Consumer complaint received 2019-10-16
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
We are two retired XXXX, XXXX & XXXX XXXX, who have had our own charitable project working with 1500 families of XXXX patients in XXXX XXXX since XXXX, through XXXX XXXX XXXX, a nonprofit organization registered with the IRS. We use mostly our savings, with help through small fund raising events and from our family. My sister, XXXX XXXX, an XXXX XXXX XXXX, donated the total of {$20000.00} to our cause through 4 checks of {$5000.00} each. The checks were payable to XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX. We received 2 checks ( 1st and 4th ), but were away for a short trip between XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. When came back, we found no mail in our curbside mail box, which was odd! We also were waiting for a debit card from Wells Fargo Bank, which we never used it except for access to our Wells Fargo ATM machine. 
On Wednesday XX/XX/XXXX, my sister received a voice mail from a lady named XXXX, from Fraud Prevention Office of Wells Fargo. She asked if XXXX XXXX wrote 2 checks to XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, as someone was attempting to cash them at a Wells Fargo Branch. We told her I never cashed any check ( including the one I  had received ) yet, and requested to cancel the checks ASAP. Just a few minutes later, she called back and said they checks were cashed. My sister issued the checka from her XXXX XXXX XXXX. I incidentally happen to be a Wells Fargo client as well. I immediately notified the police of XXXX XXXX County where I live, spoke to Officer XXXX XXXX, case # XXXX on the same day, XX/XX/XXXX. 

These are the problems we have with Wells Fargo : - They clearly made a mistake to notify us ONLY AFTER checks were cashed for " suspicious activities ''. The person who signed in the back of the checks identified himself as XXXX XXXX, endorsing to himself posing as " XXXX XXXX '', left with {$10000.00}. On the upper left corner of the check is the clear sentence : " Please post to XXXX XXXX ''. 
-The lady XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX at Wells Fargo who notified us, refused to give us ( myself and my sister XXXX her whole name or title. She refused to give me the exact location of the branch and time stamp when checks were cashed, to provide to officer XXXX as instructed by him, claiming she had to protect the privacy of Mr. XXXX. The best she could do was reading out the signatures on the back of the checks as XXXX XXXX. It was very hard to contact her, even offer XXXX had the same problem. We would mostly run into her recorded message with first and last name hard to decipher. 
-She told us to call " Legal Enforcement '' number at ( XXXX ) XXXX, who in turn told us they only take care of bank robberies or bank alarm system, and who told us to speak to Customer Services of Wells Fargo . We were passed around like hot potato! 
-I spoke to XXXX XXXX at Customer Care , Executive Office : ( XXXX ) XXXX, who told me he could not release the exact location where the checks were cashed or time stamped " to protect the privacy of XXXX XXXX '', just like XXXX had said. He demanded my sister XXXX XXXX ( who was giving me {$20000.00} for XXXX XXXX   and who issued the checks ) to establish a claim with her XXXX XXXX XXXX, to get the compensation from XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
-My sister is setting up a claim with XXXX XXXX XXXX , although clearly the fault was with Wells Fargo in the first place. 
- On XX/XX/XXXX, Wells Fargo informed us that our Debit Card was being used at XXXX XXXX, at XXXX and XXXX. He was declined at XXXX, but at XXXX he got away with {$440.00}. Again, we have no idea how he could activate a stolen card from a mail box. We set up another claim and expected us not being responsible for {$440.00}. 
We have been customers of Wells Fargo for more than 30 years. How they handled the case was heartless, irresponsible and lack of empathy. We feel abandoned after the mistake they made. We will fight for the sake of 1,500 families of patients of XXXX, who are still waiting for the money.

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