Consumer complaint received 2022-04-04
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: SC
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I was going through a contentious divorce in XXXX, XXXX. I had to sell my house and my boat. I listed my boat on XXXX XXXX and was able to sell it online to a buyer from out of state, XXXX XXXX. XXXX sent me a Cashiers Check for {$95000.00} written on XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( I have a copy of the cashiers check ). I went into Wells Fargo on XX/XX/XXXX to cash the check and have the money deposited into my checking account. I approached a teller at the Wells Fargo bank located on XXXX XXXX in XXXX, GA. I told the teller that the cashiers check was for a payoff on my boat and that I needed her to check the authenticity of the check to ensure that it was legitimate. She walked away and came back shortly after and verbally confirmed that the check was good. When I asked her when it was safe to wire the payoff for my boat, she said 24 hours. She just stated as long as the money shows in your account tomorrow you can wire the money. I followed her direction to a tee and as I was on my way out of town for business the next day, I stopped at a different branch of Wells Fargo ( Branch # XXXX ) to send two wires. One to XXXX XXXX bank in XXXX, SC four the payoff on the boat and another for {$12000.00} for transportation of my boat since the buyer lived out of state in Kentucky. I conducted the wire transfers and went about my business. 

Twenty four hours later and just before I was to leave for vacation, a large negative balance showed up on my account. I immediately called my bank who redirected me to the Wells Fargo Fraud Division. I called and spoke to XXXX, who immediately started accusing me of wrongdoing. She stated that the check was voided and had void all over the check and verified that this was a fraudulent check. She directly accused me of the fraud. I asked her to stop, explained that all I did was sell my boat on a well known publication, that I received a cashiers check ( certified funds ) and that the teller at the Wells Fargo bank told me was good after I asked her to verify it, and that she said it was completely OK to wire money off the account the next day as long as the money showed in my checking account, which it did. Being a consumer and knowing nothing about the process, I just did as I was instructed by a banking professional. I also asked her why the teller would have stated a cashiers check with a VOID watermark would not have been caught by them and stopped since they are supposed to be trained for this? She had no answer. It was only then that XXXX backed off and stated that she would be my sole contact and that she would work with me to resolve the issue. I had already instructed the lien holder on the boat, XXXX XXXX, to release the title on my boat to the buyer. When I called XXXX XXXX, they confirmed that they had received the payoff from Wells Fargo and released the title to the buyer the day the day before. 

I cancelled my vacation and began trying to help Wells Fargo with the mess they created. I called the XXXX XXXX bank that the cashiers check was drawn on in XXXX, KY and spoke to XXXX XXXX who, within 30 seconds of describing the check verified over the phone that this was not one of their cashiers checks. When I asked him why Wells Fargo didnt verify the check when I asked them to and why they said it was fine to wire money off of my account within 24 hours, he couldnt believe it. He stated that even at their bank there are strict guidelines that must be followed to verify the authenticity of the check and that a wire off of a cashiers check is a minimum of 4 days. He couldnt believe the direction that Wells Fargo had given me, specifically for a check that large. It is important to note that to date, not one individual from Wells Fargo has ever asked for the phone number or any other information from the fraudulent buyer. Due to the aggressive behavior from XXXX in the fraud department, I also called the XXXX XXXX Police department and opened up a complaint against Wells Fargo for giving me bad information, being aggressive with false accusations, and to protect myself for any future aggression from the bank. It took Wells Fargo several days to implement a reverse wire request and they were able to recoup the transportation fee of {$12000.00} transportation fee. Since I still had the boat but the original title was gone, I had to file for a duplicate title with the South Carolina DNR. This took more time and money. I had to take 3 days of PTO at work because Wells Fargo had frozen and then closed my checking account, to open a new checking account, deposit some money into the new account with a different bank, and re-direct my paychecks and all future auto debits to come out of my new account. I also had to cancel a business trip to get this done. I stayed in touch with Wells Fargo and their fraud department as I filed for the duplicate title, re-listed my boat for sale, and waited for further direction from them. I then had a local man want to buy the boat for {$98000.00} but backed out because it now had a duplicate title. I now had to tell people that I had filed for the duplicate title but still had not received it. I eventually called the SC DNR and the woman told me they were backed up on titles for 4-6 months. I explained to her my situation and she kindly processed my duplicate title quickly. With the duplicate title finally in hand, I was able to finally sell the boat for {$75000.00} to a local buyer on the lake. 

I called the fraud department to let them know and I was told to deal directly with the branch manager at the XXXX location where I deposited the cashiers check. His name was XXXX XXXX. I went in to the branch to meet with XXXX at the nd of XXXX or beginning of XXXX and told him that I would work with Wells Fargo to settle my account and would pay them half of the {$75000.00}. This amount equated to the {$75000.00} that I received minus all of my expenses, including the {$23000.00} in lost profit for having a duplicate title instead of the original. It included the costs of my time off and cancelled vacations and business trips, none of which enthused my boss. I felt like splitting the difference was a legitimate and kind offer given what I had gone through at one of the most tumultuous times of my life with a divorce. All because a bank teller didnt do her job on a check for over $ XXXX even though I had specifically asked for her to verify it, which she said she did. My offer put both parties square on expenses and profit, with me having been put through the ringer for weeks fixing their mess. XXXX told me that he didnt have authorization to make the deal but he would call the Fraud Department and ask for approval and he assured me they would get back to me. No one called. Several weeks later I received a letter from Wells Fargo stating that they were treating my account as a charge off Credit. There was no mention in the letter of wanting any money back or that they would be in touch further to collect any money. I took this as Wells Fargo doing the right thing since this was 100 % their fault and by now, they had known all of the hoops that I had to jump through. I shortly thereafter retired from my company after 25 years. I went about my business mainly doing volunteer work and playing some golf when I received an attorney letter express delivery from an attorney of Wells Fargo demanding {$73000.00} in 30 days and threatening to sue me. I was absolutely blown away. I called the fraud department and collections department where I relived this nightmare all over again and I asked both for a copy of the charge off credit letter that they refused to send me a copy. All they said was I needed to contact their attorney. I have made two more offers now to try and settle this, including the original {$35000.00} and they have rejected this through my attorney, stating they want the entire {$73000.00}, even though they are 100 % at fault and after I have spent hours and hours on this online and on the phone. All because of their negligent training and lying to me about not only the cashiers check being good, but when it was OK to safely do the wire transfer. My attorney is currently dealing with their attorney and my last offer was {$35000.00} to be paid next spring now that I will be due XXXX final large payment from my company. I am now retired and on a fixed income and Wells Fargo doesnt seem to care. If they had just called me back like XXXX had said they would and not sent me a letter that 100 % made it appear like they were going to do the right thing and take accountability for their multiple mistakes, I would not have retired and then been able to work with them more on a settlement. I am no longer able to do that and even my latest offer of {$35000.00} next spring is going to eat into my retirement income unexpectedly. 

Wells Fargo needs to be held accountable and expunge this {$73000.00} 100 %. They need to incorporate simple training for their employees that consist of simple control measures, up to and including doing what the customer asks and not lie to them. Wait until cashiers checks clear before advising clients that it is OK to wire money. This is what I would deem banking XXXX and as the branch manager at XXXX XXXX bank said, this is inexcusable and this would never happen at our bank.and were not near the size of Wells Fargo. 

Please help me in holding Wells Fargo accountable for their multiple mistakes. They should absorb 100 % of the {$73000.00} here and if not, 99 % of it as this all could have been avoidedand simply avoided had they just done what I had asked of them and not lie to me. 

Thank you!

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