Consumer complaint received 2023-08-26
Company: Early Warning Services, LLC
State: MI
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
Received a bill via email from XXXX XXXX XXXX. a company I hired to conduct soil samples at my residency. 

When the borings were complete I was asked to pay the {$3000.00} fee via Zelle, as the company was in the middle of an audit. 

I called the company XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. ), and confirmed the contact who was emailing me was indeed an employee with the company, she was. 

I tried to process the amount owed through Zelle but there was a {$500.00} daily limit. I made 5 payments for a total of {$2500.00}. 

XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} I received an email stating the email address needed to change on the Zelle account and this is when I called XXXX the evening of XX/XX/XXXX, to ask if this was normal. I am advised that it is not and to talk with XXXX. 

I call XXXX and speak with the person whom was sending the emails, only she did not send me ANY emails. I speak to her boss and forward all emails to them. They did not send the emails and did NOT receive any payments. I am told the fraudulent activity is in my hands because they did not receive anything from me. 

I make a police report with XXXX XXXX Police and call XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX. I am not only worried about the {$2500.00} but I am also worried about my XXXX accounts. I ask if a claim could be filed and if the accounts could be put on hold until we sort through this? The representative replies, there is nothing to sort through, fraud had not taken place, that I willingly made the payments and Zelle/XXXX would not stand behind it. I made a comment about possibly needing to close the accounts and the representative replied I should do that and hung up the phone on me. 

I scheduled a meeting with my branch location for the following day ( XX/XX/XXXX ). 

The branch personnel takes notes and tells me she will turn everything over to the Escalation Department and they will reach out to me, typically within 24 hours. I wait and hear nothing. I call the branch back and get the person assigned, claim # and phone #. I continue to call this department. Finally I speak to the person assigned and she tells me she has to speak to the Complaint Department to see if a claim had been filed. I tell her that a claim was NOT filed as I would have made reference of the number and that the person I spoke with hung up on me. She said she would have to hear from them. 

Five days later XX/XX/XXXX I am told from the Escalation Department that I need to file a Claim and Im given the same phone number that I called XX/XX/XXXX. 

I file the claim and receive an email this morning XX/XX/XXXX, telling me the claim has been closed. I called and before I could ask why the claim was closed the person informed me again that it was not fraud, that I willingly made the payments and that they were done with this issue and kept stating that they do not recommend Zelle for payments outside of family and friends. That I made the payments and there is nothing to be done.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation