Consumer complaint received 2023-04-02
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Lost or stolen check

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX Banking XXXX XXXX Wells Fargo On XX/XX/2023 at approximately XXXX : XXXX XXXX I entered Wells Fargo at located at : Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX FL XXXX Which is approximately 2.5 miles from my part-time XXXX residence located at XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX FL XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX NJ XXXX The purpose of the visit was to obtain a cashier 's check as I had won an online auction for a property located in XXXX, XXXX. The auctionnaire required me to have a XXXX percent deposit placed by close of business. 

I previously tried to perform a wire transfer, and although Loss Prevention called me to verify the transaction, I was unsuccessful in conductining the wire transfer on line. 

Wells Fargo requires you to schedule appointments and the earliest appointment they had available is at another location for XXXX XX/XX/2023 which would have caused me to miss the deadline to deposit the funds. 

After speaking to the Auctionnaire, I asked if I could show proof that the cashier 's check would be overnighted to their office before XXXX XXXX  EST for a scheduled delivery for today at XXXX XXXX  if it would be acceptable. XXXX XXXX and Company the auctionaire agreed. 


Since I worked remotely and had recently started a new job I had to move swiftly, to complete the transaction so that I could be back online at work. 

I went to the Bank XXXX whose name is XXXX. I asked if she could confirm how much money I had in my account. I added an additional {$170.00} so that I could have the money that I needed for the cashier 's check. 

XXXX instructed me to insert my bank ATM card which I did. She printed out a receipt showing me my account balance. I asked her to with draw {$5800.00} which was most of the money in the account and to make it payable to XXXX XXXX 

I showed XXXX my cell phone because I had a picture of the address. She fuddled with her computer and then stated that she could not print out the form or complete the form on line for some reason. 

So she handed me a paper and told me I had to complete the high lighted areas which I did. 

While I was completing the form I asked her in the re : line or memo line if she could put XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX MD. 

XXXX handed me a couple of posted notes and asked me to write out exactly what I wanted in addition to what I had already completed on the paper. 

She started asking me a series of questions : Q.What was my line of work? 
XXXX  : XXXX XXXX. What was the Casherir 's check for? 
XXXX I won an online auction to purchase a home in the community that my grandmother lived. 
XXXX  Where was the home? 
XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX. What will I do with the house? 
XXXX XXXX it down and air b and b it XXXX. Did I have a picture of the house XXXX I showed her the picture which included portions of the auction. 

Because I was under time constraints, I was a bit irriated with all of the small talk but I remained professional. 

Then XXXX said that my handritting did not match what was on my drivers license or the signature card. She proceeded to show me the signature card which looked more like my printed name. XXXX informed me that she had gotten in trouble for this and she asked me to write it in a printed way as oppposed to how it appeared on my drivers license in cursive. 

I remember rolling my eyes in my head but I told her that I understand because of fraud she had to be careful. 

XXXX proceeded to show me the screen to verify that the information on the casher 's check was correct. I told her my last name was spelled wrong. She erased the screen and redrafted it. When she presented it the second time my last name was still wrong but I told her it was ok because my last name was spelled correctly except for the memo line which I believed had very little bearings. 

Finally, XXXX correct the screen and I told her it was perfect. 

She then asked me if I had the post it note she had given to me. I said let me check and it was in my purse so I handed it back to me. 

She went on to tell me that she was from XXXX Maryland and I told her that was considered the XXXX XXXX. She said she use to take trips by herself and go differerent places. She recalled going to XXXX and I told her that area was indeed beautiful with lots of boats etc. 

I explained that my family was from the XXXX XXXX over the XXXX XXXX and I asked her if she ever visited XXXX XXXX. She said no. 

Finally, she printed out the casher 's check and showed me the envelope with the cashier 's check and receipt. She made a motion like she was handing it to me, but when I went to recieve it, she pulled the enveope back and asked me if I had a smaller post it note that she had given to me. 

I looked in my purse and saw a small post it note and gave it to her. She handed me the envelope that was sealed at this point and I left the bank. 

She apologized for the delay. 

I immediately went to XXXX because I remembered that they had a XXXX. I waited in line and asked the cashier what was the procedure for sending fedex. 
I was told they dont supply packing materials they are only a pick up location. 

I went to the pharmacy and checked on my prescription and picked up candy because my nerves were shot. 

I found a UPS store about a half a mile away. 

The line was wrong. I finally pulled out the envelope and opened it. To my horror the cashier 's check was missing. Only the receipt was in the envelope. 

I raced back to my car and looked everywhere but I remembered that the enveope was sealed and I only opened it in the UPS line. 

I went back to Wells Fargo and a white man came from behind the desk. I asked if there was a branch manager and he said they did not have a manager at that branch. 

I went to XXXX and I told her she never gave me the check. I told her that I demanded to see a manager and I wanted her to call the police. I told her her actions were deliberate and she knew exactly what she was doing. 

Moreover, I told her exactly how she did it. I told her that she showed me the enveope containing both the cashier 's check and the receipt. I told her that when she asked me for the last post it note, she did that as a disctration and purposely removed the cashier 's check from the enveope. I further told her that I was not going to leave the bank until a branch manager arrived with law enforement and rolled the tapes on our transaction together. 


After I mentioned law enforcement, XXXX said perhaps you misplaced it. I said " do not patronize me ''. You know what you did. 

Then she said that she could stop payment on the cashier 's check. I told her I had an agressive deadline and her actions were unacceptable. 

She said let me look iat my work. She looked on the side of her desk and found the check. 

I said " I guess you did find it ''. She apologized. I told her that I accepted her apology but I was reporting this. 

I left. Went back to UPS and called the police when I finished. I was told since I left the bank it was a civil matter. 

I called Wells Fargo and reported the incident to the customer advocate for Businesses. 

I told them that I strongly suggested that the tape be ran of our transaction. 

I also fined a complaint with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 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 explanation