Consumer complaint received 2017-11-01
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
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 I reported suspected fraudulent/criminal activity on my Wells Fargo checking account. electronic checks were deposited into my account by parties unknown. I was given a new checking account, new checks/debit card were ordered ; & I was told to call Online Fraud. I did. They gave me ref numbers for 3 checks that had been electronically deposited into my account, told me to get spyware/virus protection ; told me that their Research department would contact me in 5 business  days. I 've expressed concern XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX because my NEW account has remained overdrawn by WF nearly XXXX to the present overdraft of XXXX & the research dept did n't ever call me. My attempts to contact them via telephone have been stonewalled. As a XXXX senior, my XXXX/SSI checks for XX/XX/XXXX will be  compromised because WF Bank has now over drawn my account for an amount with no transaction history, in an amount that was NOT one of three fraudulent checks. I had extreme difficulty obtaining a reference number to dispute the present overdraft. On XX/XX/XXXX, I was told that WF Bank would re-direct my SSI/XXXX checks from DD to my old account to my new overdrawn account without my consent. It now seems that WF bank is attempting to make me responsible for their processing of fraudulent documents before I was aware of the fraud. WF bank also tried to force me to NOT dispute the present overdraft. On XX/XX/XXXX I was told that disputing the present overdraft would freeze any collection attempts on my account. On XX/XX/XXXX  I was told that disputing the overdraft would n't stop WF Bank from using my SSI/XXXX money to collect the overdraft. I will be left totally destitute by WF Bank. Despite the fact that WF Bank claimed to have returned the fraudulent checks, I 'm being penalized for an overdraft that has NO transaction record, was n't one of the fraudulent checks, and did NOT show up in my old bank account records. It seems that I was hung out for bait when fraudulent documents were first presented to my account and WF Bank made NO effort to inform or warn me, but instead attempted to entrap me. This has caused me the kind of stress and suffering that could literally kill me as it has exacerbated my XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX my XXXX & SSI checks will be re-directed to my new account, though I have NOT given my new account number to SSI/XXXX. WF Bank is trying to cover its own tracks, is not treating me with transparency/honesty despite my 14 year history with them. I am the victim, but I 'm being treated like the criminal. My life is now totally compromised. For 13 days I have been told numerous lies by representatives of WF Bank, and treated like dirt. I was even told I had to leave a bank when I became upset that a bank manager sat calmly in my face and told me that WF bank was going to re-direct my SSI/XXXX checks from hitting my old account into my new significantly overdrawn account. This is a WF Bank attempt to cover up their poor business practices. Were I rich and XXXX this would not be happening to me. They would make every attempt to find the perpetrators of this fraud/criminal activity on their bank, instead of going after me and burning my life to the ground. On XX/XX/XXXX I was told by WF Bank that it would be 10 business days ( from XX/XX/XXXX ) instead of 5 before someone from their research department contacted me. Their research department has n't ever contacted me. All attempts to resolve this problem have been initiated by me. My account has been kept in overdrawn status so that I can not even close the account, so the bank can take my only money. I 'm betting they will be willing to close my account after they take all of my money. According to photos WF Bank has sent me, these checks were purported to have been drawn on some loan company. But WF Bank is n't going after them. Only me. I need help. I am a XXXX dependent of a XXXX veteran. Your form does n't have a space for XXXX, only retired.

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 monetary relief