Consumer complaint received 2023-09-25
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
On XX/XX/23 I received a text about fraud detection from Wells Fargo and called Wells Fargo to let them know I didn't make these said purchases. On XX/XX/23 XXXX unauthorized purchases were being made in XXXX and posted to my account without my knowledge. On XX/XX/23, I received another text about fraud detection for the amount of {$61.00} and {$20.00} and I once again called Wells Fargo to let them know I didn't make these purchases. I was offered to open a claim and have my card replaced, when speaking to the claims representative I was told there were multiple purchases with the same name dated back to XX/XX/23. I was told all purchases would be investigated. While the claim was being processed, some of these said purchases were posted to my account on XX/XX/23 ( 4 purchases in Florida and 7 in XXXX ). Purchases posted to my account on XX/XX/23 were with the replacement card I was given. 

On XX/XX/23, I received the response from the Wells Fargo claims department stating that my inquiry of charges totaling in {$470.00}, which is incorrect, was approved and that they would no longer investigate the situation. No documentation was provided on how this amount and conclusion was arrived upon. The letter also stated that the claim was now closed and that the purchases were authorized. There was no documentation stating how this claim was resolved nor any evidence pointing towards why they had authorized the purchases. The total amount of the actual fraud charges totaled in {$1300.00} made with 33 different purchases in locations that I could not have possibly been. 

I then decided to escalate the situation by visiting a Wells Fargo Location on XX/XX/23. An employee assisted me by calling the claims department on my behalf. We asked what purchases were included in my claim, how the claim was investigated, and why the claim was closed based on what evidence. The claims department was not able to provide any of this information. We did discover that the purchases were made with a physical debit card which couldn't have been possible. The issue is that during the same time these purchases were made in XXXX and Florida, I was making actual purchases in XXXX XXXX, CA ( From what I know, I can't be in two places at once ). My physical address is in XXXX XXXX, CA and I have never been to Florida or XXXX. How can these purchases be authorized if I clearly was not in these locations? 

So in conclusion, I have three issues.

1. The inquiry amount made by the Wells Fargo Claims Department is completely wrong. They have a total of {$690.00} as fraud charges " based on the information they can see ''. When in fact, the actual total is {$1300.00}. 

2. The claims department opened and closed the claim, from which I was provided no information on, nor did I ever authorize the amounts based on those claims. 
A second claim is active and was opened without my authorization and I again was provided with no information as to which purchases are being investigated. 

3. The claims department has stated they can no longer open these claims again due to the fact that they closed them. They state that I must open a new claim again in order to investigate further. 

As of this moment XX/XX/23, I have opened a new claim once again to resolve this situation but feel this is an unnecessary burden on my behalf to claim money in which should not have been authorized from the beginning. 

I am frustrated with the lack of information provided, the lack of competency of the Wells Fargo Claims department employees, and frustrated with the amount of bureaucracy I must go through just to get my money back.

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