Consumer complaint received 2016-07-05
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Other bank product/service
Issue: Using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX 2016 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX provided a entry level basic paint service to a Visa card holder XXXX XXXX. The card holder paid for the services with his Visa card. In XXXX 2016 we received a letter from Wells Fargo Bank Merchant Services XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX stating the card holder had put a dispute on charges claiming he is unhappy with the services and he had contacted XXXX and he was denied service or a refund. XXXX responded to the Merchant services that XXXX had no record of the card holder on anyone else on behalf of the card holder ever contacting our center to file any complaint or dispute on any services we have provided. XXXX provided copies of the Repair Order Contract, Final Invoice, Completion Certificate and Guaranty of Payment all signed by the customer to the merchant services. After review charge back was returned to XXXX. In XXXX 2016 we received another letter from Wells Fargo Merchant Services stating the card holder insisting he he is not satisfied with the service and claiming he has contacted XXXX and he was denied service or refund without any specifics. Once again XXXX responded with another letter to Merchant Services that neither XXXX repair center nor the XXXX toll free Customer Service has any record of the alleged customer ever contacting us to report any claim or dispute of any kind. We requested the XXXX XXXX to have the card holder contact us for followup. We have tried to contact the card holder via the contact information he had provided on his invoice in XXXX and have left voice mail with no reply. Wells Fargo Merchant Service returned the charge back to the card holder favoring card holder 's claim of contacting XXXX and refusal of XXXX to provid service or refund. We have requested Wells Fargo to provide us with any specifics, information dates time etc and they have not been able to. Rules and regulations in Charge Back Management Guideline for Visa Merchant Section XXXX : XXXX XXXX, states : " The cardholder claims that the terms of the sale were misrepresented by the merchant for this reason, the cardholder must have made a valid attempt to resolve the dispute or return the merchandise.Based on information provided and the card holder 's attempts to avoid having contact with XXXX, and XXXX 's inability to reach the cardholder via contact information he had provided thus preventing XXXX to have any opportunity to examine and substantiate any claim, we believe this is a classic case of what is referred to as Friendly Fraud. Fraud is one of the most common methods cardholders use to file a chargeback. Chargeback fraud occurs when a customer files a chargeback on a legitimate transaction instead of following the merchant 's procedures for requesting a refund. Well-intentioned customers may accidentally commit chargeback fraud because they are ignorant of the differences between a traditional refund and a bank-issued refund. They do n't know what chargeback fraud is and incorrectly assume a chargeback is simply an easier way to get their money back.Other consumers are aware of the loopholes in the chargeback process and knowingly abuse this consumer protection mechanism. For example, a customer will authorize a credit card transaction and later file a fraudulent chargeback once the item has been received. In this case, chargeback fraud is committed in the hopes of getting something for free. We believe the Wells Fargo Bank Merchant Services is in direct violation of Visa Chargeback Management Guide Section XXXX : Chargeback Reason Codes XXXX Merchant Services has failed to investigate the dispute to verify if the card holder 's claims of contacting XXXX and XXXX refusal is true. As a result XXXX has been defrauded. Please investigate and advise. Thank you XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX

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