Consumer complaint received 2024-07-26
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (CO)

On Wed XXXX on XX/XX/2024, I was the victim of wiretransfer fraud. Despite immediate and repeated attempts to report the fraud, my bank Wells Fargo, willfully refused to assist me within the timeframe within which they could have reversed the fraudulenttransfers, resulting in the loss of almost {$19000.00}. 


Timeline of events : XXXX received the following text : " Wells Fargo : Did you attempt a XXXX for {$730.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX 

Reply Yes or NO Reply STOP to opt out of fraud text alerts. '' I replied " NO '' XXXX : I received a phone call from " Wells Fargo '' : During this call, individuals claimed my account had been accessed and requested my cooperation in closing my bank accounts and safely transferring my funds to my new Wells Fargo accounts. The individualsI spoke to had sufficientinformation about me and my accountswith Wells Fargo that the call seemed legitimate. The call and texts were consistent with other legitimate communication I had received from my bank in the past. The scam call included an automated Wells Fargo introduction and the perpetrators eventransferred me to " escalated security breach specialist. '' The fraudsters were extremely professional and orchestrated. However, I became suspicious immediatelyafter getting off the phone. 

At XXXX : Fraudulent call ended and I immediately began takingsteps to preventany fraudulent transfers. 

XXXX : First Attempt to Get Assistance Four minutes after thefraud was perpetrated, I called XXXX cancel any transfers. As I was making this call I departedto the WellsFargo Branch nearest to my home. The call lasted 1 minute 14 seconds before the call was disconnected or an employee of Wells Fargo terminated the call. I received no assistance in cancelling transfers. 

XXXX : Second Attempt to Get Assistance As I was en route to the Wells Fargo Branch I called a secondary Wells Fargo " help line '' at XXXX in an attempt to cancel the fraudulent transfers. This occurred six minutes after the fraud occurred.The call lasted 2 minutes 8 seconds beforewas disconnected or an employee of Wells Fargo terminated the call. I again receivedno assistance cancelling transfers. 

XXXX : Arrive at Wells Fargo Branch XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ( 3rd Attempt ) Ten minutes after the fraud occurred, I arrived at a Wells Fargo Branch XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX and immediately requested help in cancelling transfers. I was greeted by 3 different tellers who confirmed the fraud activity by running my debit card and told me they were unable to help me and that the only appointment they had available was at XXXX. I was given a business card by XXXX XXXX and told to call the general business lineXXXX ( which I had already called to no avail ). Once again, Wells Fargo 's customer service representatives did not provide any substantive help in canceling the transfers. 

XXXX : Fourth Attempt to Get Assistance. 

While still at the branch, I was instructed by XXXX XXXX to call XXXX to report fraud. The call lasted 7 minutes and 53 and once again, the Wells Fargo customer service representative ended the call and did not assist me. 

XXXX : Fifth Attempt to Get Assistance. 


While still at the branch, I was instructed by Wells Frago staff once again to callthe secondary Wells Fargo help line at XXXX. This call lasted 39 secondsbefore the call was disconnected or I was hung up on by Wells Fargo with no assistance in cancelling transfers. 


There was a crucial 30 minute window of time where the wire transfers could have been cancelled.Had any of the over XXXX Wells Fargo employees to provide me with this wire transfer phone number or connect me with the wire transfer department directly, These wire transfers could have been cancelled immediately and my money could have been retainedon the morning of XX/XX/XXXX. 

XXXX : Events after the XXXX minute window wherein the transfers could have been cancelled I was given a landline to use at the Wells Fargo Branch location for a chance to explain my situation yet again via phone call and was able to start the process of submitting claims without my calls being disconnected or dropped by Wells Fargo. I was still givenno assistance in cancelling transfers. 

During all of my phone calls and in person requests for help in cancelling the fraudulent wire transfers, not one employee from Wells Fargo was able to provide me the direct phone number for their wire transfers department or connect me with that department directly on XX/XX/XXXX. The number for this department isXXXX and I didnt even know it existed until Thursday afternoon when I enlisted the help of Officer XXXX XXXX XXXX from Colorado Bureau of Investigation XXXX 

A screenshot of my call log from XX/XX/XXXX is attched below. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Wells Fargo XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX : XXXXXXXX XXXX