Consumer complaint received 2022-10-07 00:00:00
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service — Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Unauthorized transactions or other transaction problem — 
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX, I received a text message notifying me of an attempted transaction for {$250.00}, Reply Yes or No ( see attachment ). I responded No and waited on the call from Wells Fargo as stated in the text. 

Within 10 minutes I received a call at XXXX, from a woman who identified herself as " XXXX '' with Wells Fargo Bank 's online security and there had been suspicious activity from my account. The call dropped and I thought it was a good idea to confirm that the number " XXXX '' called from was indeed a Wells Fargo number and when I called the numberback, the recording was a Wells Fargo greeting and menu. 

" XXXX '' called me back from that same toll free number while I was on the other line, so this did give me some assurance that I was on the phone with a WF representative. 

" XXXX '' went on to validate my account with my address telephone number and the last four of my debit card I refuse to give her the last four of my Social Security number. I am an XXXX  of 30 years in the XXXX XXXX  and this is simply PII that I will not Give anyone over the phone. Upon validation that this was my account ( including a text message she triggered with a code for verification ) " XXXX '' went on to list the suspicious transactions as follows : ( 1 ) XXXX XXXX who was sent {$190.00} - I do not know anyone by the name of XXXX XXXX. In addition, an email address for XXXX XXXX Email address was added to my XXXX recipients and the app and I don't even know this person XXXX XXXX, no do I recognize the email address, nor did I add this person to my list of XXXX recipients. This was 100 % fraudulent. 

( 2 ) 2 XXXX transfers in the amount of {$2000.00} and {$1000.00} were made to XXXX XXXX, an existing recipient, who is my hair stylist and relative. I said absolutely not, these were not authorized transactions. I advised that I have a XXXX transaction history that reflects a consistent {$320.00} to {$350.00} paid to XXXX but NEVER would I XXXX her that much money. IMPORTANT TO NOTE : The transactions were made before the call. I did not authorize XXXX 's to go out to anyone, specifically XXXX {$3000.00} and XXXX XXXX for {$190.00}. 

" XXXX '' advised me that the fastest way to get my funds back would be to call XXXX and get her to send the funds back to me. " XXXX '' stated that otherwise they would need to freeze XXXX account with her bank until we tracked the funds. 



I was able to text and got XXXX on a 3-way call. XXXX at first stated that she wasn't aware whether she had received XXXX transfer from me or not and was too busy to notice. {$3000.00} and too busy to notice????? Okay.XXXX 

I was placed on hold while XXXX looked at her phone and confirmed that yes, she did see the XXXX transactions and would send them back. XXXX text me a print screen from her account transactions showing that a {$3000.00} XXXX had been sent to an account under my name in bold. Later a larger XXXX receipt was sent that would show my name XXXX XXXX at the top but under my name it states in light gray font Enrolled as XXXX XXXX  see attachments ). Wherever XXXX sent these funds to it was not my account. I contacted XXXX and was told the " Enrolled as '' reflects the account holder 's name enrolled s that XXXX 's recipient. In emails from my XXXX, she also confirmed the funds were sent to a XXXX account. 



When XXXX stated she sent the funds back I attempted to login to my WF app to confirm and XXXX told me it was disabled and she would confirm. While on hold and within 3 minutes I received pings to my phone but could not see the texts. Once XXXX was released from the call I could pull up the texts which were automated confirmations texts for transactions - a XXXX setup in my name from XXXX ( I DO NOT BANK WITH XXXX  ), notification of a XXXX deposit of {$3000.00} from XXXX into the XXXX account and then a notification canceling XXXX access through the fraudulent XXXX XXXX  account. All of this was done in 3 minutes - between XXXX and XXXX ( see texts messages ). 



At this point XXXX comes back to the line and confirms that the money was in my Wells Fargo account. However, through her access to my account, XXXX transferred {$3000.00} from my savings and checking and it made it appear the funds were redeposited. This was a blatant attempt to confuse the transaction as refunded, when it was not. The thieves used my very own funds to fake me out and see a {$3000.00} credit/deposit to my checking account. I made no such transfer and could not as my Wells Fargo access was locked. This is clearly fraud. 



