Consumer complaint received 2024-01-19
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, I wrote a check ( Check Number : XXXX  from Wells Fargo checking account ) to pay to the order of " Internal Revenue Service '' ( IRS ) for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX dollars and XXXX XXXX cents ( {$32000.00} ). I signed this check with my social security number and signature. On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to the US Post Office, XXXX XXXX located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX, to send this check via Certified Mail to the IRS ( Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  , MO, XXXX ) and paid for tracking and signature requirement. The tracking number to this letter was misplaced and I no longer am in possession of it.

Upon reviewing my bank transaction history dated XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  I learned that Check Number XXXX was cashed on XX/XX/XXXX. The transaction history on this statement did not have a description of the check, but simply, that this check was cashed on this date. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a letter from the IRS stating that they did not receive the payment of {$32000.00}. I immediately called the IRS at ( XXXX  ) XXXX, and they confirmed over the phone that they did not receive the check. I told the IRS agent that the check was cashed on XX/XX/XXXX, and the woman over the phone advised me to call them back in a month, because it takes XXXX  months for it to process in their system. I shared with them the Check Number and the amount I sent before ending the call. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another letter from the IRS stating that they did not receive the payment of {$32000.00}. XXXX. I called the IRS twice after receiving this notice and was told that they were closed for the holidays and to follow up in XXXX. 
On XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, I called the IRS to confirm payment and the representative said they did not receive it. I questioned the representative about the Check number XXXX  cashed on XX/XX/XXXX and he continued to tell me that it still was not in their system. The representative said they would be willing to extend my payment to XXXX  and then advised me to look into the metadata from the bank. I took this advice and partnered with my daughter to look into my Wells Fargo online account to view the image of the check, Check Number XXXX. This check image showed that my check was changed completely. Check Number XXXX was written to pay to the order of XXXX XXXX and for XXXX in forged handwriting and not the IRS. 
After learning the changes on Check Number XXXX, I called Wells Fargo customer service and reported this finding. The agent said they would file a case, report it as fraud and investigate. The case number that was generated from this call was number XXXX. 
On Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX, I received the following voicemail message Hello calling from the Wells Fargo bank calling from the claims department. I'm returning a call regarding your claim. You can always give us a call back at XXXX. 
I called the number left on that voicemail and spoke to a person named XXXX. I said I was returning the call and wanted to know if there was any information that he could provide me about my case. He said that the investigation team closed my claim because the claim doesnt fit the reimbursement requirements and stated that the claim needed to be within the last XXXX  days. 
In summary, I am very upset about this situation, because I was robbed of {$32000.00} dollars. I did everything I could to stay compliant with the IRS and did my part in protecting myself when sending this check via USPS tracking. When I spoke to the Wells Fargo investigator, he said that I should have reviewed my Wells Fargo statement and seen the images of Check Number XXXX  to question it. I told the investigator that my statement did not provide any check images or description for me to catch this detail. He said that since I did not report anything from this statement within the XXXX  days it was received, it would not fit their investigations requirement. I can not understand why Wells Fargo is holding me responsible for an unauthorized transaction. This check was washed, endorsed to a different entity, and had completely different handwriting from mine. I am normally called when I issue a check over {$5000.00} to authorize the payment, but not for a check of over XXXX XXXX.I would really appreciate help in this matter

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