Consumer complaint received 2023-04-12
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I received an email from XXXX XXXX XXXX  telling me that my DSL service was being disconnected and XXXX XXXX XXXX had sent {$330.00} to my account as a debit and they wanted to fix this error. 

They asked me to wire the money back to them immediately. There was a lot of discussion about how this happened and I asked them for verification of who they were. 
They TOLD ME that they could show me my bank account at Wells. I hadn't told them that I banked with Wells. I thought that they had my banking details because they were XXXX and XXXX has my bank details as the are my DSL service provider. 

They gave me a XXXX for Wells to confirm what they said was true. I entered the URL and suddenly my account popped up on my screen. This further confirmed my belief that they were real. They said that the ACH to me was delayed and would be here tomorrow at XXXX XXXX. 

Before I knew it, they told me at the same thing happened for {$2600.00} and asked me to wire {$2900.00} which was the combined total of both. Told me to go to an XXXX website to see the amounts on their Recovery List. My company name, XXXX XXXX, was listed there with each of the two amounts. 

The next thing I know is a wire form was presented to me partially filled out. They told me that the bank was going to confirm this transaction. The bank called me and gave me a number to enter release the funds. 

As I entered the amount of the wire, the wire amount jumped to the total amount of both transactions with {$2900.00} to {$29000.00} ( appx ). I tried to backspace to correct the but the return key would not. I challenged them and they said they would wire the full amount back to me. 

They were very smooth talkers and it was an hour and a half before I knew it. 

Within a few minutes, they told me to check my account again. The account showed the full amount of the wire in the Pending area of the page. 

We agreed that they would make sure this was handled correctly. 

We agreed to talk at XXXX the next morning. 

On Friday when I got up, i checked my account and the pending wire had disappeared and there was a {$25000.00} debit to my checking account. 

I called XXXX, the person who I was talking to on XXXX  and screaming at him. 

He apologized and told me he would get me the {$25000.00} immediately. They played the same routine and set up the wire forms with the amount blank and me waiting for clearance from the bank. Again they reassured me that I would get the funds that day. 

On Friday, I checked my accounts and found nothing from them but {$25000.00} missing from my personal account. I blew up and he reassured me that this was all a mistake of XXXX XXXX XXXX  and you know how strong they are so don't worry. 

After several calls with them, I began to realize that I was involved in a wire fraud group. 

I called Wells to see if they could stop the wire. When they said no, I asked for the fraud department and gave them a full report. For the record. no one from Wells has been in touch with me since my first report. 

I next called the receiving bank who told me that the funds were immediately sent to Resolute. I tried getting someone on the phone but there was no response. 

I have some of the paperwork and notes available.

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