Consumer complaint received 2021-10-30
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Banking errors

Complaint:
XX/XX/2021 The XXXX Family Trust XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX Wells Fargo Claims Assistance Center Check Fraud Claims XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, NC XXXX Subject : Claim # XXXX Dear Check Fraud Claims Department : We are in receipt of your letter of XX/XX/2021 ( attached ) indicating that you will not take further action on the possible fraud on our account. You indicate that this needs to be resolved directly between you and PAYEE. However, we have no knowledge whatsoever of the PAYEE that you allowed to deposit this fraudulent check into a personal Wells Fargo account. 

Your initial determination based on our request is not acceptable because Wells Fargo clearly accepted a tampered check, apparently deposited remotely by smart phone based on the language on the back of the check. On XX/XX/2021 one of your employees reviewing the check after deposit called us to indicate that it was a tampered check and that we should call the fraud department of Wells Fargo immediately. The check had already been posted on XX/XX/2021 so it was too late to put a hold on it. 

Please review the enclosed cashed check number XXXX which we copied from the Wells Fargo website. I wrote the check to XXXX for {$14.00}. The check was modified to 1. change the XXXX to XXXX  which doesnt match the first name signed on the back of the check 2. include a last name Gibson and 3. change the amount from {$14.00} to {$400.00}.

An untrained eye can clearly see the first name on the front of the check XXXX  doesnt match the first name on the back of the check XXXX XXXX Second, the name XXXX added to the payee line on the front of the check has the same handwriting as the XXXX on the signature of the back check. Next, there is a faint 1 in front of the 4 in the digits portion of the check. Also, in the amount written out in words, one can clearly see that after the Four there was a teen that has been partially erased. Lastly, the 55 handwriting in the digits portion does not match the 55 over 100 in the written-out portion. Because of these clear fraudulent modifications to the check, we conclude that Wells Fargo acted in error in accepting a check that Wells Fargo identified as having been tampered with. 

Please deposit the {$400.00} back into our checking account that was erroneously withdrawn by Wells Fargo based on this tampered check. We have reported your lack of action thus far to the Attorney General of the State of California, Consumer Complaint of a Business/Corporation as well as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding this matter. 

We look forward to a positive outcome from you shortly, With regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Cc : Consumer Complaint Against a Business/Corporation , Public Inquiry Unit Office of the Attorney General XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX Cc : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , filed on line at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : Wells Fargo letter dated XX/XX/2021 Front and back of cashed Check # XXXX from Wells Fargo website

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