XXXX went on to say that she was canceling my debit card and issue a new one, and I would need to change my login info for the application. I stayed on the line with XXXX and she told me that XXXX could get off the line, now that the funds were back in my account and that they would not have to freeze XXXX account. This is the last time I have spoken with her which was the day of the incident on XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX has Been very stoic and rude in her text responses and refuses to take my calls. Instead of simply contacting her bank to trace where the XXXX transactions went to and file a fraudulent complaint she has refused to cooperate and it has caused serious unrest in my family because I am not sure whether or not shes involved. Her mother, XXXX XXXX, and my XXXX XXXX have promised to have XXXX file a fraud claim with her bank and provide records tracing her XXXX transaction since XX/XX/XXXX. I have not received one document to date from XXXX. For this reason she is identified in the police report that I filed for this incident. 



For weeks I called Because I have not had any negative activity or issues at all with my bank accounts and because of my positive history of banking with Wells Fargo I was sure that this would be taken care of with brevity. I woke the next morning to find that the {$3000.00} had not been returned to my account and I called Wells Fargo and spoke with the kindest gentleman XXXX. At that point XXXX advised me that there was no record of the conversation that I referenced with the person XXXX and that it appeared that this had not been a Wells Fargo employee who contacted me. XXXX would go on to cancel both my affected savings and checking accounts, issue new bank account numbers and a new debit card. XXXX assured me that he was putting in for temporary credit of {$3100.00} to my account. He told me that it should be there by the end of business. I thanked XXXX, got off the line and waited until the next day, still no deposit. I continued to call back for days and, on XX/XX/XXXX, I was finally told by a manager after escalating the call that XXXX indeed had put in for the credit but that his manager had gone in behind him and canceled the request. I was told that there have been attempts to call me to advise me of this but there are no missed calls from Wells Fargo. Attempted calls just simply did not happen ... attempts to reach out to me just simply didn't happen. No one reached out to call me and advise me of anything at one of the most critical points for me financially that I faced in years. And all I needed was the support of my bank. Instead I got contentious, argumentative, nasty and snide behavior from a list of reps that I will also provide at the end of this email. 



I continued to escalate the call and spoke with XXXX in the ExecutivXXXX offices on XX/XX/XXXX. I asked XXXX for the documentation they had on the transaction. I was told it would take 30 days to received the " proof of documentation. '' This went on until I received a letter on the XXXX stating that Wells Fargo declined the claim and stated that it was an authorized transaction for my phone. I have stayed it from the beginning that this was an unauthorized transaction. All three were unauthorized transactions from my account. I've stated this from the beginning. The only thing that I authorized was for XXXX to return my money and to be sent to me as reimbursement for the unauthorized XXXX sent to her. The major point here ... THESE WERE UNAUTHORIZED TRANSACTIONS AND I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A FRAUDULENT IMPOSTER POSING AS A WELLS FARGO EMPLOYEE WITH YOUR PROTOCOLS. I never initiated or attempted to send XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX funds. 



I continued to call and text XXXX for days even speaking with my aunts and I was promised that I would receive confirmation of where the funds were sent to and that she would set up a fraud transaction report with her bank. I never received anything from XXXX any information at all. At this point, it is the first of the month I am losing it because now I'm having to liquidate stocks to cover my overhead. I am due to start a new job XX/XX/XXXX after my Non-QM mortgage employer closed in XXXX, so this had a huge impact. 



Still, with no answers, I went to XXXX XXXX  on XXXX XXXX, and was told that it indeed appears the money was sent to XXXX and I received the XXXX notification for a XXXX account. While there I spoke with XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX, Private Client Banker, who spent hours trying to get to the bottom of it. XXXX XXXX simply asked why XXXX would not come in or call in and set up a fraud trace on the XXXX transaction to " my account ''. I advised her that XXXX refused and she stated that would be the only way for her to find out additional information. XXXX XXXX did set up a fraud report on a shell of a profile found in their system that I never set up, so someone did use my PII likely from my hacked phone to set up a XXXX  account because I used our old address. 



The only source of any insight into the final resting place for the {$3000.00} is XXXX, who refuses to respond or look into the transaction so hopefully the police report will push that process along. 



