Consumer complaint received 2021-03-20
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (NC)

On XX/XX/2021 at XXXX, I received a message that SEEMED very legitimate. It specifically said : " WF BANK FRAUD DETECTION- Did you attempt a charge for {$400.00} at XXXX XXXX XXXX # XXXX KY with card # ending REPLY YES or NO. XXXX XXXX. To OPT out reply STOP '' As soon as I got the message, I received a phone call from a number that showed up on my phone as XXXX. This phone number MATCHES the phone number for the Wells Fargo fraudulent claims department. The person on the phone asked me to verify my account information, and also verify charges on my account. He confirmed all of my personal information, and told me that he was working to reverse the charges. This conversation also matched the same process the bank uses to verify identify and resolve fraud. After doing so, they said I would receive a verification code, and I needed to read it back to them. Again, WELLS FARGO does this exact thing, so I gave them the code. The person immediately hung up. I got curious to see if the {$400.00} was on my account, so I decided to login and check. 

I then logged into my account and saw that there was a {$150.00} withdrawal, and then an immediate {$150.00} deposit at an ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) in Florida @ XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX FL. I live and work in North Carolina. I was at my desk when this was happening. I called the XXXX number referenced earlier in this message. It was the Wells Fargo Claims department. While on the phone, I was looking at my account, and {$2000.00} was taken from the EXACT same ATM. I told them on the phone, and asked them to cancel my card. 

I explained my situation to Wells Fargo. I told the representative that the phone number used to call me, matched the one in the claims department. I walked him through the process. The representative told me- THIS HAPPENS. SCAMMERS CAN COPYCAT PHONE NUMBERS AND CAN APPEAR TO BE CALLING FROM ANY NUMBER. He LIRALLY went through the same steps as the scammer. He asked me to verify charges on my account, he asked me to read back a verification code that was being text to me. Even when talking to the actual representative at Wells Fargo, I was terrified that I was still being scammed. He assured me not to worry, and that they were opening up a claim to get this reversed. Due to the current pandemic, and the high dollar amount that was stolen, I was very stressed out while waiting for this claim to be resolved. 

Yesterday, XXXX XXXX I got an email that the claim was resolved. So I called Wells Fargo to find out what happened, and when I can expect my funds to be returned. {$2000.00} is A LOT of money. I have bills, and I needed that money back before the end of XXXX. The person I spoke with on the phone told me they would NOT refund my money. I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing. He told me that they opened up an investigation and couldn't verify that there was any fraud. I begged him to reopen the claim and offered to send any documents that would help. I asked him- WHY CAN SOMEONE TAKE {$2000.00} WHEN I HAVE A WITHDRAWL LIMIT? All he could tell me was that the verification code was sent to my phone and used to access my account at the ATM. Why would I even do that? 

I don't know anyone in Florida. I have no reason to give my personal information to someone in Florida to take money from me. I have screenshots of the calls from the scammer and Wells Fargo. I have screenshots of the verification messages showing they came from a valid number. I have my account statement showing the ATM location. I even called the Wells Fargo Bank location where the fraud took place and left a message to have them call me back. I never heard back. 

Wells Fargo didn't ask ME for any of this information. They didn't offer me any detailed information on the work they did, or the process they used. They gave me some shorthanded response and said the case was closed. {$2000.00} may not mean much to them, but to me, it's all of my bills for the month, and I need it back. 

We're in a pandemic and money is tight. Things are stressful. I want to be done with this. I want my money back. These messages and phone calls weren't from a random number. The number was legitimate. I don't know what else I could have done to verify this was legitimate, especially when ACTUAL Wells Fargo has the exact same process in place to verify identity and access accounts for their customers.