Consumer complaint received 2023-04-11
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX widow with a pacemaker, and I do n't drive due to various medical issues. I do not have the internet, and I have never used it until now. My daughter lives next door and helps me. She is helping me on her computer now. I just found out in XXXX that someone has been stealing money from me. Wells Fargo had stopped sending paper statements in the mail. I was told that they went paperless, but I do not have email. So I called and asked Wells Fargo to send the paper statements in the mail. When the statement came for XXXX, I could not believe what I was seeing. During the first week of XXXX, {$800.00} was taken for " XXXX XXXX for XXXX ''. I do not have XXXX XXXX, and I have never used it. When my daughter and I went over the rest of the statement, we found several other charges that I did not approve or even know about. We found out my granddaughter, XXXX, had completely taken over my checking account. I am still not sure when, but XXXX put her email address and her phone number on my account. I never thought something like that would be so easy to do. She didn't even have my card or have to go in person. So I was never notified when large amounts were taken. None of my contact information was left on my account. My husband, XXXX, passed away unexpectedly on XX/XX/XXXX from a XXXX XXXX. Since then, life has been very hard. I pay a young lady to stay with me during the day until my daughter gets home from work because I had a few bad falls. Right after my husband passed away, I did allow my granddaughter ( XXXX ) to take my debit card to XXXX pharmacy in XXXX to pick up my medicine because I ca n't drive. That was the only time XXXX had permission to use my card. She brought it back, and it has been in my purse since then. ( My pin # is my birthday. ) When we talked with Wells Fargo, we told exactly what we had just found out. We ordered a new card with a new number. We had the phone number and email changed to my daughter 's. We shortly received an email from Wells Fargo about recurring payments that may be affected by the new card. There were 14 different recurring payments that I did not approve or know about. They include XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, Planet Fitness, Audible, XXXX, XXXX Play, XXXX, XXXX, and several others. I do not have a computer or cell phone, and I do not have internet. I don't even know what these are. There were several large withdrawals for XXXX XXXX also. About 2 weeks later, Wells Fargo mailed a letter stating that they had completed the research of the inquiry about those charges, and that they found that all those charges were made by someone that had permission. I literally could not believe it. In no way, shape or form did I approve any of those. Wells Fargo decided that since the person that did this to me is my granddaughter, that I approved it. I most certainly did not approve any of it. There is no way Wells Fargo actually did any kind of investigation. My husband and I have been members of Wells Fargo since XXXX. If the investigators bothered to go over our account for the past 40 years, they would see that there were never any charges like that at all-until after my husband passed away. I invite Wells Fargo to come to my home to see that I do not have internet or even drive. I beg Wells Fargo to come to the town I live in so they will see that it is very small, and we don't have several of the things that were charged to me. I assure you I have never been to any XXXX XXXX. Did the investigators check with XXXX XXXX? I will gladly send you my picture. I have never been there. If the investigators had actually investigated, they would see that XXXX is not even available in XXXX, Virginia. I do not know what XXXX is, and I do not know anything about XXXX XXXX. I am XXXX XXXX XXXX. All of these charges add up to over {$17.00}, XXXX. That money was the life insurance money that I received when my husband passed away. He proudly served in the XXXX XXXX. I was in the hospital for 3 days last month. I need to save whatever money I have for medical bills. If I ever have to go into a XXXX home, I will need that money. I have hospital bills that are due now. I have at least XXXX different medications I have to pay for. When Wells Fargo sent their documents relating to the investigation, there was no actual investigation. They just listed the date a new card was requested, and that the phone number was changed, etc. That's exactly why a new card was requested and why the phone number was changed-because Wells Fargo allowed over {$17000.00} to be stolen from my account. I wanted to go in person, but the Wells Fargo in XXXX, Va closed in XXXX. I am now over an hour away from another Wells Fargo. Did the investigators contact XXXX Play, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, Planet Fitness or any of those to see if I was involved in any way? No, they did not. If you look at the statements, you can see where many of the transactions were made, and they were nowhere near my home. I even had doctors appointments on XXXX of those days in XXXX, Va. I do have proof of my doctors ' visits. I do also have proof of the days I was in the hospital. Do the investigators really think a XXXX XXXX XXXX widow with no internet that can't XXXX XXXX approved XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and all the others? There is literally no way they did any kind of investigation. Please check our statements from XXXX. My husband and I paid our insurance, medical bills, groceries, and only what was necessary. I am attaching documents of everything I have included in this statement. I only get a small social security check each month. Thank you for your time & 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