Consumer complaint received 2021-11-16
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
on XXXX - I received the First call from ( XXXX ) was declined by me. Second Phone call received about someone trying to use my debit card at XXXX XXXX. The individual said his name was XXXX from WellsFargo, said it was a recorded line and verified my information. XXXX said the transaction declined and proceeded with replacing my card. While on the phone, I received a text alert from phone # XXXX ( Wellsfargo Text ) at XXXX XXXX about a wire transfer of {$13000.00}, followed by another text from the phone # XXXX that XXXX XXXX has been added as a wire transfer recipient and told me to call ( XXXX ) which is the same phone number i was already on the phone with to dispute the debit card transaction. I told " XXXX '' that someone has initiated a wire transfer and to stop it, he said the wired transaction could not be stopped until it goes through. i stayed on the phone with XXXX and watched the wire transaction complete and which XXXX told me he would make sure my money was returned to me by the end of the day. this call lasted XXXX  hours on the phone. on this call i only shared the first personal code from # XXXX ( XXXX ) and i never shared no other personal code except that arrived while i was on the phone because i felt it was weird to receive multiple codes while already on the phone with XXXX. After getting off the phone with XXXX, i then called ( XXXX ) back to verify if XXXX would be looking into the individual who initiated the wire transfer and i was told that would be the case. 

XXXX -I called the XXXX police department and I reported my case, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX took my call and wrote down everything. Sent me an email with a fraud packet to complete and send back. I completed and sent the email, called him to verify and he told me an investigator would be assigned to my case and would follow-up with me on Monday, XXXX. my case # XXXX  XXXX. 

XXXX - I called WellsFargo, XXXX and spoke with a rep, XXXX, he said he could not find any records of my phone call the day before and I had to explain everything to him including telling him what phone number called me ( XXXX ). After several minutes on the phone, XXXX was able to locate some information about my claim but he said that it looks like i called in to initiate the wire transfer instead of me getting the phone call. He verified that the entry was made by XXXX which i assured him was wrong. XXXX proceeded with submitting a fraud case for me ( case # XXXX ) and told me to call ( XXXX ) for updates. he recommended that i change my user name and password. he also recommended i ran a virus scan on my phone. he said the letter of my claims submission is the mail and the case will take 7-10 business days to resolve and i should get a phone call and a letter in the mail regarding the resolution. XXXX also closed my current account ending in XXXX and opened a new one ending in XXXX he stopped all out going payments and put a hard stop on the account ending in XXXX and said all transactions would be paid out of the account for the next 90 days. he gave me reference # XXXX to verify new account and a new card would arrive in 5-7 business days. he told me to through away all checks with ties to account ending in XXXX. 

XXXX - Before going into the XXXX branch, I logged into the wellsfargo app reviewed the Alerts and Messages, this is what I saw : XXXX on XXXX - someone signed up for wire enrollment. // XXXX on XXXX - Wire Transfer Recipient Added. // XXXX on XXXX - wire transfer initiated. // XXXX on XXXX - changes to your delivery preferences. all of these changes WERE NOT done by me and these changes were done and i was not notified until the wired transfer was already initiated- which is weird because i had push notification and text notification set up that normally sent me an alert everytime a change is made by me for verification. 

XXXX - I went to the WellsFargo XXXX XXXX and met with banker XXXX XXXX, I told her about my current issues, showed her the phone number that called me the day, my notes from talking to XXXX earlier in the day and his suggestions to move forward. XXXX reviewed my account to verify everything was done properly by XXXX, she then added a verbal password to verify myself while on the phone with WellsFargo moving forward. She also stated that WellsFargo is dealing with huge fraud cases all over the company. i told XXXX to discard my current debit card and to cancel the shipment of a new one. i did not want a debit card or checks or anything bank related. she then created another case for me and pushed up to the executive department to make sure they look into my case. she told me someone from the executive office would be reaching out to me. no one from the executive office never called me. 

XXXX - I called XXXX and spoke with claims rep XXXX who said my case was closed and WellsFargo will not refund my money. 

