Consumer complaint received 2024-03-06 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem making or receiving payments
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
To whom it may concern : This is my second time filing this complaint against Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo continues to hide behind the thinnest of pretexts that this is not fraud and continues to ignore all the evidence that it is.

Wells Fargo must address : How my account was accessed from XXXX, TN and why that isnt evidence of fraud. 

How my account was accessed from a different ISP and why that isnt evidence of fraud. 

Why there were significant changes in the login behavior and banking activities on my account and why these arent evidence of fraud. 

To date, I still have never received a call from a fraud supervisor addressing all of these issues. 

I first noticed fraudulent activity on my Wells Fargo accounts XX/XX/23 at roughly XXXX in the afternoon. The fraud totals {$18000.00} plus fees and interest that have accumulated since the fraudulent transactions. The fraud occurred across my checking account, savings account, and ( 2 ) of my Wells Fargo credit cards. I immediately contacted Wells Fargo, changed all of my login information, and activated 2-factor authentication. Wells Fargo closed my existing accounts and credit cards and re-opened/re-issued them. 

List of fraudulent activity : 1. {$4000.00} was moved from my saving to my checking account XX/XX/23. 
2. {$7800.00} was taken out of my checking account via Bill Pay to a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
a. I do have a XXXX XXXX XXXX but that is not my card number, I do not know whos card number it is, no one has been given my online banking login, nor have I authorized anyone to pay their credit card from my checking account. 
3. {$4000.00} was cash advanced from one of my credit cards to my checking account XX/XX/23. 
4. {$4200.00} was taken out of my checking account via Bill Pay to a XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
5. {$2900.00} was taken out of my checking account via Bill Pay to a XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
6. {$1200.00} was cash advanced from one of my credit cards to my checking account XX/XX/23. 
7. {$1200.00} was cash advanced from one of my credit cards to my checking account XX/XX/23. 
8. {$3600.00} was taken out of my checking account via Bill Pay to a XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX When I discovered and reported the fraud XX/XX/23, I was told that transaction had already gone through and couldnt be stopped. 
9. The ( 3 ) cash advance fees totaling {$320.00} plus the {$12.00} service fee on my saving account once my balance dropped too low brings the total theft as of XX/XX/23 to {$18000.00}. Fees and interest have continued to accrue since then. 

I received a letter from Wells Fargo on XX/XX/23 stating that they had completed their investigation and concluded their was no fraud. I called Wells Fargo at roughly XXXX XXXX  XX/XX/23 to request their documentation. I was told by their phone agent that the IP addresses matched, so there was no evidence of fraud. Later that morning, roughly, XXXX XXXX, I filed a police report with XXXX XXXX XXXX of the XXXX XXXX  PD. 

I did not receive the documentation from Wells Fargo until XX/XX/23. They claimed I didnt request the documentation on XX/XX/23 but on XX/XX/23 when I called to inquire about the status of the documentation. 

I sent the documentation to the XXXX XXXX and XXXX XX/XX/23. He forwarded it to XXXX XXXX XXXX. I requested the records from XXXX and received a letter XX/XX/23 that they can not currently release the records as this is an active investigation. 

I also called the Wells Fargo claims department and asked to speak to their escalations team as there was abundance evidence of fraud in Wells Fargos documentation. I was told I would have to fax or mail a letter to Wells Fargo with the new evidence. I stated that was unacceptable as the evidence was Wells Fargos evidence that had not been properly reviewed. I asked to speak to a supervisor, and I was told a manager/supervisor wasnt available but would call me back. 

XX/XX/23 I received an email from the Wells Fargo Line of Business Executive Office ( LBEO ). On XX/XX/23 I received a generic form email from the stating that they had investigated my claim and it was closed. There was no description of what my claim was nor what they had done to investigate it. I called the LBEO on XX/XX/23 and spoke with XXXX. She opened a new complaint which specifically requested someone call me back. 

I received a call back from the LBEO XX/XX/23 at XXXX XXXX The agent said the LBEO couldnt help me and I would have to go back to the claims department. The agent said Wells Fargos fraud investigation notes say that Wells Fargo investigated my claim properly. I was transferred to the claims department once again where XXXX told me a supervisor would call me back by the end of the day. 

After not receiving a call by XXXX XXXX, I called the claims department again. The agent said he would escalate my request to have a callback from a supervisor but there was no existing record that I was to receive a call by the end of the day. To date, XX/XX/23, I still have not received a call back. 

Please find below a list of the evidence of fraud in Wells Fargos documentation that Wells Fargo is ignoring in their investigation : 1. The first fraudulent access of my account appears to be XX/XX/23 at XXXX XXXX  from XXXX, TN. 
a. I have not been to Tennessee nor do I know anyone in Tennessee. 
b. I am asleep and not online banking at XXXX XXXX  in the morning. 
2. The account then logs on 3 more times XX/XX/23 from a new IP address with a different ISP at XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
a. Wells Fargos claim that the IP address matches is patently false as their own records show the IP address changing.

b. I have XXXX XXXX XXXX  as my service provider, not XXXX XXXX XXXX. This is, again, another anomalous change ignored by Wells Fargo. 
c. There is one log-on earlier in the year from XXXX, XXXX that is correct as I was in XXXX for about ( 3 ) weeks for work earlier this year.

3. Prior to XX/XX/23, Wells Fargos documentation shows a clear pattern of me logging on mostly every ( 2 ) weeks. I login to XXXX my housekeeper every other week and this is when I conduct the majority my online banking. After XX/XX/23, my account begins logging on multiple times almost every day and at odd hours. 
a. Once again, I am not online banking in the wee hours of the night/early morning as Im asleep. 
b. From XX/XX/23 to XX/XX/23 my online login records are approximately ( 1 ) page long. From XX/XX/23 to XX/XX/23, the online login records are approximately two and a quarter pages long.

4. Wells Fargos expanded details for online login activity XXXX show ( 2 ) bill pay edit actions followed by a contact info update each day.

a. My understanding is Im supposed to get a text alert whenever a new bill payee is added. This activity log suggests someone was intentionally circumventing that security measure by changing my contact information.

b. Wells Fargos documentation also included detailed activity records from XX/XX/23, XX/XX/23, and XX/XX/23. The banking activity behavior shown during those ( 3 ) logins and the XXXX logins is wildly different. 
XXXX. My last legitimate login before the theft began would have been XX/XX/23 to XXXX my housekeeper which is reflected in Wells Fargos documentation. I did not detect the theft until XX/XX/23 when I logged in, exactly two weeks later, to again XXXX my housekeeper. 
a. This suggests whoever is responsible for the theft was monitoring my online banking behavior and timed their theft accordingly. 

Included documents : 1. Wells Fargos documentation. Highlights and notes in pink are my additions. A clean version can be provided if needed.

2. Police report and letter from XXXX. 
XXXX. Checking account statement with fraudulent activity highlighted as all of the fraudulent activity minus the fees can be seen in the checking statement. The credit card and savings accounts statements can be provided if needed.

4. Wells Fargos initial complaint response letter that is wholly inadequate and unacceptable as it ignores the plethora of markers of fraud Wells Fargos documentation includes.

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