Consumer complaint received 2022-01-30
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX around XXXX, I received a phone call with the caller ID showing as Wells Fargo and their phone number XXXX. I got nervous because we have had issues in the past with people hacking into our personal checking account and purchasing items. When this happens Wells Fargo has always called and asked if they were our purchases. We have had to close our credit cards numerous times and even close our personal checking account. Wells Fargo has always been extremely helpful and accommodating every time this has happened and have always reimbursed us our funds that were taken fraudulently. So on XX/XX/XXXX, when I saw Wells Fargo was calling I was already in the mindset that something happened. I answered and a man identified himself as " XXXX '' and that he worked for Wells Fargo. He told me that someone had hacked into our account and taken {$3000.00} and it went to a TD Bank account. That did not raise any flags because we also have a TD Bank account and that is larger than our Wells Fargo personal account. So he got my attention. He asked if I or my husband had been traveling in XXXX ( I believe ) and if we allowed anyone named " XXXX '' to use our account. I told him no on both questions. He then said that I needed to use my XXXX account through my Wells Fargo account to make a payment to receive the money. I should have hung up at this point, but I was still thinking about how this has happened in past and I believed I was talking to a Wells Fargo rep and even looked back on my phone to confirm it was a Wells Fargo number. I told him I didn't have a XXXX account. A sidenote, I had heard of XXXX before, but never used or even knew anyone that used this, so I was unaware of the ins and outs of it. He told me I needed to open a XXXX account so I can make sure to receive back the {$3000.00} that was taken from me. He gave me step by step instructions on how to do this. I started it and opened account. He said he sent me a code and that he needed the code from me to make sure I was reimbursed. I received the code and provided him the number. He then told me to pay {$3000.00} to myself via XXXX and that my account would replenish within 24 hours. I started getting nervous, but again believed I was speaking to Wells Fargo and this was legitimate. I should have listened to my inner voice but didn't. I finished the whole process and he said thank you and again reassured me the money would be back in my account within 24 hours. We hung up and I instantly got sick to my stomach and thought I did something wrong. Within 5 minutes I called Wells Fargo and spoke to XXXX in Online Claims and told her what happened. She was kind and told me that there was a influx in " XXXX Scams ''. I told her that the phone number came over as Wells Fargo- she told me that scammers are getting better at it and able to " spoof '' the phone number. She told me she opened a claim and within 10 days I would receive the money back. I was instantly relieved! By XX/XX/XXXX, which was 15 days after I first called, I still hadn't heard anything. I called and spoke to XXXX XXXX I believe he was in the Online Fraud dept ) who told me that my claim had been closed on XX/XX/XXXX saying that they would not be reimbursing me any money. He said he would put a note into the claim requesting to reopen it. He then transferred me over to another department which I believe was online customer service or online claims. I then spoke to a woman ( I didn't get her name, I started getting quite emotional and could barely speak ), but asked if she would please reopen my claim. She said she would and instantly reopened it. I asked her what would happen next and she said they would go back through my claim to audit it and it would take another 10 days. I am in need of help to try and get my money back. 

I started googling after hanging up with Wells Fargo and found this on your website : unauthorized EFTs under Regulation E : ( 1 ) a third-party calling the consumer and pretending to be a representative from the consumers financial institution and then tricking the consumer into providing their account login information, texted account confirmation code, debit card number, or other information that could be used to initiate an EFT out of the consumers account, and ( 2 ) a third party using phishing or other methods to gain access to a consumers computer and observe the consumer entering account login information. EFTs stemming from these situations meet the Regulation E definition of unauthorized EFTs. 

This made me believe that your organization could possibly help me in retrieving the money that was taken. Please help!

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