Consumer complaint received 2021-04-24
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NC
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Card opened as result of identity theft or fraud

Complaint:
My mother, XXXX XXXX, took out several credit cards in my name throughout the past few years with Wells Fargo being one of them. I did not give her permission nor consent to do so. I have recently figured this out at time of her passing XXXX XX/XX/XXXX ). At the time, I was living in Florida, however, drove up to North Carolina to meet with the detective in XXXX as this is the location my mother lived/passed away. During my interview with the detective XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, he explained that he conducted a search warrant of her house on the night of XX/XX/XXXX as my mothers death was being ruled as a homicide. During the search warrant, he found a pocketbook full of credit cards in my name in her room. I did not have any knowledge of these credit cards until this point. These credit cards include XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX and Wells Fargo. All of which I have had taken off my record due to result of the fraud investigations for each credit card company XXXX except for Wells Fargo XXXX. This is why I am reaching out in regard to the Wells Fargo credit card as it was included in this pocketbook in my mothers room, and I did not apply for the card. My mother fraudulently took it out in my name without my permission, awareness nor consent. 

After the meeting with the detective, I was advised to visit XXXX to check my Credit Report and to see if there were any other credit cards in my name. After multiple attempts and phone calls with XXXX, I was finally able to reset my password and get into my account XXXX my mother made the XXXX account in my name ). After logging in, all of the credit cards on my credit report were listed in the pocketbook found in my mothers room. 

Furthermore, there were two loans taken out in my name that I did not know of : Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX loan. Both of which have been deemed as fraud and taken off of my record as I did not open those loans. I have attached the document from Wells Fargo to show that they deemed the Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX as fraud. This further shows that my mother has fraudulently opened items in my name with Wells Fargo in the past. 

My mother was able to take out these credit cards in my name, Wells Fargo being one of them, as she had copies of my social security card, birth certificate and drivers license. 
As my mother fraudulently opened the Wells Fargo credit card in my name, she utilized the email XXXX ( based off the record of the application that was provided to me by Wells Fargo XXXX. This is not my email and was her email. I have only had two emails my entire life : XXXX ( personal email ) and XXXX ( student email from university ). Why would I open a credit card to an email I do not have access to? I have attached the record of application as provided by Wells Fargo. 
Additionally, the record of the application that was sent to me by Wells Fargo also shows that she had lied about my monthly income of {$500.00}. I did not have a monthly income from XXXX of XXXX as I just graduated high school and was preparing for my upcoming freshman year of division one college soccer. Furthermore, I did not work my freshman year ( XXXX ) year of college. My mother fraudulently opened the credit card in my name and lied about my income. Why would I open a credit card and lie about my income? 

The record of application also states my address as XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NC XXXX. Why would I list this address as my permanent address in XXXX of XXXX if I was leaving to attend XXXX XXXX in XXXX, TN ( to prepare for my freshman year of collegiate soccer ). Attached, is my transcript to show I attended XXXX in the fall of XXXX. 
After speaking to a representative at Wells Fargo, I was told that the number XXXX is associated with the account. That was my mothers number ; the individual that fraudulently opened the application. My personal number is XXXX and has been this since I was XXXX. Why would I open a credit card account to a phone number I do not have access to? 
The Wells Fargo representative also told me over the phone that the account was opened online and was pinged to an address in New York. I was not in New York on XX/XX/XXXX. In fact, it was not until XXXX when I first visited New York. My mother often had business trips to New York for her work at XXXX XXXX XXXX. I suspect this is why the online address at the time of the application was pinged to New York. 
Furthermore, Wells Fargo XXXX in the final response letter ), stated that payments were made from a joint Wells Fargo account my mother and I had shared. My mother opened this joint account and was using it, not me. I have similar proof of this occurring with the above listed credit cards as she was making payments for those credit cards from that joint account ( which I had no knowledge of until being confronted by detective XXXX XXXX. These payments from the joint account were done by my mother, therefore, it is only logical why the credit card was opened and how the payments were made. However, this was all done without my knowledge as my name was used by my mother to open up the credit card. 
Additionally, in the final response letter, it stated We are able to confirm payments that have been made to your account from your jointly owned Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account ending in XXXX. We have enclosed copies of your checking account statements reflecting payments dated XX/XX/XXXX, for {$760.00}, {$26.00}, and {$1000.00}, for your review. The payment on that joint account for {$1000.00} was used in XXXX XXXX, Virginia. On XX/XX/XXXX, I was working with XXXX XXXX  delivering food in downtown XXXX, NC on XX/XX/XXXX of XXXX. I have personally reached out to XXXX and included documentation that I was working on XXXX, North Carolina that day. This further shows that the joint account was compromised as my mother was solely using it. I have attached the final response letter and the documents from XXXX. 
I have not used this joint Wells Fargo account within the past 3 years as I have opened a XXXX account that I strictly use only. Attached, is my first and last billing statement with XXXX. 
I have also attached a document from Wells Fargo showing the result of their fraud investigation of the credit card. 
Attached, is a copy of the police report from the detective for the fraud of these credit cards. If you have any questions, his number is XXXX and his email is 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 non-monetary relief