Consumer complaint received 2023-11-10
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: UT
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
My name is XXXX XXXX XXXX, im writing this letter because I was a victim of wire transfer fraud. 
My nightmare started on XX/XX/2023 when I received a call from the number XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX. The person on the other line said he was a representative from Wells Fargo fraud hot line and he was calling because there was an unusual activity in my account, while I was talking, I received a text message from Wells Fargo saying there was a charge of {$430.00} at XXXX. The person I was on the phone with sent me a code to verify that I was the owner of the account, I didn't provide him the code because the message said " not to share information ''. since I was refusing to give him the code then he preceded to give me all my personal information, at this point, I was sure I was talking to my bank. I tried to login on my banking app and my password wasn't working. since I was not able to login he provided me a temporary password, it worked, I believed I was talking with a representative. He then told me all my banking history told me a person under the name of XXXX XXXX initiated a wire transfer for {$25000.00} from my savings account. I went into panic because I don't know that person and I never authorized a transfer, and yes it was right there. The person I was talking to said that in order for him to help me to stop the transfer I need to initiate a second wire transfer for the same amount doing this the bank will automatically recognize the transaction as suspicious and stop it, at that time... it didn't make any sense and I told him I was not going to do that, I refused like 6 times, he then proceeded to pressure me using some techniques like " Sr we don't have much time, you need to stop the transfer or you will loose your money '' I kept refusing then he provided my address and full SSN, at that point only me and my bank knows that information. I fell for it. 
He kept me on the phone for a couple more minutes to give me my case number etc. when the call ended something wasn't right so I called my bank immediately and they confirmed I was a victim of a scam, my heart sunk. Wells Fargo took measurements to protect my account, they created another one for me to use because the other one has been compromised. they rest my password and assured me they were going to stop the wire from going to XXXX, they said they will be contacting chase to make sure the transfer was cancelled. I was very persistent about stoping the wire. {$25000.00} were pending for 3 days in which I called every single day of those days to make sure the transfer was cancelled. After 3 days my money was gone. 
Days later I received a letter from Wells Fargo stating that they are not responsable. I don't understand why weren't they able to stop it when it was pending for 3 days and the money was going to another bank in the XXXX. Why aren't they able to find out who the owner of that account is? 
Here is the thing... this whole situation, as you may understand, has caused great stress. Last year I had XXXX XXXX due to XXXX, I was in XXXX for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX im recovering from it and this has affected my progress in ways you can only immagine, that money was my life savings, was what I was counting on to keep my family afloat. Im grateful I just started a new job but for over a year I wasnt able to work, I wasnt able to go up a fly of stairs! I need help with this my family and I have been gone through enough, please help us. 
We filled a police report with XXXX XXXX our case number is XXXX his email is : XXXX Here is the only information we got from the bank : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX We have also filed an FBI report on XX/XX/2023, XXXX was advised by a lawyer. Since then we haven't heard anything.

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