Consumer complaint received 2022-10-25
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NV
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
To Whom It May Concern : Im writing in regard to a fraud claim that I have filed with Wells Fargo Bank. 

On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX I received a text at XXXX which stated Wells Fargo Alert Transaction for {$430.00} at XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX. Text Y if recognized. I DID NOT respond to the text message. Shortly after receiving the text, my phone rang at XXXX with a caller ID from Wells Fargo and phone number showing XXXX. I answered the call because I recognized the phone number on my WF debit card. The man calling said he was from Wells Fargo Fraud Security Department, and he wanted to verify some transactions trying to post to my account. He then said he needed to verify my identity and sent me a code ( from Wells Fargo ) to read back to him. This is a standard procedure of Wells Fargo that I have been asked before, so I assumed it was legit. He proceeded to read transactions that I did not do and some that I did do from my checking account. I trusted he was indeed calling from Wells Fargo because he knew my account activity. He then proceeded to file claims and give me reference numbers to go along with them for each transaction. Towards the end of the phone call, he asked for my PIN number, and I said " NO I never give out my PIN number ''. I then started to worry and when I hung up the phone and I immediately called Wells Fargo as I was nervous something was wrong. While on the phone I drove to my local branch and waited in the parking lot for them to open. The banker informed me that this man was not a Wells Fargo employee. This man who was a Wells Fargo imposter hacked into my online banking and changed my password. He was transferring money in my accounts during this call without my knowledge. I never gave him my account numbers, passwords, PIN number or any authorization to transfer any kind of money or access my account. He transferred {$20000.00} from my Wells Fargo credit card ( that I never use & Ive had since I was XXXX old ) and moved it to my business checking account. He also transferred {$1200.00} from my personal checking account and moved it to my business checking account. He then used an additional {$1300.00} from my business checking and sent a wire transfer totaling {$22000.00} out of my business checking account to someone I DO NOT know. I DID NOT authorize any of this!!!!! Im amazed how this amount of money was able to be transferred without some kind of red flag to the bank. 

With the assistance of the banker, we filed a fraud claim over the phone. I did a lost stolen transfer on all of my accounts and changed all of my bank card numbers. When I called to check on the status of my claim, I was told that Wells Fargo never made a claim on the wire transfer I reported the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, so they filed another one. I later received a letter stating that my request done on XX/XX/XXXX ( was actually XX/XX/XXXX ) was denied. Another letter I received from XXXX XXXX XXXX  stated that wire recall requests were sent on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. Again, not referencing the day I made the claim on XX/XX/XXXX. I was given a letter stating that I am responsible for online wires using my username and password. This man changed my password and fraudulently accessed my account without my knowledge! I have since escalated my claim and have the branch manager and branch banker trying to help as much as they can ; however, we are all getting the run around every time we call. Wells Fargo has also reported my credit card for being over the limit and now my credit is at stake. This should not have been done as it is still under investigation. Im disputing this with the credit reporting agency as well. The inconsistency of information I have received is unbelievable. It has been over a month and it has begun to take a toll on my physical and mental health. 

As a small business owner, I feel discriminated against because I am not a High Value Customer and not viewed as a high priority to Wells Fargo. I am being treated as if the matter is not urgent. It is extremely urgent to me, I DO NOT have this amount of money to lose. I have been a loyal Wells Fargo customer for 24 years and I am not being treated as a valued or protected customer. I feel completely violated! I have been stolen from using the online tools that Wells Fargo provides and Wells Fargo has done nothing to make me whole again. I know Wells Fargo has fraud insurance and thought my money was protected. I am seeking legal advice as this is 100 % fraud and the way I have been treated throughout this process is not acceptable. I believe that my claim is still being investigated but its unclear. I sincerely hope that Wells Fargo will do the right thing before I am forced to take legal action. 

Please restore all the funds that were stolen from me and resolve this matter immediately before my credit is further impacted. I filed a police report on XX/XX/XXXX as well.

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