Consumer complaint received 2023-03-19
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:
XX/XX/XXXX23 @ approx. XXXX XXXX, I received 2 texts from Wells Fargo asking if I'd authorized a XXXX transaction for {$3500.00} to someone in XXXX. I responded NO. Got a text saying a Wells Fargo representative would contact me shortly. 

Received a call from someone who identified himself as XXXX XXXX from Wells Fargo. I was at work at this time ( I work in a school setting and my students were unsupervised adding to my extreme stress ). During the call I expressed concern and he told me he was called from Wells Fargo Customer Service and that I should check the number he was called from - when I did it showed up as the Wells Fargo Customer Service number. He asked questions and led me through a series of steps to open a XXXX account so I could received this stolen money back. When I tried to ask questions he got impatient and stressed great urgency to complete this. He gave a case # XXXX and told me for security reasons not to access my account for 24-48 hours. 
I texted my husband at XXXX. He went directly to our local XXXX branch but didn't really know what had transpired due to my short text. He was told there shouldn't be a problem. I called him as soon as I was able at XXXX and told him what had happened. He went back to the bank and was told by a banker, XXXX XXXX, that I had been scammed. He told my husband to have me file a claim and he thought we'd be able to get the money back. 
As soon as I got home I filed the claim. 
I received a letter ( undated but received XX/XX/XXXX ) referencing our claim and saying there was nothing they could do since the funds had been transferred. I called XXXX as soon as I got home and talked to XXXX. I expressed that this wasn't handled to our satisfaction and asked who else I could talk to. She told there was no one else I could talk to but she would send me the documents that were used in making this decision. 
We received the documents on XX/XX/XXXX ( letter dated XXXX ). After studying the documents I was not able to understand one of them and the quality was too poor to read clearly, so on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX I called XXXX seeking clarification. XXXX was unable to answer my questions, she did not have a copy of what was sent to me, and I was not able to talk to the person who prepared the documents. I also asked about the possibility of an appeal and she said no. My question was regarding a XXXX  Modification History with the same XXXX as was used in my scam. Since I couldn't read this portion, I wanted to know if it was included because this individual had scammed others. The answer I go was WellsFargo won't say if this person has done this before, that XXXX asks the other bank to return that money and if they don't that's all they can do. 
I realize they are claiming I initiated this transaction, but I did so under duress. Also, I have never had a XXXX account and I think they should have questioned the transaction due to that fact and the large amount. I also feel the documentation provided was inadequate, and without being able to discuss it with anyone I'm not even sure what it means.

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