Consumer complaint received 2021-10-31
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY (CA)

On XX/XX/2021 I received a call that had the number as XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX at around XXXX XXXX. Before answering the call I searched up the number to make sure I wasn't answering any spam calls. I do this since sometimes my doctor or my schools financial aid would be calling me from a different number and I might not have that phone number theyre calling me from saved on my phone. The same phone number called me twice, but I did not answer as I was searching up the number. After searching up the number, I found that it was the Wells Fargo customer service number so I answered the second time they called. I did not find anything suspicious. The call with the scammer lasted about 8 minutes ( see picture attached ). I thought that there was probably something wrong with my account that needed to be fixed. Once I answered, the first thing I heard was the voice verification that Wells Fargo has. Everything was so similar to the actual Wells Fargo customer service. Then a man told me that my account was used at a XXXX in XXXX, Georgia for about {$450.00}. I always get a notification on my phone whenever I make a purchase. However, I did not receive any notification about this purchase. I got so panicked and scared because my card was used without my knowledge for such a large amount of money. 

I logged into my computer to see if I could see the purchase he was talking about in my checking account. I only saw a XXXX transfer pending for {$850.00} to XXXX XXXX. Since I couldnt find anything from my bank account, I went to my email since I also get notifications about my purchases there. I then saw that I added a new XXXX recipient named XXXX XXXX ( See image attached -- XXXX email ). I do not know any XXXX XXXX. In the email, it says that the number XXXX will be used to notify this recipient of any money or requests I send them. This number is the number registered on XXXX as XXXX XXXX, who added themselves as one of my recipients without me knowing. I was at my house studying for a test when I got the call, which is also why I did not see the email about XXXX XXXX adding themselves. Before I could even process what was going on the man on the phone said that he would send me a code that would stop both the XXXX and XXXX transaction from going through. Since I was already panicked and scared, I just gave it to him without knowing that I was getting scammed. Then after giving the code, he still remained very professional and said that he would reset my XXXX account and send me a new card then the phone call ended. Nothing raised any suspicion here. 

My friend then texted me after the phone call ended since I texted her while I was still talking to the scammer and she said are you sure its Wells Fargo? and that was when it hit me and read the message with the code again and realized that it also says Wells Fargo will never call or text. A few minutes later I called Wells Fargo customer service ( ( XXXX ) XXXX ) and the woman who answered said that they never called me and tried to check my account so I was put on hold. I hung up since Ive been on the phone with her for 11 minutes and still hasnt sent me to the fraud department. I called the Wells Fargo fraud services at XXXX a few seconds later at around XXXX XXXX  and I got to speak to the fraud department ( see picture attached ), I spoke to him for about 37 minutes. I practically got scolded by the fraud department representative that I spoke to saying if you wouldve read the message then you would not be down {$850.00} right now. That was my mistake, but instead of making someone feel even more stupid, I couldve gotten him to help me right away. After working on getting a new checking account, he told me that I would most likely get my money back based on the information I gave him. He told me that he opened up a claim/case and that it would take up to 10 days to get a decision based on their findings. After hanging up the phone and searching up about filing a claim, the representative did not give me a claim number. Now realizing that he shouldve given me a case number, I am not sure how my case is going to be handled properly as he missed a key information that I needed to refer back to. 

How can a big financial company such as Wells Fargo have better security where their phone number can not be copied by a scammer and call their customer? I live in California and have not left California in over 4 years, my area code is XXXX. The area code of the number added as my recipient ( XXXX ) is from XXXX. I do not know anyone in XXXX, I have never been to XXXX, and have never even thought about going to XXXX. All of my relatives and friends are in California. I am a full time college student, who doesnt get to travel at all especially during the pandemic.