Consumer complaint received 2026-04-29 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: AZ

Complaint narrative:
My wife, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and I are residents of XXXX XXXX, Arizona. I am writing to bring a story to your attention that I believe is of significant public interest both as a consumer fraud warning and as an account of a major financial institution refusing to cooperate with law enforcement. On Saturday, XX/XX/year>, my wife received a text message appearing to be from Wells Fargo, asking if she had authorized a {$2100.00} transfer from her credit card to her checking account. She had not. She immediately drove to our local Wells Fargo branch on XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX to report the unauthorized transaction. Before she could speak with anyone inside, she received a phone call from someone claiming to be Wells Fargo 's fraud control department. The caller, speaking with an American accent and with apparent authority, told her not to speak with the branch staff warning that a bank employee was involved in the fraud. He instructed her to withdraw our entire savings of {$16000.00} in cash and redeposit it at a different Wells Fargo ATM on XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, which was closed that Saturday. Following these instructions, believing she was protecting our money, XXXX XXXX withdrew {$16000.00} XXXX hundred-dollar bills and deposited the cash at that ATM. She received no receipt. The money was diverted to an unknown account and has not been recovered. This is our entire life savings. Here is what makes this story especially troubling : Wells Fargo has an ATM that accepted a {$16000.00} cash deposit and apparently diverted it to a fraudulent account. The bank should have video footage of my wife at that ATM, and a transaction record showing exactly where those funds went. Wells Fargo initially denied the existence of both. However, they finally released the photos, to the XXXX XXXX XXXX, of XXXX XXXX making the deposit but has not released the data showing the account that was credited. We reported the crime immediately to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ). Deputies were dispatched and went directly to the bank. Wells Fargo refused to provide transaction information to law enforcement. The Sheriff 's Office obtained a subpoena. As of now, the Sheriff 's Office has informed us that Wells Fargo has still not released the information. Detective XXXX XXXX, ( XXXX ) XXXX, is working the case but so far has only found the photos. He does not answer our calls but eventually returns them but shows no progress after XXXX months. We have met with branch officers multiple times. Nothing has been done. We have contacted XXXX attorneys, each of whom told us the case was not financially worth pursuing for them despite the severity of our loss. We are seniors. This money represented our security. We are not asking for sympathy we are asking for accountability. I believe this story raises serious questions that deserve public scrutiny : How did a bank ATM accept and redirect {$16000.00} in cash with no traceable record? Why has Wells Fargo denied the existence of ATM transaction records? Why has a major financial institution failed to comply with a law enforcement subpoena? How many other customers have been victimized by this same scam at Wells Fargo ATMs? I am available to speak at any time. Thank you for your time and for the work you do holding powerful institutions accountable. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Arizona ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX

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