Consumer complaint received 2026-03-10 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Problem with a lender or other company charging your account — Transaction was not authorized
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: MN

Complaint narrative:
I am a current student at the XXXX XXXX XXXX, and was recently hired for a role at the XXXX XXXXXXXX on XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from my XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX account from a scammer pretending to be my supervisor, who asked for my cell number. I responded by giving the scammer my cell number, and asked me to buy gift cards as a surprise for the staff. I was of the impression that I was helping my supervisor do something nice for my job at the XXXX XXXXXXXX, and so I decided to help. The scammer directed me to the nearest " grocerer, '' through text, to which I went to a nearby XXXX. The scammer had me take pictures of the gift card wall at XXXX and asked me to purchase XXXX XXXX gift cards and XXXX XXXX gift cards with {$250.00} on each gift card, totaling {$1000.00}. I made the purchase using my plain Wells Fargo debit card, and the scammer had me upload pictures of the receipts and the gift cards with the redeem numbers on the back scratched off. The scammer asked me to go to another store to purchase XXXX more gift cards and that's where I caught suspicion. I went to the XXXX XXXXXXXX directly, and my supervisor confirmed that it was a scam as it didn't come from a XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX. I contacted XXXX and XXXX gift card services and they said nothing could be done with getting the funds back as they were already used. I went to my bank, Wells Fargo, in an in-person branch and spoke to the bank manager about getting the funds reissued. I showed the bank manager the giftcards, receipts, texts, emails, etc, and the bank manager fully believed me. However, the bank manager couldn't reissue me the {$1000.00} because I even though I was clearly scammed, they said nothing could be done as I gave the scammer the gift card information regardless, and my transaction history didn't reflect any differently. The bank manager even said they've had this same incident happen to multiple of its customers, and they told them the same thing, which I find to be absolutely inappropriate on Wells Fargo to handle scams this way. I even called Wells Fargo 's claims deparment, about this issue, and on XX/XX/XXXX, they stated that there was to errors in the transaction and nothing could be done. I've been banking with Wells Fargo since XXXX, and they've been great, but this instance really makes me question as to whether or not I should continue to bank with them. Yes, I gave a scammer gift card information, but because I was literally scammed or fooled, and {$1000.00} is too much for me to let walk away. Wells Fargo needs to be held accountable for this, as them essentially saying that nothing can be done if its customers get scammed is horrible customer service to say the least. I filed a police report about the scam incident after, and am working with my University on an emergency funds form to get the funds reissued, but Wells Fargo should be ashamed of themselves.

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