XXXX - I sent an email to XXXX, personal banker, XXXX TX XXXX, and told her that no one from the executive office had called me but when I called the ( XXXX ) a claims rep name XXXX told me my case was closed and wellsfargo will not refund my money. 

XXXX - Later that night, my debit card was used- another claim filled out- this was after it was shut off at branch, cut up at branch, and requested to NOT receive another debit card. 

XXXX - XXXX with Branch Manager, XXXX XXXX, met in person and talked about case. XXXX said she is aware of case and knows that XXXX XXXX has made the executive office and continues to follow-up with. I told her about someone stilling using my debit card on XXXX after the card was closed and discarded. she logged into the computer and notified me that someone had tried to use the same debit card ending in XXXX as recent as XXXX but the transactions were declined. she told me she is aware that wellsfargo was dealing with a lot of fraud issues at the moment and that she would do her best to make sure someone from the executive branch reaches out to me about my case. 

XXXX - I called XXXX, claims department, XXXX - claims rep, she said that wellsfargo had reached out to XXXX bank to recall the funds and can not do anything without a response from them. 

XXXX - XXXX XXXX, I spoke with XXXX XXXX the executive office -she said she reached out to claims to reconsider the the claim. They said unfortunately they could not return my funds. They believe I provide authorization to a XXXX party who was able to use it to get the money. She reached out to the research team for documentation to show i provided access to a XXXX party and got to their conclusion. She also said i have every right to use a legal team to obtain my money back. 

XXXX - XXXX XXXX, after receiving an email saying that my money would not be returned. I spoke with XXXX at the executive, called after reviewing the claims submitted by XXXX XXXX on my behave. He said that both wellsfargo and XXXX are supposed to assigned investigators to work together to resolve my claim about the wire transfer. He said this situation is common and they are currently dealing with a lot of fraud. people who usually commit such crimes used to be bankers and know what to do. often get the money as soon as it hits the other account. he asked if i had submitted a claim to the wired transfer department? he asked if i had report my issue to the cops? he suggested that policy is to go to court, subpoena for XXXX XXXX  to provide the info based on the account used and use it to take the individual to court and get my money back. 

XXXX - I received a call from XXXX XXXX, received call from XXXX XXXX she said she received my case a week ago and understands the urgency to get my money back. She said she has also spoken with XXXX XXXX and the XXXX branch manager, XXXX XXXX, yesterday XXXX. As of now, no new updates, she is waiting to hear something and will reach out when she has something. 

XXXX - I spoke with XXXX XXXX - XXXX Police Investigator assigned to case, XXXX, case # XXXX : a subpoena has been sent to XXXX XXXX XXXX and pending response with a due date of XXXX. she needs XXXX XXXX to confirm the information about XXXX XXXX and the bank account on file for the individual who received the wire transfer. she said if XXXX XXXX complys, the information should be received in XXXX weeks. XXXX has to wait and see if XXXX XXXX provides the bank account and she would use to verify the info provided by wellsfargo as the same person. an arrest would be made if it ends up being the same person. she told me to call wellsfargo and ask for the info/documents used to make the final judgement about not returning my money. 

XXXX - I called XXXX and spoke with XXXX - XXXX office staff who then connected me to connected me to XXXX XXXX, who claimed he meant to call me before he sent the email of the verdict. He claimed that even though my debit card was closed on XXXX, someone can still use it. He said after talking to the wire transfer group, the online banking team, and everyone else, he conclude that the access to my funds came via one time codes sent to me and i gave access to give someone else the funds. wellsfargo can not provide my money and as a courtesy, they reached out to XXXX XXXX to return the funds and they said no. he said XXXX XXXX  did not give a reason why, they simply said no. i asked XXXX to provide the name of the individual that wellsfargo reached out to at XXXX XXXX and he said that it was not an individual directly, but to a shared mailbox and someone with no name replied and said no. i asked that he shared the findngs that wellsfargo discovered that made them believe i am responsible for the transactions and he said he will reach out to his team and see what info can be shared. he said he would call me back on thursday, XXXX with the update. 

XXXX - I received a voicemail from XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I did not answer and he left a voicemail " that the info on file is secure and confidential info and my only option is to subpoena it through a legal team. ''

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