$500.00} and made out to " The City of LA XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX '' and dated XX/XX/XXXX, was intercepted in the mail. The amount was changed to {$9500.00}, the check was signed by an individual on the back, and then cashed at a XXXX XXXX Wells Fargo on XX/XX/XXXX. I first reported this to my local XXXX bank on XX/XX/XXXX, at which point I filled out a Declaration of Unauthorized Endorsement or Altered Item at their request. I was told I didn't have to do anything else, and that my funds would be recovered in XXXX days, so no later than XX/XX/XXXX. When XX/XX/XXXX came and went with no updates, I revisited the same local XXXX branch. I was told that they had no paper trail of my complaint. While I am certain that they could pull camera footage to show me filling out paperwork in XXXX, the nightmare had begun. I filed the same paperwork at the same bank on XX/XX/XXXX. This time, they recommended that I call the claims department to confirm receipt a week later. I did, and they confirmed receipt on XX/XX/XXXX. I was told to wait another 90 days for the case to be solved, even though I explained that I had already waited 90 days and it was past due. The " new '' 90 days came and went, and I followed up with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I was told that XXXX was still waiting on a response from Wells Fargo, and that there was nothing I could do to escalate or expedite this. The delayed solution caused me serious financial distress, as I struggled to cover expenses and taxes. I was given a new deadline by XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX. I filed a police report on XX/XX/XXXX. After interacting via phone with XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, I was given a new deadline of XX/XX/XXXX. I called XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that the case was still open, but that I had to wait 120 days instead of 90. I was given no additional info. I called again XX/XX/XXXX, so past the 120 days, and I was told it still hadn't been solved. My case was escalated internally at XXXX at this point. on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX told me that " Wells Fargo has a backlog '' and that they could not give me a time frame. On XX/XX/XXXX I also filed a complaint with the CFPB, nine months after it all started, and received a written response from XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX as a result. The response essentially just told me to continue to wait, with no deadlines or updates provided. Somehow, the CFPB considered this response to be perfectly acceptable, and closed my unsolved case. In XXXX of XXXX I interacted with XXXX at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XXXX separate occasions over the phone, she was my escalation contact. She repeatedly told me to keep waiting, stressing that Wells Fargo had been unresponsive. I also tried the regular XXXX Claims Department helpline and visting a physical XXXX Bank location in person for help, with no success. In XXXX I spoke several times with XXXX XXXX at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. He told me to keep waiting. On XX/XX/XXXX I received written correspondence from Wells Fargo after reporting them to the CFPB. They said that they could not share any information with me, and that I had to go through my bank ( XXXX ) for updates, despite the fact that my check was fraudulently cashed at Wells Fargo. In the letter, sent to me 10 months after I first filed my claim, they acknowledged that such cases are usually solved within 120 days. Between XXXX and XXXX of XXXX I called XXXX, XXXX, and the claims department so many times I lost count. They told me to keep waiting for a solution. On XX/XX/XXXX I was sent a letter from XXXX saying that they were not able to recover my funds as the depositing bank ( Wells Fargo ) was not responding. They closed my case. I have copies of the check, the tax bill it was originally for, a log of all communication, and more. Please help!

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