Consumer complaint received 2026-07-14 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Deposits and withdrawals
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint regarding Wells Fargo 's failure to prevent an unauthorized {$18000.00} wire transfer from my account and their subsequent denial of my fraud claim. 

Background Prior Incident : Approximately three months before this incident ( around XXXX XXXX ), my Wells Fargo account, ending in [ XXXX ], was targeted by fraud. I received a text message from Wells Fargo asking me to confirm whether I had authorized a money transfer out of the account. I had not. I immediately called Wells Fargo, reported the transaction as unauthorized, and the bank successfully stopped the transfer and returned my funds. This incident is on record with Wells Fargo. 

The Incident in Question : On XX/XX/XXXX, another unauthorized transaction, a wire transfer of {$18000.00} was initiated from the same account ( although now with a new account number ending in XXXX ) and completed however this transaction was completed without any verification attempt by Wells Fargo. I received no call, text, or other alert asking me to confirm the transaction before it was processed. I did receive an email saying they had added a " wireless user '' to my account and if I did not add this user to call. Which I did within 2 minutes of receiving the email ) and was informed by " XXXX '' at WF a transfer for the above amount had already gone through, but they would " attempt '' to pull it back. I was in shock. 

Why I believe Wells Fargo 's security procedures are/were woefully inadequate and not reasonable in any way given the following : 1. This business account has been open for approximately 16 years ( XXXX ) and had ZERO wire transfers. 
2. The account had a documented prior fraud incident just three months earlier, which Wells Fargo itself flagged and confirmed.

3. The transfer amount, {$18000.00}, was unusually large relative to the account 's typical activity of about {$4000.00}.

4. This is a business account, NO transactions go to individuals but always to other entities ; business to business. This transfer went to someones personal account where there had been no prior transactions.

5. Despite this documented fraud history and the highly anomalous nature of the transaction ( first-ever wire, large dollar amount, same account previously compromised ), Wells Fargo did not contact me to verify the transaction before releasing the funds even though they had done so for a smaller, more routine transaction three months prior.

Under UCC Article 4A, which governs wire transfer liability, a bank 's security procedure must be " commercially reasonable '' given the circumstances of the particular customer and account. Given the documented prior fraud and the complete absence of wire history on this account, and the large amount of the transaction - I do not believe Wells Fargo 's procedure or their application of it here was commercially reasonable. I believe Wells Fargo should bear responsibility for this loss.

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 monetary relief