Consumer complaint received 2024-07-02
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (MT)

We have been using Wells Fargo Credit cards for our business since they talked us into using them due to all of the " benefits '' that they would provide. They even talked us into auto payment to make things more convenient. We order XXXX XXXX of dollars per month via the credit card in parts to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Due to the credit limit on the account we would have to pay the card sometimes XXXX times a month so that we could continue to order parts. This worked great for several years. As we were closing out for the end of the year we kept coming up very short on money and were having a very hard time making payroll for our employees. We kept digging until we found that Fraud had occurred on our credit card over 2 days XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX right after the XXXX. Since this was done over a holiday and in a very short period of 2 days it did not show up amongst all of the other part charges that we had in peak season. The total in credit card XXXX was XXXX done over XXXX transactions in a few different states including Florida and Washington. We immediately turned in the fraud on XX/XX/XXXX. They credited the money back to our card on XX/XX/XXXX and we were able to make payroll. We thought all was well until the charged it all back to our account again on XX/XX/XXXX and started sending denial letters stating that I approved the fraud. We were asked to file a police report and we did that right away and it is attached as well. We have attached many of the denial letters. It seems to be standard procedure to just deny any claim as they did not even know why they were denying the fraud in the beginning. They kept saying that I approved it and it was purchased in person. They then kept asking me If I let anyone else use my card to which I responded, " it is always in my right front pocket and No one uses it but me ''. 
A private investigator named XXXX was assigned to the case and she was able to prove that it was Fraud and has information on how they were committing the crime by using a fake website and selling discounted products that they would in tern purchase with our credit card. XXXX said that the money was all going back to the XXXX XXXX. XXXX phone number is XXXX. XXXX told me on the phone calls that she is 100 % certain that it is fraud, but she said good luck on getting your money back. 
They kept denying the fraud with the attached letters saying that I authorized the purchases and therefore the fraud. After a few denials, they started saying that by me continuing to make payments on the account that I was accepting the fraud. Keep in mind that they talked me into having the account on auto payments and we needed to keep using this card to stay in business as all of our parts are run through this line of credit. This is very frustrating as it is clearly fraud and they are trying everything to not make it right with us. 
We were then assigned another investigator named XXXX and finally, another one named XXXX. XXXX and XXXX also agreed that from the research that they have done that this was clearly fraud and they was hoping it would be taken care of. We have re-opened this case more than 5 times since they keep closing it in attempts to just make it go away. We very much would liked to have seen this fraud sooner than we did, but if diamonds get stolen from a jewelry store and they finally catch the culprit, he has to return the diamonds. 
When we called the places that were in Florida and Washington it was found that the purchases were made over the phone and they did not properly follow procedures to check the credit card or any signatures. This completely blows my mind that someone could make these large purchases over the phone and not even have to sign for them. 99 % of everything purchased on this card came from the same XXXX vendors. I am very disappointed with Wells Fargo for not even questioning these charges as they were all out of state and products and services that we have never purchased before. Please look at the notes and the letters that they keep sending as they never planned on paying back any money on any of this and they were only looking for a way to get out of it from the beginning. We have been having a very hard time making payroll since they have taken this money from us again.