Consumer complaint received 2023-06-17
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: PA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Deposits and withdrawals

Complaint:
On XX/XX/23, at approximately XXXX to XXXX, my wife, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX a phone call on her cell phone from a male individual ( sounded like an XXXX accent ) stating that he was a Wells Fargo Bank Fraud Representative calling from Wells Fargo Bank and that there was potential fraud activity taking place in our Wells Fargo Checking Account. 
This male, posing as a Wells Fargo Customer Fraud Representative, indicated that a wire transfer of {$10000.00} was attempting to be sent from our Wells Fargo Checking Account to an individual named XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX was initially on guard for potential fraud, and indicated that to this male, but he said to Look at the phone number on the back of your debit cardyou will see that it is the same number that I am calling from. After checking and seeing that the call appeared to be coming from that same number on the back of her debit card, XXXX XXXX then accepted that he was legitimate and proceeded to follow his instructions. 
Per his instructions, she provided the Username and Password of our Online Checking account to this male, and she followed his instructions as text messages were received into her cell phone and he advised how to respond to them. Again these text messages appeared legitimate and to come from Wells Fargo Customer Service. 
XXXX XXXX alerted her husband, XXXX XXXX, and he began to listen in to the phone call. 
XXXX and XXXX grew suspicious, and at XXXX XXXX XXXX the Customer Service Number on the back of the debit card for Wells Fargo XXXX their landline ( XXXX ) while XXXX XXXX still on her call with this suspicious individual. XXXX call lasted XXXX minutes and XXXX seconds with a legitimate Wells Fargo Customer Service Representative, and XXXX explained his suspicions to the Rep about the entire situation thus far. That Customer Service rep stated that the call that the individual that my wife was currently on her cell phone with was a legitimate Wells Fargo Customer Service Rep and there was nothing to worry about. ( As all of these calls are recorded, XXXX call should be on a recording at Wells Fargo ). 
After both XXXX and XXXX concluded their calls at approximately XXXX, they checked their online account and saw the fraudulent wire transfer for {$10000.00}. 
XXXX then immediately called Wells Fargo Customer Service to stop the wire transfer. Unfortunately, per Wells Fargo, it was too late. 
While reviewing their account at that time, XXXX and XXXX then noticed a series of transactions/charges dated XX/XX/23 and XX/XX/23 that were also fraudulent. 
We then informed Wells Fargo of these fraudulent charges, cancelled XXXX debit card, requested a new debit card for her, and then changed our online banking username and password. 
Wells Fargo credited back {$820.00} as a provisional credit on XX/XX/23 pending resolution of those fraudulent charges. 
Wells Fargo informed us on XX/XX/23 that our initial claim for the {$10000.00} was denied, and we immediately requested an appeal. We were told that another Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX will contact us within 2 business days and we expect to hear from them by XX/XX/23.

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