Consumer complaint received 2018-07-17 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: FL

Complaint narrative:
Hi, my daughter has been a victim of debit card fraud and identity theft and Wells Fargo is trying to say that she is at fault. On XX/XX/XXXX I woke up to find text messages from my bank asking to verify account activity as of XXXX XXXX  but since I was asleep I didnt get the alerts. At around XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/XXXX I logged into my mobile app and saw {$1200.00} in may teen checking account which is an account that I opened for my daughter when she was around XXXX. I contacted my daughter immediately as she just graduated high school XX/XX/XXXX and she's living on campus at college. I asked her was she aware of the funds being added to her account and she said NO. I started researching and noticed some ATM deposits made and when I pulled up the check, the check looked phony and that was not my daughters signature so we called the bank on 3 way together. I get a rep on the phone and I proceed to tell her that something is not right with the account. I specifically said that unless this is scholarship money, than these funds don't belong in that account. I was able to go through the entire verification system as again the account was originally opened under me. She then said that there was some activity on the account and funds were transferred to a savings account that was just opened up on XX/XX/XXXX and since I was not on the savings account, she needed my daughter to verify the information. We then learned that an UN-AUTHORIZED savings account was created and the crooks also deposited a fake check into that account as well. We proceeded to tell her that the account does not belong to my daughter and its fraud and to close the account. She explained that we would need to file a claim and that everything will be investigated. At this point, the accounts were not in the negative. After filing a claim, the online department advised that it looks like her online access has been compromised and that she will need to go into a local branch to show id. I instructed her to go to the nearest branch which is on campus. While I'm on the phone with her for the 2 hour wait, they tell her that there is nothing that they can do as a claim has been filed. At this point, we were instructed to wait until the investigation was over. I told my daughter not to use her account at all as the funds were not really there and we don't want any mis-understandings with the bank. A couple of days later I noticed that her checking account was now overdrawn by {$900.00} something dollars but I knew that would happen since the checks were not legit. A couple of days went by so I instructed my daughter to call the bank because at this point, her financial aid funds was deposited into her account from school and since her account was overdrawn, the money was taken by the bank in which now her account is - {$99.00}. I contacted the bank 1st as she was in class to learn that the claims were denied. I was on the phone from XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX trying to figure out how could they deny a claim they clearly see that is fraud. Now I have my daughter on the line for verification and the Rep is stating that it maybe someone that my daughter knows. I explained to the rep that my daughter is living on campus and she was on campus when the transactions occurred. After crying tears for hours and trying to verify what information was reviewed, I was able to speak with a claims Sup by the name of XXXX who was finally able to retrieve the ATM video that I was requesting. He confirmed that he sees a male on the video looking down at his cell phone. He asked can my daughter go to her nearest branch and ask for a manager and he will forward the video. She did as she was told while I'm still on the phone with her. She advised that she saw a " XXXX XXXX '' on the video and she does not recognize him. She also indicated that she verified that it was not her signature on the check and it looked like someone scribbled her name. XXXX then tells her well since the case is already closed, there is nothing that we can do and transferred her to customer care. I've been on the phone for hours and no one can give us solid answers. WELLS FARGO is trying to pretend that they are not aware of the debit card clones. CLEARLY MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT USING THE ATM AND SHE SHOULD NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. The savings account is still open and negative {$1000.00}. The online department never tried to change her log in info after they verified that her information has been compromised. I'm just asking for Wells Fargo to do the right thing. If you look at my daughters account, she only has transfers for me and her grandfather transfers money from his account to hers so she can have funds. Again she just graduated high school and she's now a victim of identity theft and WELLS FARGO is trying to make her pay back those funds. I just want that savings account closed and I want her money back for her classes. I'm a single mom who's trying to put her child through college and WELLS FARGO IS STEALING FOR ME AT THE END OF THE DAY. They allowed our accounts to be compromised by crooks who used 2 ATM in the same day and requested to have the ATM daily limit increased in which all of this was done online. The savings account was created online and no one can provide me with a location as to where. EVERY COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE HAS AN IP ADDRESS SO WHY WAS THIS NOT INVESTIGATED. Also I've included a link which shows how common it is for a criminal to have a duplicate of your debit card and yet WELLS FARGO IS PRETENDING THAT THIS IS NOT COMMON. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND IT IS NOT FAIR. 

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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