Consumer complaint received 2022-12-29
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NC
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XXXX I was scammed over the phone and I let someone go into my account to add back the amount they were saying they took out of my account. In turn they took over my work computer. They encouraged me to get a cashier 's check from my bank Wells Fargo and deposit it to an account at XXXX  XXXX XXXX which I did, however I was told from XXXX that the funds would be put on a hold until XX/XX/XXXX because it was a brand new account. The next morning ( XX/XX/XXXX ) at XXXX XXXX  we were at Wells Fargo on XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, NC XXXX to change all of our accounts and report the scam. We also had a police report done that day and and FBI report on XXXX. We talked to the XXXX XXXX and a customer service lady by the name of XXXX ( who was the one who helped out switch all of our accounts ), and let them know there was suspicious activity and asked them to help put a stop payment on the cashier 's check. XXXX also called the fraud department and filed a second claim, because they couldn't find my original one that I had reported earlier that morning. We were told by the branch manager they would look into it and get back to me but it may take some time. I also made sure to let everyone that I talked to know that the funds were on a hold until XX/XX/XXXX, so time was of the essence. 

The branch XXXX was of no help at all, she just listened to my story of what happened and basically told me there was nothing they could do, considering I got the cashier 's check and it was up to the fraud departments of WF and XXXX  to hash it out ( I had already filed a complaint with XXXX on the same morning ), and shrugged her shoulders. Unfortunately I heard nothing from Wells Fargo and each day I called I was told they couldn't find either claim ( the one I put in or the one XXXX put in ). I called everyday for a long time even after the hold date on the account because I was assured by BOA the account had been frozen due to the fact I had reported suspicious activity, so at that time I felt like we had time to let the banks get this worked out and eventually I would receive the {$49000.00} back. Finally on XXXX I got ahold of someone who told me that my information needed to have been sent to the escalations department from the beginning, which was the first time I ever heard there was an escalations department, otherwise I would have started there, one of my questions is why didn't the bank manager handle that for us on XX/XX/XXXX, why didn't any one in the claims department tell me or XXXX on XXXX we needed to be dealing with the escalations department?? All this time went by and this was never mentioned, and like I said everyone knew time was of the essence! I got a hold of escalations on XX/XX/XXXX and filed a claim with them. Finally on XX/XX/XXXX I got ahold of a lady named XXXX from escalations who said they were still working on the case but there was nothing to report yet, and on XX/XX/XXXX I was called and was told they were extending my case and reaching out to high chains of command and would get back to me. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a call from XXXX from the escalations department at Wells Fargo, telling me they finally contacted XXXX and was told that the funds had been wired out to the person that had scammed me and that there was nothing they could do, the funds were gone! Why didn't Wells Fargo escalate my issue on the day it was reported? We had time to get the funds back if they would have acted quickly on my behalf? I have been a member of Wells Fargo Bank for over 20 years, this is beyond absurd, XXXX had the funds on hold and no one did anything, even though EVERYONE knew I had been scammed, you basically just let the scammers win! I would like answers as to why no one took this seriously, or at least lead me to the correct places ( escalations ) where you/me could have gotten this resolved in a timely manner and had a chance to get my family 's savings back! We had 4 business days to do something knowing the my {$49000.00} was sitting in an account that was on HOLD, and you opened and closed my the investigation on the same day it was reported!!

Also how can Wells Fargo have opened and closed my first complaint on XX/XX/XXXX on the same day and never let me know until XX/XX/XXXX, when I had been calling daily and getting passed through your customer service like a hot potato and never getting any answers, this is just not right in so many ways! Please let me remind you, that XXXX claims were reported on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX by me and one by the customer service lady ( XXXX ) at the XXXX branch, while we were sitting there with her at XXXX! I have attached the only 2 letters that I have received from Wells Fargo regarding this urgent matter, one dated XX/XX/XXXX and the other XX/XX/XXXX,

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