Consumer complaint received 2022-04-19
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Other banking product or service
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
Wells Fargo committed fraud by opening a business account and credit card in my name with somebody else 's drivers license and XXXX  statement WITHOUT my knowledge, and is now threatening to " charge off '' the owed amount by XX/XX/XXXX. 

In XXXX, my XXXX, took me on a " family XXXX XXXX trip '' across multiple states. My XXXX and I had not been in contact most of my life, so I took this as his way of trying to build a relationship with me. On that trip, he said he wanted me to be a second signer on his business account. He said that he only trusted family, and knowing he was a " lone wolf '', this made sense to me. He took me into a Wells Fargo where I signed what I thought to be a signature card as a second singer. He was very friendly with the staff and they seemed to know him. I lived in a different state ( CA ), was going through a divorce and was just about to finish college and a career change. I had nothing to do with my XXXX 's business, but was honored that he trusted me. My XXXX said if anything were to happen to him, this small business account would go to me. I thought that was kind and took it as his way of handing me the olive branch. After that trip, I never heard or saw him again, but the bank statements or " overdraft notices '' would be emailed to me. I never really paid attention to any of them as it wasn't my business. I figured since he traveled a lot, maybe he had missed a deposit. Shortly thereafter, the notice would stop, leaving me to believe that he had paid it. Again, it was none of my business, so I would hit the delete button when anything from Wells Fargo would come. 

Things changed when I continued to get notices. He wasn't paying the overdraft. I wondered if maybe he passed away. I talked to a friend in banking and she said something was " fishy '' and that I should talk to the bank. I went into a branch after doing a lot of research. Since I had no way to contact my uncle, I had to do a background report to get enough information to answer the security questions to get access to the account. What I found was alarming. He was a XXXX  XXXX. He listed empty lots, shipping containers, and deceased relatives homes as addresses. The branch was able to pull up the original " Authorization for Information '' and " Business Account Application '' for me. Wells Fargo COMPLETED and PREFILLED out a contract on XX/XX/XXXX without my knowledge ( I flew from California to Texas on XX/XX/XXXX ). Not only was this doneWITHOUT me being aware of it, I was NOT PRESENT, and SOMEBODY ELSES drivers license and business information was used to open the account. The contract was drawn up in IOWA ( I was in California ), with an IOWA drivers license ( I do not have an IOWA license ), with a XXXX statement ( that is NOT mine, nor is it my business ). 

Wells Fargo even has their contractual documents designed in such a way that the details are hidden on pages where you are NOT required to sign ( including the box that was checked by SOMEONE ELSE for a credit card ). It would be very easy for a bank employee to simply slide the " signature card portion '' of a document across a desk and tell me that I was simply signing as a second signer on the account. This is shown on page 1 of the " Business Account Application. '' It shows my XXXX as the Authorized Signer, and myself under " other related customer name. '' This was PRE-FILLED. There is no signature required on this form. Page 2 ( again, not a signature page and was PRE-FILLED ), shows 2 addresses, an email, phone number and DBA that that DO NOT belong to me. I did not fill out this page. Page three was also filled out before I was present with an IOWA drivers license ( again no signature needed, so they could avoid showing me this page ). Page 4 is simply a " request for taxpayer information '' and was also filled out on XX/XX/XXXX ( I was not present ). This page has what appears to be my signature as a " key individual '' and ALSO an Authorized signer TWO. My uncle is correctly positioned as owner, but I am ALSO CALLED an owner ( I AM NOT AN OWNER OF THIS BUSINESS ). Page XXXX are terms and conditions of a credit card, which I had NO awareness of, and not surprisingly does NOT require a signature. Wells Fargo has my signature on an " authorization for information, '' and a page that is simply a substitute for a W-9. So, it is obvious to me how I was conned. If my SSN was used fraudulently to start a business that I don't own, and there is an apparent credit card in my name, how is it that it has NEVER shown up on my credit report? If it had, I would have reported fraud sooner. 

What my XXXX had done was use the credit card to pay the overdraft for the checking and use the checking to pay the credit card. Over a period of time, the credit card maxed out and was unable to pay the overdraft on the checking account. That was when I was alerted. 

I have spent DAYS and MONTHS on the phone being bounced around Wells Fargo to every department imaginable. I even have some Wells Fargo employees staying that this is " 100 % fraud. '' Wells Fargo sent me some ridiculous check for {$56.00} apologizing for " sales pressure and an account I do not recognize. '' Of course I didn't cash it, because it is NOT my account. Then I get a letter stating that they are " charging off the account '' ( after another employee stated they would put a hold on that until the investigation was complete ). I have demanded a copy of the drivers license and XXXX that was used to open the account in my name, but they no longer respond to any inquiry.

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