Consumer complaint received 2022-01-18
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: AL
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:
On XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX pm, I received a text message from Wells Fargo asking if I had attempted a XXXX payment for the amount of {$3500.00}. I replied no, to this text. At XXXX pm, I received an incoming call from what my caller ID said was Wells Fargo. I answered and was informed I was speaking with the fraud department, and that they needed me to reverse the XXXX transaction. They knew my name, address, email, phone number, and how much money I had in my bank account, so I was under the impression that I was in fact talking to my bank. They walked me through several steps, to send a transaction for {$1000.00} to myself through XXXX. When asked why I needed to do that, they said because XXXX was a third party source and that this was the only way to stop the transaction of {$3500.00} from going through. At XXXX pm, I received a text from XXXX, stating a new recipient had been added, which was me, XXXX XXXX XXXX went through with the transaction and sent the {$1000.00} to myself. I received at text at XXXX pm that said XXXX XXXX sent you {$1000.00} with XXXX. At XXXX pm, I received a text from XXXX bank saying, Hi XXXX XXXX sent you {$1000.00} using XXXX. After this text, the line was disconnected, and Wells Fargo ( according to my caller ID ) called me back, and the voice on the other end was hard to hear due to static. At that point, I hung up the phone and called the number back, and it just sent me to the Wells Fargo automated operator. Then I immediately drove to the nearest Wells Fargo bank, which is 5 minutes from my house. I explained what had just happened to them, and they informed me that I had been scammed. This was unfortunate because I had received my last direct deposit check before XXXX, and my account was emptied, so I could not buy XXXX for my family. I thought for sure that this payment would be reversed because of how quickly I got to the bank. Because it was a few days before XXXX, Wells Fargo did not act quickly enough to stop the payment, in my opinion. The banker told me that he and his coworkers had received an email from the corporate office that morning, making them aware of this scam. Wells Fargo never notified or warned me, the customer, of this scam. The banker also said several customers had come into the bank in XXXX with the same scam. Wells Fargo knew about this scam for months and did not inform its customers, which is negligent and sets the customer up for failure. I filed a claim, and a week later, I received a letter from Wells Fargo stating that they determined that the payment was processed as requested. I called Wells Fargo to ask about an update on my claim, and was told by XXXX, that my claim had been closed. At that point, I filled a complaint and was told I would receive a phone call in 2-3 business days. That same day, I went back to Wells Fargo bank, spoke with the same banker, and told him my claim had been closed. He helped me file another complaint and said the executive office would call me within 2-3 business days. I never received a call from either complaint. I received another letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, from Wells Fargo stating that there records showed that I initiated the XXXX transfer and that they were trying to get the money back from XXXX. If you call XXXX, they tell you to contact your bank. After receiving the letter, I called back and spoke with XXXX, who was not helpful, would not transfer me to a XXXX, and made me feel stupid by saying, I would have never transferred the funds as if I should have known I was being scammed at the time. I ended the call with her and called back to speak with another representative who transferred me to a Wells Fargo customer advocate named XXXX. I explained what happened to her and she said she would not be able to help me, but would file a complaint on my behalf. She said the executive office would review my complaint, listen to the recorded call, and make a determination to pay me my money back or not. I have yet to be refunded for my money. This was a fraudulent transaction because I was under the impression I was talking to Wells Fargo because the number that called me was listed on their website. I have had fraudulent charges in the past, and the process was similar, I received a text, then a phone call, which was the same process with this instance. I agreed to send {$1000.00} through XXXX to myself. I never agreed to send it to XXXX bank. I was under the impression that this transaction would prevent a transaction of {$3500.00} from going through. I am supposed to be protected by my bank from fraudulent activity and refunded. According to the federal law called the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, specifically part regulation E, which states that the consumer financial protection bureau sees it as if someone was induced ( which I was ), into transferring money, even if I agreed to it, the bank must reimburse me. I have read articles from other Wells Fargo customers that have been refunded by Wells Fargo bank, and I do not understand what makes my situation any different. Why was I not informed about this scam? I have never used XXXX, so I did not know anything about how to use it. Wells Fargo sponsors XXXX for its customers to use, so in return they should be held liable if anything goes wrong. My next step is going to the news because this is wrong, and citizens need to know that Wells Fargo is not a bank you can trust. I am extremely disappointed in Wells Fargo, as I have been with them for 15 years. I believe I should be refunded the money that was fraudulently taken out of my account.

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