Consumer complaint received 2026-02-25 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Unexpected increase in interest rate
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
My Wells Fargo checking account was defrauded in XX/XX/year> by a person named XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ), who was working together with another individual inside the bank ( Wells Fargo ). Their modus operandi was as follows : they had a website, XXXX XXXX XXXX, through which XXXX XXXX offered financial assistance, requesting a commission for such help. They generated checks that, when deposited, appeared as positive amounts in the victims account, but then suddenly, once the victim withdrew the money, the bank account would show a negative balance. When the victim called the bank, the bank would say that the deposited check belonged to a closed account. In other words, someone inside the bank accepted the deposit and then, working together with XXXX, caused the deposited amount to be rejected by marking the checks account as closed. They kept the commission they had requested for the supposed financial assistance. This is the case in which my wife, XXXX XXXX, fell victim to this scam, as she was not aware of this type of fraudulent scheme. While speaking with XXXX XXXX, she received the deposit of several checks for {$5000.00}, {$30000.00}, and {$31000.00}. The checks were deposited at a Wells Fargo branch in XXXX, and all of them, after initially appearing as positive deposits, later showed as coming from closed accounts. Since the money had already been withdrawn, the checking account ended up with a negative balance. Another important point is that the bank claims to have an overdraft policy when the account goes into a negative balance. In this regard, the bank transferred {$1700.00} to my checking account from my credit card ( ending in XXXX ) without our authorization. When I noticed this, I called the bank and told them not to make transfers without my permission, especially considering that the account had an alert and was under investigation. Here is the question : How is it possible that the bank transfers money from my credit card without my authorization, knowing that the checking account had an alert and was under investigation for a possible scam? This overdraft situation happened twice. The first time, I told them not to do it, and they returned the money. But the account had a second overdraft due to the checks that were deposited and later appeared as coming from closed accounts for the second time, at the same Wells Fargo branch in XXXX. I called the bank, and they told me they could not do anything because the card was blocked. I opened a case with the Consumer Protection Office, Case # XXXX. The case was also reported to the XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Case # XXXX ), and also to IC3, complaint # XXXX, so that the case can be investigated, the responsible individuals identified, and the stolen money recovered, since I lost all the funds in my checking account, approximately {$9800.00}. Why do we know this was a scam with internal complicity from the bank? Checks were deposited at the same Wells Fargo branch in XXXX. Deposited amounts appeared as positive, but after the money was withdrawn, the checks suddenly appeared as coming from closed accounts. During phone and XXXX conversations with XXXX XXXX, he stated that he had a contact inside the bank in the Fraud Department, and that if we paid this person around {$500.00}, they could remove the alert. How did XXXX know that the account had an alert placed by the bank? The issue is that all these months, since my checking account and credit card were closed in XX/XX/year>, the bank continues calling me, stating that I first owed {$160.00} and now {$380.00}, and that if I do not pay, they will charge {$40.00} per month in interest penalties. How is it possible that the bank, instead of helping me knowing that all my money was stolen, is only interested in collecting an amount that was generated due to their own inefficiency? How can they transfer money to an account that has an alert and is under investigation? And they did it twice. Today I called the bank and spoke with XXXX XXXX from the Collections Department, and she told me not to worry because the case was under investigation. But she transferred me to the Escalation Department, and there XXXX XXXX told me that the bank was not interested in my case, that I had to pay the debt, and that they would continue charging interest because nothing could be done. I am requesting help in this matter because I was a customer of this bank for seven years without any problems or debt, and now I feel defrauded by this bank. Thank you in advance. Sincerely, 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