Later I went to XXXX  and the representative, XXXX XXXX XXXX took a look at my phone to see if it had been hacked and to our horror, there were external devices installed onto my phone basically cloning all my activity. I received texts for apps like XXXX that they attempted to access and use. The thieves attempted to access everything. Under my settings there were shadow programs on my phone that had not been downloaded from the app store but were attached to my phone as phantom apps that only showed in black-and-white. The apps were for XXXX XXXX or access which I do not have access to download, and XXXX XXXX. The rep and I went on to deduce that the email address input into my Wells Fargo app was for XXXX which would likely correspond to the set up information for that XXXX XXXX account used to hack my XXXX. Yet Wells Fargo has done nothing to even look at that information and I've told everyone that I spoke to. My phone records for XX/XX/XXXX through the XXXX appear to be completely wiped from my call logs, so I will have to have the police officer request my phone records that pinged off the tower and I was given an XXXX number for that ( highlighted on XXXXXXXX  email ) and was told thats the only way that additional information can be provided on my calls during this period,. I'm waiting on the detective assigned to my case to request that. 

Attached, please find copies of the text message, ( 16 ), the email from XXXX and their contact information ( very helpful to speak with XXXX ), and the police report. The phone logs will follow. 

Additional details. 

I requested documentation that was used to make the decision to not refund me for these XXXX transactions its labeled a Right to Documentation package that I requested on XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, and I just received it on XX/XX/XXXX. In this documentation the transaction that specifically took place on XX/XX/XXXX, the date of the scam fraud transactions, The information shows that the transactions were made from other states while I was sitting right here in my den in XXXX Georgia. I have bracketed all of the transactions that are of concern and would like to discuss these because there is no way that this could be correct Im showing that advisories they were new IP address and new devices were used to access my account with a Location change within 24 hours. There are failed fill password attempts, marked as enhanced failed password. The transaction cities are as follows XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. XXXX, XXXX, Texas, XXXX Pennsylvania I mean wow I would need magical powers for the transaction attempts jump from state to state.city to city the same day! Please note the report indicates the following activity that clearly indicates fraud : a new IP address, a new city new New IP address location change XXXX hours new device new device another new device another new device This is proof of obvious fraud. I cant seem to get a callback from XXXX or anyone so its got a move to the next step because I need my money. I have attached pages of the report that are of concern please review and have someone contact me. XXXX. 

I opened my first 2 accounts with Wells Fargo in XXXX. I have not had any NSF ( 1 in error - overdraft from my savings account was not set up properly by the bank ). I have been an excellent account holder and I have no issues with my account that should red flag me. This was clearly fraud, and it was a slap in the face that, after years managing my account with an average balances of at least $ XXXX - $ XXXX, I stand here BANKING WHILE XXXX @ WELLS FARGO accused of lying and told in writing that I authorized these transactions. To add insult to injury, YOU HAVE A FRAUD WARNING NOW ON YOUR APP THAT WARNS ACCOUNT HOLDERS ABOUT THIS VERY SCAM. 

I need help. I need my money to pay my bills. I am liquidating stocks to hold me over so I am compounding the financial impact/injury as I am also due to close on my home by the end of XXXX. The security on my Wells Fargo accounts have been the worst I have experienced. I was a XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX account holder for over 20 years and when faced with 1 fraud incident in that entire period, I felt totally supported by the bank and they walked me through with direction and suggestion. 

Wells Fargo Bank has abandoned me ... I AM BANKING WHILE XXXX @ WELLS FARGO. I have been told by people like XXXX XXXX, " to get it from your cousin, sister or whatever she is. '' I was spoken to as if I were some XXXX XXXX, not an account holder. XXXX cut me off and I could not speak during the call, and she repeatedly screamed at me on the call ( please review the call on XX/XX/XXXX ). The abject disregard, disrespect and sheer failure to perform her job has left me facing liquidation of my assets for yet another month, instead of my bank working with me to get to the bottom of it. The bank staff has failed me. Wells Fargo has failed me in a case that is clearly fraud to the police and all banking personnel I speak to in person with both Wells Fargo and XXXX. 

THIS IS A CASE OF BANKING WHILE XXXX AT WELLS FARGO. The hang ups, the XXXX  slang and too familiar manner in which XXXX spoke to me, the way I was spoken down to... i never expected humiliation on top of the theft of funds I have experienced. I have been victimized yet again ... by Wells Fargo Bank. I will release a narrative with grave details of the recorded calls with your staff. I think you would find those cringe-worthy. Right now, I want to complete my concerns and do my all to get my money.

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