Consumer complaint received 2022-03-09
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: International money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
My name is XXXX XXXX & I just realized that I was scammed 2 days ago. I called my bank ( Wells Fargo ) reported this incident and asking their help in order to get my money back. The agent who answered my call gave me 2 case number ( because i made 2 international wire transfer & both was a scam ). 

So I met this one person and he told me that he works at XXXX as senior data analyst & he earn a lot because of this crypto trading. One day he offered to teach me and he introduced me to this website ( XXXX ). He told me to deposit $ XXXX {$3000.00} because I am new to this so on XX/XX/XXXX, I made my first international wire transfer for {$1000.00} to an account in XXXX XXXX Then in few days he actually helped me to earn some money and he told me that he made a capital plan for me and told me to deposit more $ XXXX {$30000.00} in order to earn more. I was fooled and on XX/XX/XXXX I made my second wire transfer to an account in XXXX for {$10000.00}. After sometime he told me that there will be a very good trading nodes and told me to come up with $ XXXX - when i told him i have no money, he even forced me to take a loan & borrow from friends. Luckily, I dont like to be in debts so I lied that I failed because everyone is having a hard time during the pandemic & no one can lend me those money but i also told him that i can get {$30000.00} on XX/XX/XXXX ( i will borrow the money from my family and the fund will only be available around XX/XX/XXXX ) so we agreed that I will deposit those {$30000.00} after I received the money from my family. But 2 days ago ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I checked the website and suddenly the website was closed so I was panicking and I asked him while trying to find information from XXXX & I found bunch of scamming stories that similar with mine. I was so worried & he told me that the website was undermaintenance and he gave me another new website which he claimed to be the new website XXXX XXXX  ) and I did able to log in & accessed my account there. However, I found this to be weird & I realized that i was scammed, so I called my bank ( Wells Fargo )- to ask for their help and they told me that they will register me and they will investigate & told me that it usually take around 30days ; but I am so worried because the longer it takes the smaller possibility that I can get my money back because i really need that money so I reported this scam to FTC and they gave me this website to help me get my money back. 
Yesterday, I tried to withdraw the money from the website XXXX XXXX  ) and as I thought they didnt let me withdraw & the customer service told me that I need to pay a prepaid tax for almost {$9000.00} in order to withdraw this money ( they said its according to IRS regulation & when I asked further about this regulation they ignored me ). I tried to log in today ( XX/XX/XXXX and the website is closed too - XXXX ). I felt so depressed and hopeless and I really hoping to get my money back so I called the number at the consumerfinance.gov because when i reported this to FTC, it said to call this number to get help in order to get my money back and the agent there advised me to fill in the online complaint. I attached the files that i have to support my complaint & I really do hope to get my money back so please I desperately beg you to help me. Thank you very much.

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