Consumer complaint received 2017-12-14
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: DC
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX, member of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and current active member of the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Since graduating college, Ive had a pristine credit score ( above XXXX ) and perfect banking history ( almost 20 years ). Never missing payments on any credit card, mortgage, or lease or educational loan, I qualified for high balance, low interest credit cards. All of my vehicle leases ( with XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and XXXX ) for the past 15 years were all paid on time without incident or default. Ive had two mortgages, the first qualified just after XXXX school graduation in XX/XX/XXXX, and paid in full in XX/XX/XXXX, with XXXX XXXX for approximately {$750000.00}. My current mortgage with XXXX XXXX XXXX began at over XXXX  XXXX, currently approximately {$820000.00} outstanding, and during the last 8 years these payments were made on time other than one month when my husband forgot to link the checking account and was about 2 weeks late ( the only negative mark on my credit profile prior to XX/XX/XXXX ).

Beginning in the fall of XX/XX/XXXX through the summer of XX/XX/XXXX, I became the victim of a significant round of  identity theft incidents. I was diagnosed with XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX, in and out of the hospital, recovering from XXXX and going through a complex divorce case, and I was not aware of the fraud that was occurring until months later. I eventually discovered with the assistance of a computer forensic analyst that my computer had been hacked and my social security number and personal information was used to access my checking accounts at Wells Fargo, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX and a series of fraudulent transactions occurred on my accounts. The events harming my XXXX report included a series of events and fraudulent transactions using my bank accounts and credit cards due to extensive identity theft which has had a major detrimental impact on my banking/credit profile. 

My account logins and passwords were accessed and changed, fraudulent transactions occurred, including attempted wires into and out of my accounts resulting in overdrafts and the eventual closure of these accounts and negative remarks made on my XXXX report. Each of these banks acknowledged verbally that they were suspicious that I had been a victim of fraud, but their reports to the XXXX XXXX did not clarify that I was the VICTIM of the fraud and not the one responsible for the fraudulent transactions. 

Upon discovering the vulnerability to my computer, the computer forensic analyst assisted in securing my computer and blocking further hacks. Immediately after blocking the hacker from accessing my computer, I began receiving a series of personal threats and extortion emails. This led me to contact the XXXX XXXX XXXX Police Department, filing an identity theft report initially, which the detective later upgraded to an investigation of Felony Threats and Extortion. I filed disputes with the banks involved, alerted the credit agencies, obtained a life lock subscription and purchased a subscription to the Wells Fargo ID Theft program. However, by the time I had learned the extent of hack, the damage was so extensive it resulted in the closure of my deposit accounts at Wells Fargo, XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX. I now am facing difficulties gaining access to deposit accounts, and when I have been able to open an account, twice it was closed within a few weeks after opening the account upon the bank doing a second pass review and presumably seeing the marks on my XXXX report related to the fraud that occurred. 

I am currently working with an attorney to rectify the damage to my credit profile and credit score due to multiple false charges on my credits and new credit cards opened in my name, but my XXXX report has been badly damaged due to the identity theft. I have attempted to resolve the issues with the banks involved, but there has been no resolution or correction to my XXXX report. 

I recently was able to open XXXX checking and savings accounts as well as a business account, which is currently maintained in good standing with no overdrafts. 
A review of my banking and credit history will clearly demonstrate a long pattern responsible credit and banking practices and the sharp decline over a short period of time clearly indicates that something out of the ordinary happened TO ME, and should not be held AGAINST ME on my XXXX  report for years to come. I would like to have the negative remarks removed from my XXXX Reports as they were not a result of my own wrongdoing and continue to cause problems accessing credit and banking products.

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