Consumer complaint received 2020-12-30
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Traveler's check or cashier's check
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I was victim of scam, deceit and fraud in several transactions which are part of a larger fraudulent scheme to misappropriate funds from me. There are several matters I wanted to address in the investigation of the fraudulently endorsed check referenced above. 
Beginning on or about XX/XX/2020 I began a relationship with Mr. XXXX XXXX. 
there are two corporations which were used to further the fraud scheme.

As noted, two corporations were used to further the scheme. One of the corporations was directly involved in this particular transaction, XXXX, XXXX which was used as a secondary entity through which funds were laundered and used for the personal benefit of XXXX XXXX. I have included corporate documents downloaded from the Secretary of States office. 
I direct you to the Domestic Stock Statement officially filed on XX/XX/2020, with a corporate ID number of XXXX. You will notice in the box denoting Officers of the corporation, I am listed as the following : Chief Executive Officer ; Secretary ; and, Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, I am listed as sole Director as well as Agent for Service of Process. It wasnt until we recently secured this document that I discovered, I held the noted offices as well as being the only director of the corporation. On paper, I ran the corporation exclusively, although I was neither asked, nor did I give permission to XXXX XXXX to attach My name in any context to the corporation. XXXX XXXX appointed me to the seat of authority not to aid the direction of the corporation but to ensure I appeared as the sole responsible figurehead in the event the corporation incurred any liabilities. ( In a transaction unrelated to this transaction, XXXX, XXXX was involved in a {$110000.00} purchase of a XXXX Motorcar orchestrated by Mr. XXXX XXXX. I was totally oblivious to my name included on the corporate documents and had no involvement with the company. My inclusion in the corporate documents was merely to create falsified information As stated above, I was not in a formal relationship with XXXX until XX/XX/2020. Within nine days, XXXX had already implemented the beginnings of his plan. The Domestic Stock Statement is dated XX/XX/2020. Allowing for filing turnaround time, this document had to be in the Secretary of States filing system within hours of the beginning of their relationship, on XX/XX/XXXX. The importance of XX/XX/XXXX, will soon be made evident. 
XXXX later convinced me to loan him money which was to be paid back with the monies he claimed he held in XXXX. One of the loan checks written was in the amount of {$68000.00}, the subject cashiers check. Despite me wanting to make the check out to XXXX personally, he had me make the check to XXXX, XXXX We have attached a copy of the check, front and back. The payor is XXXX Bank. 
CFPB Page 2 of 2 The check is dated XX/XX/2020, the same date the Domestic Stock Statement was filed with the Secretary of State, unbeknownst to me XXXX XXXX. The funds were drawn against XXXX XXXX and were payable to XXXX, XXXX. In speaking to your representative XXXX XXXX has expressed a concern with how the check was endorsed. XXXX has returned the check and has served a subpoena against Wells Fargo Bank for relevant documents. 
Despite the check being made payable to a corporation, the check is endorsed as an individual and not on behalf of the named corporate entity, by someone with authority as is required under California law. Moreover, given that myself XXXX XXXX named as every officer and sole director, I would be the only individual capable of authorizing any endorsement of the cashiers check. 
Consequently, without any authorization from me XXXX XXXX, this is a fraudulent endorsement perpetrated by XXXX XXXX, notwithstanding the check wasnt endorsed as required by California law on behalf of the corporate entity. 
The information provided is squarely relevant to this analysis and shows beyond the fraudulent endorsed check, the larger scheme to defraud me XXXX XXXX XXXX who is likewise trying to defraud. 

I look forward to hearing back from you. 

Sincerely,

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