Consumer complaint received 2025-04-29 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
On XXXX the XXXX XXXX  I had gone to a gas station to put gas in after leaving a bar. While pumping gas I used my debit card and PIN number at the pump to gain use of the card. While putting in gas I noticed two females approaching me for behind and one was in front while other was behind me. I began talking with the two females and one left to go to the pump next to me and began pumping in gas. It was then that they invited me to go to an after-hours game room just across the highway from where we were at and I agreed. 

Upon getting to the game room the girls had gone ahead of me and entered the game room before me I walked in and I saw the two girls at the ATM at the far end of the room and as I approach them they appeared hurriedly to put their money away and said let 's go play some games I told them that I was interested but I wanted to hang out with them so we went and I watched them play for a few minutes and it was then one of them said that she ran out of money and she wanted to go to the next game room over so I was like fine cuz it was still fairly early and I still want to hang out. I had spent no money at this location myself and didn't think there was an issue at this time. So I followed them they seem to speed up but I caught up behind them and they pulled in to a location in less than a few miles away we went into that game room and they were ahead of me while I was parking so they went in and I found them again at the ATM and we went over to play some games. I again was watching them and not playing myself. They got lost in a crowd and I began searching for them it was at this time that I tried to locate my phone because it wasn't on my person and my wallet was missing. I asked someone standing next to me if I could borrow their phone to call mine and that's when I heard it ringing and I looked over and the two girls were in the corner and they had my phone so I handed the phone over to the person I borrowed from and quickly ran over and grabbed my phone from their hands. I asked them what the XXXX they were doing with my phone and at that time I noticed that my wallet was sitting on the ledge next to where they were at as well. As I went to get my stuff they ran for the door and the security officer stopped me from chasing them I tried to explain my situation. But in doing so it gave them time to get away. 

Upon looking at my phone I noticed I had one phone call from Wells Fargo warning me that a {$580.00} transaction was pending, but nothing else was listed in my text nor did I have any other phone calls. So I immediately opened the Wells Fargo app and I noticed several denied transactions and several pending transactions and multiple transactions from ATMs that I had not authorized. I immediately called the Wells Fargo contact information number and reported that my card was still missing even though I had recovered my phone and wallet and that these charges were not valid and I asked them to stop payment. 

I was referred to the fraud department and I made a statement to an individual who then told me that the policy of Wells Fargo is to allow the transactions to go through so they can prosecute for theft they do not stop pending charges. I thought this was unusual but I didn't see anything I could do about it at the time. The charges were allowed to process through and I have still not been able to properly dispute these charges and upon receiving the initial statement the individual listed it as the reason for my complaint was I did not remember making these charges. At no point did I ever say I did not remember making any charges My statement has always been and will always be that these statements were not valid they were fraudulent and theft. 

In the pictures that I have attached I have included the amounts in my bank account that were valid, the ones that were denied, and the ones that were fraudulent or theft. I marked the ones with a check mark that were stopped in recovered and the ones that are in pink are the ones that I consider valid, and the ones that have an X next to them were stopped by Wells Fargo prior to the charges being processed. 

Wells Fargo did send me notice of warning on one charge. Not even the largest of the charges nor did I get any other warnings that activity was going on on my account. I find it difficult to believe that a banking computer system with proper checks in place would allow this many transactions to occur without asking for verification, but this is where I'm at now. 

I do have the ability to screenshot and document the transactions between Wells Fargo and myself but do not have it at the time I am reporting this incident to you. 

All of the transactions occurred on the night of the XXXX of XXXX and continued until the XXXX of XXXX in a very short time frame.

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