Consumer complaint received 2026-03-18 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: MN

Complaint narrative:
CFPB COMPLAINT NARRATIVE Against : Wells Fargo Bank Submitted by : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, MN Reference claim with Wells : XXXX Acct ending in XXXX XXXX XXXX phone - XXXX What Happened : On XX/XX/2026, two unauthorized transactions were made using my Wells Fargo debit card at two locations in XXXX, Minnesota -- a city I was not in and had no reason to be in on that date. The first transaction was {$83.00} at XXXX XXXX, a massage business in XXXX. The second was {$180.00} at XXXX, also in XXXX. The total of these two fraudulent transactions is {$260.00}. I did not make either of these purchases, I did not authorize anyone else to make them, and I had no knowledge they were occurring until I reviewed my account. I have also attached my geolocation information from the date in question to this showing I never left my city of XXXX XXXX that day. I also live alone and no one has access to my phone but me. They told me to cut up the card as I have a new one so when they look up my account it will have to be under that file reference number of XXXX last four of SS XXXX and card account ending in XXXX Upon discovering these transactions I immediately contacted Wells Fargo and filed a fraud dispute. Wells Fargo initially honored my dispute and issued provisional credit to my account for the full {$260.00}, which led me to believe the matter was being properly investigated and that I would be protected as a customer and account holder. However, Wells Fargo subsequently reversed that decision and removed the provisional credit from my account, leaving me responsible for {$260.00} in charges I did not make. Wells Fargo provided five stated reasons for their reversal of my dispute. I am addressing each of them here because I believe their investigation was inadequate, their reasoning is flawed, and their decision leaves me without the consumer protections I am entitled to under federal law. I even checked my geolocation from my phone and have evidence that I did not leave XXXX XXXX the entire day. Reason 1 -- Wells Fargo stated that my card was in my possession at the time the claim was filed and during the time of the disputed activity. This reasoning is outdated and does not reflect how payment fraud operates today. Card skimming, phishing, credential theft, and dark web data breaches allow criminals to steal and use card credentials without ever physically possessing the card. The fact that my physical card was in my wallet on XX/XX/2026 does not mean my card credentials were not stolen and used fraudulently. Using physical card possession as a basis for denial is not a reasonable or thorough investigative standard in 2026. Reason 2 -- Wells Fargo stated that I had not lost any devices that included a digital wallet. I did not lose any devices, but that is irrelevant to whether my digital credentials were compromised. Malware, phishing attacks, SIM swapping, and third-party data breaches can all result in digital wallet or payment credential theft without the account holder ever losing their physical device. Wells Fargo has not presented any evidence that my specific device, at my specific location, initiated these two transactions. The absence of a lost device is not evidence that fraud did not occur. Reason 3 -- Wells Fargo stated that there were no further card present transaction attempts after the card was closed. This reasoning actually supports my position, not Wells Fargo 's. The cessation of fraudulent activity after a card is closed is entirely consistent with how fraud works -- a criminal using stolen credentials will stop attempting transactions once those credentials are deactivated. This pattern is not evidence of legitimate use. It is evidence of a fraudster who stopped because access was cut off. Reason 4 -- Wells Fargo stated that the transactions were conducted with a device associated with my debit card account. This is the most concerning element of their denial. I have requested clarification from Wells Fargo on what specifically " associated with my debit card account '' means -- whether it refers to my own registered personal device or simply a device that accessed my account credentials at some point. I have not received a satisfactory answer. Criminals who obtain account login credentials can access accounts and potentially link or associate devices without the account holder 's knowledge. I am requesting that Wells Fargo produce the specific device ID, IP address, and geolocation data tied to the XX/XX/2026 transactions so that this can be compared against my own verified device records and my physical location on that date. To date Wells Fargo has not provided this information. Reason 5 -- Wells Fargo stated that the transactions are within my geographical area. I live in XXXX XXXX, Minnesota. XXXX, Minnesota is a separate city and not my immediate area. More importantly, geographic proximity does not establish that I made these transactions. Fraud is frequently local in nature -- card skimming occurs at nearby gas stations, ATMs, and retail locations. A criminal does not need to travel far to use stolen credentials. I am requesting that Wells Fargo provide documentation of my verified location at the exact time the XXXX XXXX and XXXX transactions were processed on XX/XX/2026. If I was not in XXXX at those specific transaction times -- which I was not -- their geographic argument is directly contradicted by the facts. Actions I Have Already Taken : I contacted Wells Fargo immediately upon discovering the unauthorized transactions and filed a formal fraud dispute. Wells Fargo issued provisional credit and then reversed it with the five-reason denial described above. I have since spoken with Wells Fargo representatives including a branch manager to contest this decision. Wells Fargo has characterized this matter as closed and has declined to reopen the investigation despite my objections. I have requested the full investigation file and the specific device, IP, and geolocation data used to reach their decision under my rights as a consumer. I have not received that documentation. I am also in the process of filing a report with local law enforcement to document that these transactions were not made by me. What I Am Requesting from the CFPB : I am respectfully requesting the CFPB 's assistance in compelling Wells Fargo to conduct a genuine and thorough reinvestigation of this dispute. Specifically I am asking that Wells Fargo be required to : Produce the complete investigation file including device ID, IP address, and geolocation data tied to the XX/XX/2026 transactions at XXXX XXXX and XXXX in XXXX, MN. Compare that technical data against my verified device records and my confirmed physical location on XX/XX/2026. Provide a written explanation that addresses each of the five denial reasons with specific factual evidence rather than generalized assumptions. Restore the {$260.00} provisional credit to my account pending the outcome of a proper reinvestigation. I am a long-standing Wells Fargo customer and I am deeply troubled that the bank 's fraud investigation process has left me personally liable for {$260.00} in transactions I did not make, based on reasoning that does not withstand scrutiny. I believe Wells Fargo has not met its obligations under Regulation E and I am asking the CFPB to intervene on my behalf. I appreciate the CFPB 's time and assistance and I am prepared to provide any additional documentation, records, or information needed to support this complaint. Respectfully submitted, 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 monetary relief