Consumer complaint received 2022-08-31
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: MN
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
The following is the narrative of the emails that I sent to Wells Fargo Corporate office and the branch manager where the wire transfer took place. 

I am the victim of internet fraud by way of wire transfer of {$51000.00} at one of your branches in XXXX, MN on XX/XX/2022. 
I was on the internet when there was a loud audible and visual pop-up warning from XXXX stating there was illegal activity going on in my computer and that they had frozen my computer. There was a phone number to call. I tried to call a number that I had for XXXX and a recording said that I could only get help online. I tried other ways to get a number, but to no avail so I ended up calling the number on the screen. I first spoke with XXXX who transferred me to XXXX XXXX, one of XXXX 's senior IT specialists. He had me download " XXXX XXXX '' to get my permission to take control of my computer to " fix the issues '' and clean out the computer. I've had XXXX do this before, so I didn't think anything of it. He showed me a list of what the hackers were looking at and of course, my banking information was at the top of the list. He had me sign on to my Wells Fargo account to make sure everything looked OK. Then he would put me on hold at which time I would see him doing all kinds of different things and different screens that I wasn't familiar with but that looked like he was cleaning things up. Also, during that time he would come back on the phone to say that it was taking longer due to XXXX 's servers going down while he was cleaning up my computer. He was very apologetic as it kept happening. He said that XXXX would give me a refund of {$520.00}, the amount I paid for the software when I originally bought the computer. He had me type in my name and the amount myself but somehow, the amount got changed to {$52000.00}, off 2 decimal points. He was freaking out and said that he was going to get fired. The money was indeed in my checking account. 
He said that I needed to go to my bank and wire the money back to XXXX in the amount of {$51000.00} which is the {$52000.00} minus the refund XXXX was giving me. He told me to wire the money to XXXX XXXX. I questioned the use of an XXXX, and he said that XXXX being a big company, uses them all the time. He also told me to tell the banker that it was for an investment. The banker, XXXX XXXX at the branch at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, MN XXXX, only asked what it was for. I told him that it was for an investment. I remember thinking that when I wired money to my brother at XXXX, they would give me the 3rd degree and we even have the same last name! They did much more due diligence in protecting me over transfers as little as {$300.00} than Wells Fargo did over {$51000.00} to an LLC! Also, I would think that the banker would also have been suspicious of not only the large amount but also the odd amount as well as the use of an LLC. That and me being a little gray haired old lady with elder fraud running rampant. 
XXXX XXXX tried to get me again. This time I was supposed to wire {$99000.00} but I caught it and transferred it back into my Home Equity Line of Credit after getting a call the evening of XX/XX/XXXX from Wells Fargo alerting me of 2 transfers out of my Home Equity account. I am thankful for that. The man that I spoke to said that he was going to open a fraud claim and that I would receive a fraud packet in the mail. I've never used that account and kind of forgot I had it. 
Now about that fraud claim. I received a letter from the Fraud Claim Dept. on XX/XX/2022 stating that they couldn't reverse the online transfers because the account was closed. Of, course, the account was closed. Wells Fargo immediately closed all of my accounts and opened new ones! I called the number on the letter. He said that there was no proof of any fraud. I said that I was told 3 times that I would get a fraud packet in the mail which was never received and asked if a police report would help. He said yes and to fax that and also copies of phone records to the fraud dept. I've attached this letter along with my rebuttal on it. I faxed everything to Online Fraud Claims XX/XX/2022. I called the Fraud Department on XX/XX/2022 to get an update. I was told that the documents were received and reviewed. I called again on XX/XX/2022 and spoke to XXXX in the Fraud Dept. She said rather rudely that the case was closed because I authorized that wire transfer. I told her that I didn't authorize the online transfer of money from my Line of Credit to my checking account. When we were talking about it, she said in a condescending way, " Well, that should have been a big red flag! '' I have had so many issues trying to get things straightened out over this whole ordeal including simple things like having to try 3 times to get new checks and twice to get a new debit card having cash be my only option. This has been very traumatic, stressful and XXXX  for me. I've been a very good Wells Fargo customer for a very long time. Please help me by taking this seriously to make me whole by reversing the transfer. 

Thank you very much, XXXX XXXX XXXX I have yet to hear from them.

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