Consumer complaint received 2025-03-19 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Fraud or scam — 
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
The company XXXX XXXX XXXX located in XXXX, XXXX, was suggested in a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX as a reliable company to purchase pullets. I reached out to the company via their FB page and asked for pricing etc. The seller provided me with pricing and answered all of my questions regarding care etc. At no point based on the level knowledge and the discussion did I suspect the person was fronting as a business and part of a scam. I paid the company {$70.00} on XXXX via XXXX linked to my WFs Visa debit card for payment and delivery of the pullets. I inquired about a coop I saw on their FB page. The seller showed me another coop and again answered all of my specific coop related questions in full detail. The seller offered me a deal for the coop. I waited a few days and agreed to purchase it. I paid {$500.00} on XXXX via WF 's XXXX to the seller and {$350.00} on XXXX via WF XXXX to the seller the following day. I seller said the delivery would be on Thursday. I asked for a tracking number on Thursday. The seller provided me with a tracking number which linked to a website for Smartexpresshiping.com. The website provided all of the shipping and tracking information for my order. Shortly thereafter, the shipping company texted me asking me to pay {$250.00} refundable fee upon receipt of delivery for a temperature controlled crate for the pullets. I reached out to the seller because the amount paid to the seller included delivery. The seller apologized for not disclosing the fee and confirmed it was a required fee. I paid the fee to the supposed shipping company {$250.00} via XXXXXXXX XXXX on XXXX and was confirmed that Saturday would be the delivery date, but I received another text that I had to pay {$720.00} refundable fee upon receipt of delivery for required insurance. I reached out to the seller and requested that my order be cancelled and money refunded. I requested that the shipping company refund me the money. The seller convinced me that they work with the shipping company regularly and could trust the shipping company. The seller apologized explaining he is just a dad trying to make provide for his family. Reluctantly, I paid the shipping company {$720.00} via XXXX XXXX on XXXX. After that payment, the shipping company texted me requesting another {$1000.00} for vaccination papers for the pullets. Highly upset, I said no and asked for the chicks to be returned to the seller and delivery of my coop. The shipping company responded saying " it doesn't work that way. '' I reached out to the seller and received a response to work it out with the shipping company. I called the seller, but no answer and sent another text and no answer. At that point, I foolishly realized that I had been scammed out of {$1800.00}. I immediately called Wells Fargo and initiated a dispute. I filed a complaint with the FTC, I filed a complaint with the State of Texas, I called XXXXXXXX XXXX and was told not to initiate a dispute since I already initiated one with my bank because they work together. I reported the FB page and XXXX  IM chat as a scam, but both are still operational. I reported the domain name as a scam to the domain name registrar and the company suspended the domain name due to the information I provided. Over the past XXXX days, Wells Fargo has denied my dispute since the money was transferred through XXXX XXXX and XXXX ( XXXX parties ). I contacted XXXX XXXX and was told they can not file a dispute because the funds have already been transferred. I called XXXX and was told they do not handle disputes as XXXX is a feature of WF platform. WF is providing no protection/coverage for this activity because it occurred via my Wells Fargo Visa debit card via XXXX XXXX. I was told that since the debit card is VISA the EFTA federal laws do not apply. I have provided the bank with all the screenshots of the texts, IMs, tracking information and payment receipts involving this scam.

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