Consumer complaint received 2024-04-08
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (TX)

On Monday, XX/XX/year> I received a call from Wells Fargo that there was suspicious activity. I confirmed did not make the charges ( XXXX {$2000.00} withdrawels ) and ordered a new debit card with a new pin number. The money from the XXXX charges were replaced in my checking account. 

On Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX, I Waited at my house until XXXX for the new debit card, to sign for but it did not show up. I left for work where I received another call of suspicious activity from Wells Fargo ( XXXX more {$2000.00} withdrawals ). While on the phone, I changed my online WF password and requested they freeze account. They said that someone had called in the automated system, increased my atm withdrawal, moved my savings to checkings, and withdrew from a post office atm several times. I asked the atm withdrawal limit to be reduced. I then moved the remainder of my savings back to savings. They put back the fraudulent charges as well but said that I needed to go to a branch in person since more fraudulent charges seemed to be occurring that day. The representative gave me a confirmation number for the claim and said they put a note to not accept automated phone call changes until I was in the branch in person to confirm identity. 

I called the automated WF system on XXXX XXXX home to make sure the pin change was effective, but it was not. It would still only accept the original pin and my account did not seem to be frozen. I spoke to another rep and asked them freeze the account and update a new pin AGAIN and they said they saw no notes and no claim. They also noted more suspicious activity but I was not able to confirm the exact amounts while driving. 

When I arrived at the branch they said all bankers were busy. I explained my situation and eventually was recommended to just remove all my money from my accounts so I did. {$10000.00} was removed from my savings and checking accounts. Finally a banker was able to see me and she called to make another claim when we realized there were even more charges to my account. The claim ended up being for {$11000.00} which was withdrawn from an atm. They said the amount was too high to just reimburse this time and that I must wait XXXX business days for review. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called to check the status of my claim and was told they didn't recognize the claim number so I must be seen in a branch again. The phone system still used my original pin not the new one and again they found no notes on my account. They also said another card was ordered even though I repeatedly asked them not to open a card since I still don't know what happened to the first replacement. 

The next day I went into the branch and met the same banker who called claims and found that my claim was denied due to lack of evidence it fraudulent. We both asked the representative if they had pulled the video of the atm and where the atms were and the representative said they could not reveal that information. the banker then did a lost stolen account transfer and I changed my username and password online. While there the banker asked about a cash advance of {$7500.00} from my credit card which I hadn't even seen so I called to file a claim on that as well. The banker recommended a police report even though the claims XXXX said it wouldn't help or affect their decision. 

I filed a police report of the theft. I am still missing over {$11000.00} which I thought was protected in my savings. All the XXXX  had to do was clone my debit card and steal my pin to succeed. Despite all the steps I tried to make to protect my account, Wells Fargo was allowed all of this to occur with their automated phone system then had the audacity to refuse to confirm and approve my claims.