Consumer complaint received 2024-09-10
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Cashing a check
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (NY)

I am the victim of check fraud. When I realized that a check was altered and fraudulently deposited, I contacted Wells Fargo and they have refused to provide me with information that I requested and has seemed to be actively trying to deny my fraud claim. Here is the timeline of events up to now : On XX/XX/year>, I mailed out a check that was made to XXXX XXXX XXXX. The check was for business coaching services and placed in an envelope and mailed to XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX. The check was mailed out from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

On XX/XX/year>, the recipient, XXXX XXXX, informed me that the check hasnt arrived yet. I checked the deposit posted on XXXX XXXX website and I noticed that the check was altered - someone changed who the check was addressed to. I subsequently called Wells Fargo to report that the check was fraudulently deposited. They said that they would do an investigation and it would finish within XXXX weeks and I would get the money back. They also advised to freeze the current checking account and get a new checking account which I did. 

On XX/XX/year> - I called Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX department bc nobody called me back concerning the fraud claim. They said that the fraud claim was denied by the XXXX. She said she couldnt give me any more information except that the claim was denied and it was deposited at a XXXXXXXX XXXX. I asked for why it was denied and to give me the name of the XXXX but she refused to tell me. She said that she will send a message to have the XXXX call me tomorrow morning or Thursday morning ( XX/XX/year> ). 

On XX/XX/year> I called the fraud department bc I didnt receive a call from the XXXX and I wanted to make sure that person would call me. I asked again but the representative in the claims department wouldnt give me any information or clarification about my case again and said that the case XXXX would call me. They couldn't call me this morning bc it's too early for them bc they're on the XXXX XXXX They said to wait to give them time to call me back which is normally XXXX business days, so that would be by the end of tomorrow. 

On XX/XX/year> I received a XXXX  XXXX XXXX form in the mail that was dated XX/XX/year>. The form requested to be returned in the envelope provided or directly to my local Wells Fargo branch. 

On XX/XX/year> I went to my local Wells Fargo branch to submit the XXXX XXXX XXXX form as instructed. I had the XXXX  XXXX XXXX form notorized and submitted by the local branch banker XXXX XXXX. He called the XXXX department to let them know that I was submitting the form and to find the exact fax number. He faxed it to the fraud department and gave me the forms back. 

On XX/XX/year> I received another XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX form which said XXXX needed to resolve your fraud claim follow-up notice. It was dated XX/XX/year>. It did not list what documents were needed. 

On XX/XX/year> I called the Wells Fargo XXXX department to ask why they sent me another XXXX XXXX XXXX form and if I needed to fill out that form if I already submitted the form previously. The representative said that the documents that needed to be submitted were the carbon copy of the check or the invoice. I told him I had both. He put it a note into the system to tell the XXXX that I would be submitting the documents. 

On XX/XX/year> I went to my local Wells Fargo branch to submit the XXXX XXXX XXXX form again with the documents carbon copy of the check and the invoice. The banker was XXXX XXXX XXXX. She faxed the form for me and also shipped it by XXXX overnight. In the evening, when I went home, I received a mail dated XX/XX/year> that the claim was closed bc they couldnt contact me on XX/XX/year> ( but I never received a call and even called the fraud department about it ) and they didnt receive the requested documents. I also received another XXXX  XXXX XXXX form. They closed my claim a second time in a matter of XXXX  days and I received a XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX form to fill out.