Consumer complaint received 2020-07-02
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account
Sub-issue: Transaction was not authorized

Complaint:
My wallet was stolen from my home in the early morning hours of XX/XX/XXXX. The thief used both of my debit cards and my credit card, which I noticed later that morning. After cancelling all the cards, I thought I was fine. I called the police and filed a report and a detective has been working with me ever since. I have been in contact with the police since XX/XX/XXXX. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I woke up and got an alert that my Wells Fargo account had over XXXX dollars in it. I thought this was strange, so I asked my parents if they or my grandparents sent me a lot of money .... They did not, and that is when I started to freak out. I thought about what was in my wallet, and I remember there was a slip for direct deposit ( I had just started working at XXXX XXXX ) that had my social security number, WF account number, and routing number. 

A fake check for {$2500.00} was deposited in my account at a Wells Fargo branch in person. The thief was able to cash out XXXX instantly, and then he returned to another Wells Fargo branch the next day and withdraw the remaining {$1500.00}. 

I immediately alerted my detective, Wells Fargo, and put a credit freeze on all three major bureaus. The customer service from Wells Fargo was very friendly and they calmed me down, saying that the issue would be resolved fairly shortly. I also called the company that was listed on the fake check, and they confirmed with me that they had checks stolen from their mailbox recently and have been dealing with several fraudulent payments. The company said my case was likely involved, and our detectives are now working together. 

A few days later, I notice that my WF account is at NEGATIVE XXXX dollars. I suppose WF realized the check was fraudulent, and it charged me for the full {$2500.00}. My uncle literally had just gave me {$400.00} in graduation money and I deposited it into my savings account, but now that money is gone since WF took it as an overdraft protection move .... 

I called Wells Fargo again, and the lady over the phone was very nice and explained that yes, my account is negative and looks scary, but it will be resolved soon and not too worry. Days go by and nothing happens, so I call again. This time, I get a guy from the claims department. He was NOT friendly at all and told me that " if our agents were following the best Wells Fargo company practices, no one should have told you the outcome of an investigation. '' In other words, when I told him that people from WF over the phone before told me not to worry, he said that they shouldn't have told me that. 

He explained that the claim for refund was denied because the check was deposited in person, with a signature that matches mine on file, and an ID was used. I got mad and told him that the person who stole my wallet had my ID with my ( easy to forge ) signature on it. The police think he made a fake ID with his picture instead of mine, which is why this fraud was committed weeks after he originally took my wallet. 

Now, I am stuck in an endless cycle of calls to WF. They keep transferring me back and forth between claims department and fraud. No one can tell me anything concrete, except for the fact that my claim was denied. My checking account is now at XXXX and my savings is wiped clean. I have to beg my job not to use direct deposit or I will not be able to get my money. I can't pay off the remaining XXXX on my WF credit card either. This has all been extremely frustrating, and I just don't know who I should contact ...

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 monetary relief