Consumer complaint received 2023-03-02
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NE
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX at approximately XXXX XXXX XXXX I initiated a domestic wire from my personal checking account using the Wells Fargo online banking system. The amount was for {$10.00} and was intended to ensure I had all the correct instructions to send funds to my elderly mothers new investment account. She is selling her house in early XXXX and we needed to be sure the wiring instructions we provide to the closing agent are correct. 
At around XXXX pm I checked the status of the wire using the online banking system, and it was listed as pending. I then called Wells customer service line, which uses voice authentication to verify my identity, to ask when the wire would be released. The customer service representative proceeded to give me 5 different responses for when the wire would be released : 1-3 days ; possibly today ; 90 % go the same day ; definitely today ; and, should go today. At no point did he say anything about suspected fraud. In addition, none of his responses aligned with the written commitment on the online Compare Options page for funds transfers, which states that domestic wires are delivered same day. I ended the call and planned to continue monitoring my wire online the rest of the day.

After checking online at approximately XXXX pm and noticing the wire was still pending I called the customer service number again. This time I spoke with someone named XXXX. He indicated the wire was so small it triggered a fraud alert. I asked why no one had contacted me, especially given the same day delivery statement on Wells funds transfer online page. He did not answer my question, instead telling me he disabled my online access and that I needed to go to a branch. At no point in the conversation did he attempt to resolve my problem ; it appeared to me he gave no consideration to the possibility the fraud alert could be a false positive and perhaps providing customer service was part of his job. He then hung up on me suddenly as I was trying to ask him questions. My online access had been working just moments before, and my identity had been verified at the beginning of the call, so I feel he disabled my online access because I kept asking him questions out of anger or retaliation, perhaps, rather than because he had any legitimate concern I was in fact a fraudster. 
After XXXX hung up on me I immediately called back to XXXX customer service number at approximately XXXX pm. XXXX transferred me to the Fraud group, where XXXX also told me to go to a branch the next morning. I told her I wanted to register a complaint. She gave me a long alpha-numeric complaint ID, which I wasnt able to correctly write down. Once again, I got absolutely no help from Wells, and in my opinion they considered me to be either a fraudster or just generally someone they werent willing to help. They didnt see me as someone with a problem, but rather as a problem to be dispensed with. 
By this point I was very frustrated. At XXXX pm I called Wells one last time. XXXX in Fraud told me the same thing : go to a branch the next morning. I told him I was specifically interested in why no one from Fraud had contacted me when fraud was detected. Why did I have to initiate all contact with Wells, and why did I need to go to a branch to get a fraud question answered when I was already speaking with Fraud? XXXX said the branch personnel could answer my questions. I considered that a complete lie. 
The next morning, Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, I left work and went to a branch near my office. XXXX XXXX verified my ID, got on the phone with someone and restored my online access. While he still had someone from XXXX on the phone I told him that the customer service rep said he could tell me why the XXXX group had not contacted me. Neither he nor the individual on the phone could give me an answer, only that XXXX should contact account holders within XXXX hours of suspected fraud ( at the time of writing this, it is more than XXXX hours and no one from XXXX has contacted me ). XXXX and the individual on the phone asked if I wanted to send the original wire or cancel it. They did not offer to waive the {$30.00} fee, and when I asked XXXX if he would waive it he said no. I canceled the wire. Before I left the branch XXXX said he would have his XXXX call me the next day when she returned to the office. 
On Wednesday morning, XX/XX/XXXX, the branch XXXX, XXXX XXXX, called me at XXXX am. She is the only person who has displayed any measure of understanding that the service Ive received from XXXX was poor. I appreciate her apology on behalf of the XXXX group, but XXXX is a huge organization and she doesnt speak for them. However, she did provide me with XXXX additional complaint numbers : XXXX and XXXX. She also told me someone from XXXX XXXX XXXX would call me in XXXX hours ( i.e., by mid-day Friday, XX/XX/XXXX ). 
In summary, I would like more information on the following questions regarding my experience : Why was I not contacted when suspected fraud was detected on my account? 
XXXX I expect better service when I pay {$30.00} for a service that clearly has a high profit margin? 
What was the timeline for detecting the suspected fraud on my account and disabling my online access? I want to be assured I was not treated improperly by XXXX. 
Why is the written standard for executing a domestic online wire ( same day ) different from the timeline for informing an account holder fraud is suspected and the wire will not be sent ( XXXX hours )? 
Does XXXX have any procedure to determine whether a suspected fraud detected by an automated algorithm is in fact a false positive and the customer should be engaged and the problem rectified? 
I have banked with Wells Fargo since XXXX and stayed with them throughout their many problems. I now plan to change banks because of the way I was treated by the individuals in the XXXX group.

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