Consumer complaint received 2023-01-27
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY

Complaint:
A brief summary. Roughly {$18000.00} was fraudulently transferred out of my Wells Fargo checking account ending in XXXX. Transfers were sent to XXXX under 9 different peoples names. There were a total of XXXX transactions from XXXX XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. I first found out about this after my debit card was declined multiple times on the XXXX of XXXX. I called WF bank and they asked me to verify several recent transactions. I was only able to verify the most recent which was declined. The others I did not make. Nor did I have any knowledge of them or the peoples names shown on the transactions. They estimated the amount, at the time of my first call, to be over {$10000.00} The transactions were money transfers from my checking account to various cashapp accounts. 

I was assigned claim # XXXX My account was frozen and debit card compromised. 

On Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX, I went to the bank to check on the status of the claim and withdraw some money before the weekend. I also needed to get my new account number. The bank teller informed me that my checking account number was the same. Only my debit card changed. Why would they not issue me a new checking account #???? 

***First report was made over the phone, shortly after midnight on XX/XX/XXXX. First fraudulent transaction was XX/XX/XXXX. But I didnt realize that until I met with a local branch banker ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) the Thursday before new years ( XX/XX/XXXX ). He printed my bank statements from XXXX through XXXX. We went over them line by line. We determined the first fraudulent transaction was made on XX/XX/XXXX. For an incoming transfer from a XXXX XXXX in the amount of {$130.00}. We totaled up {$19000.00} in unauthorized transfers from my checking account. He ( bankerXXXX ) suggested I reopen the claim that was denied per letter from Wells Fargo on XX/XX/XXXX. Claim # XXXX He also suggested I file a police report. 

The following Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX, after the 3 day holiday and banks reopened, I called WF. I was hoping to update my claim by adding the transactions I had recently discovered. I made 4 calls and was disconnected each time. The last call disconnected after we had been on the phone for over an hour. From the 4 brief conversations I had with 4 different people I learned a closed claim could not be reopened. I also made sure each time I called to give them my phone number in the event we got disconnected so they could call me back. Never happened. 

On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX I felt a little hope. I called WF and reached a sweet man named XXXX. He spent over an hour with me on the phone. He showed compassion towards me dealing with this mess and was very apologetic. He finally said hed done all he could and had to transfer me to another department. I spoke with XXXX, XXXX, XXXX and ended my 4th transfer with XXXX. She assured me they were going to get to the bottom of this very soon. Thats the best news Ive heard and the FIRST REAL HELP I felt like I had RECEIVED from Wells Fargo. 

I was assigned a new claim # XXXX They confirmed there were XXXX disputed transactions, totaling {$15000.00}. I asked about the XXXX other transactions and charges for $ XXXX. They said those were on a different claim that can not be reopened once a decision has been made. Not good. Now what? Nobody knows! 

Last Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX a woman from WF called and interrogated me for 27 minutes. She said she couldnt believe how I couldnt have noticed these amounts coming out of my account and why had I not been checking my bank statements etc sounded just like my mom! She certainly wasnt working in my favor. I wrote her name down on something I havent been able to find but will. 

If you look at the transactions youll notice a pattern. The activity began on XX/XX/XXXX with a few transfers. Then there was nothing from XX/XX/XXXX through XXXX. Then the Second round of transfers until XXXX, then nothing until XX/XX/XXXX, then activity until XX/XX/XXXX then nothing until XX/XX/XXXX. The majority of the transfers occurred on XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX, when I first contacted XXXXF. What I cant grasp my head around is how WF could have allowed XXXX transfers to XXXX to go through for {$5700.00} in ONE day and not suspect or detect suspicious activity.??? Makes absolutely no sense to me. And again on the XXXX, where they allowed XXXX transfers to XXXX totaling over {$5500.00}. Which is soo FAR FROM THE NORM. I did not get one call, text or email from Wells Fargo from XXXX XXXX XXXX when all these transactions occurred. Theres simply no explanation. They claim to only contact me when they notice something out of the norm. Exactly my point! They contact me pretty regularly asking me to confirm unusual activity. But not once during the 6 weeks this fraudulent activity was going on. 

My frustrations with WF have reached their limits! Their communication with me has been less than par. From their passive aggressive comments to complete lack of knowledge. I cringe every time I pick up the phone to call because its an hour or two of me repeating myself over and over and not get anywhere or we get disconnected. Which only infuriates me more! Its been approximately 7 weeks since I first contacted Wells Fargo and made the claim. Zero progress has been made. Despite all my efforts. 

So, last Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I got a voicemail to call WF. I called them and a rude woman told me that I am no longer allowed to access any/all of my accounts for 12 months. Its true! Since Friday I have not been able to use my debit card, transfer money between accounts, XXXX $ and all transactions have been declined presenting even bigger problems for me. 

As if $ XXXX taken out of my bank account a month before XXXX isnt bad enough. 
Im truly at my wits end!

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation