Consumer complaint received 2023-07-31
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Refund anticipation check
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I had my taxes done by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX by tax preparer XXXX XXXX on approximately XX/XX/23. I then waited for the refund from both the IRS and state of California to be deposited into my checking account. When the funds did not come in, I went to the IRS website and went to the check my refund site. This site instructed me to check the routing number and account number the funds had been sent to which I did. I immediately discovered that both the routing number and account number were wrong. The routing number was for Well Fargo and my accounts are with XXXX  XXXX XXXX. I immediately contacted my tax preparer at XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX in XXXX. He said, I should not worry about it as there was no way that the money would be deposited into the wrong account as banks had a check and balance system where they check your name and social security number and the funds WOULD NOT be deposited into the wrong account. The bank would catch the error and I would ultimately receive my refund ( up to 8 weeks ) I did contact the Franchise Tax Board myself and was instructed to go to Wells Fargo Bank and give them the account number. I went to my local branch in XXXX CA. The banker told me there was nothing she could do and would not even accept the account number where my funds had gone. Instead she instructed me to go to the police department which I did but there was nothing they could do. On XX/XX/23 I spoke to XXXX at the Franchise Tax Board who instructed me to go to a different branch and speak to a different person which should be the branch manager. I went to the main Wells Fargo office in XXXX CA and was helped by XXXX XXXX who within a few minutes was able to look at the account number I had provided and verified that my direct deposits for refunds by the IRS and Franchise Tax Board had been put into the wrong account. he ultimately was able to provide a telephone number and claim number and said it would take up to 10 business days to resolve. I called to follow up on XX/XX/23. I was told that they had changed the type of complaint it was and that the new complaint began on XX/XX/23 and I was given a new complaint number. I was told it would take up to 10 days from XX/XX/23 for a resolution. I called this morning as I had not yet heard back. I ultimately received a call from XXXX from Wells Fargo claim department who said that Wells Fargo could/would do nothing to help me including asking the person who received my funds in error to return them. She said Wells Fargo had done nothing wrong despite the fact that I was told by multiple people in different agencies that Wells Fargo was supposed to check my name and social security number against the name and social security number of the individual who erroneously received my refund. I labeled this complaint as fraud as I have no way of knowing that the tax preparer at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX did not forward my refund to himself, friend or family mameber and the individual who received my funds has not returned them despite the fact that they received a sizable amount of money that they were not expecting. I have also attached a detailed timeline of the events listed here. 

I would be so appreciative of any assistance you can give me with this as the refunds are sizable and they were earmarked for bills and quarterly taxes. 
Thank yo for your time and attention. 

Sincerely, XXXX 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