Consumer complaint received 2024-06-07
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (OH)

To Whom It May Concern, I am reaching out to you today to let you know about an issue with Wells Fargo, specifically the credit card division. I called in earlier today ( XX/XX/year> ) because I was concerned that the previous case I filed with the Comptroller of Currency, that was forwarded to you, XXXX, was closed as soon as Wells Fargo submitted a response. Is there oversight regarding their response? Their response was illogical. Here is a brief synopsis of what I have been dealing with the last 8 months. 
I have filed many disputes/claims with Wells Fargo for a charge that was posted to my credit card back in XXXX. I have many details to give but basically it was for a hotel. It was a 3rd party hotel site made to look like the actual hotel. I received a verification code from the credit card in order to authorize the transaction. I did not enter the code, exited out of the site, and called/booked with the hotel directly. Wells Fargo is siding with the 3rd party company because I agreed to their " no refund '' policy. That is not the problem. The problem is that the charge should have never touched my card without me entering the code. This was obviously a FRAUDULENT Charge. If you XXXX the 3rd party company, you will see all the other reviews of them spoofing many hotel sites and overcharging people for rooms that they never actually get. See XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX For the first few disputes they would not even acknowledge the verification code issue. Then, I believe after the XXXX appeal ( I have everything written out in chronological order ), they blamed XXXX. I was also told by Wells Fargo that because the verification code is issued by XXXX XXXX, that it should be resolved by them. However, when I spoke with XXXX XXXX they told me I was misinformed that XXXX could assist me. They said, When using XXXX XXXX to shop online, the cardholder is always interacting directly with the card issuer, not XXXX. Once I sent my emails from XXXX to Wells Fargo, their story changed once again. 
Now, they are refusing to refund me the money becauseit is up to the merchants discretion to initiate the requirement for the XXXX XXXX ID. If a specific merchant does not require the XXXX XXXX ID, the transaction is still able to be processed without a customer having to input a one-time passcode even if XXXX is received from their card issuer. So, if you are allowing any merchant, fraudulent or not, to have the right to accept or deny the code, then how will you ever know if a charge is legit or fraudulent? XXXX XXXX of the codes is to protect the customers from fraudulent charges. How this is allowed, I do not know. It may not be illegal, but it sure is unethical and jeopardizes every single cardholder that has a card with Wells Fargo. I am a self-employed, small business woman and, unfortunately, do not have the funds to hire a lawyer to dispute this further. This is a fraudulent charge and Wells Fargo is refusing to protect me from a charge. The response that a merchant can choose to use the verification code that is supposed to be put in place specifically to protect customers, makes no sense and seems to be a way to steal my almost {$700.00}. 
I am writing this to you because I want to make consumers aware of XXXX XXXX practices so this doesnt happen to someone else. If you would like to discuss this further, I am more than willing too. 
Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX