Consumer complaint received 2026-05-04 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Opening an account — Account opened without my consent or knowledge
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint regarding Wells Fargos handling of my identity theft claim and their failure to comply with federal law requiring timely blocking of identity theft-related information. I notified Wells Fargo that I am a victim of identity theft concerning an account that was opened without my authorization. Despite this, Wells Fargo denied my claim on the basis that the account was opened using my personal information. This reasoning is fundamentally flawed. Identity theft, by definition, involves the unauthorized use of a consumers personal information. The mere use of accurate identifiers does not establish that I authorized this account. Additionally, Wells Fargo did not initially request or consider supporting documentation. At no point during the initial review was I asked to submit evidence such as an FTC Identity Theft Affidavit or any documentation supporting my claim. Only after I insisted that the matter be re-evaluated and offered to provide documentation did they show any willingness to consider additional information. This indicates that the original determination was made through automated or superficial verification methods rather than a meaningful investigation. The activity associated with my identity further supports my claim. Multiple accounts and credit applications were initiated within a very short timeframe, including the same day, across different institutions. This type of clustered activity is widely recognized as a strong indicator of identity theft and should have prompted a more thorough review. I have not benefited in any way from this account. I did not apply for, authorize, or use it, and I have no contractual relationship with Wells Fargo regarding it. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, identity theft information must be handled differently from standard disputes. Specifically, under * * 15 U.S.C. 1681c-2 ( a ) * *, information resulting from identity theft must be * * blocked within four ( 4 ) business days * * upon receipt of proper notice. This is not subject to a standard reinvestigation timeline. Wells Fargos failure to properly address this claim and their reliance on superficial verification does not meet the legal standard required under federal law. Relevant case law reinforces these obligations : * * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX * requires a reasonable and meaningful investigation * * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. * prohibits reliance on automated verification without reviewing documentation * * XXXX XXXX XXXX & XXXX * establishes duty to properly investigate and correct inaccuracies * * XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX * requires removal of unverifiable information * * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX superficial investigations * * XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX inaccurate information is a violation of the FCRA I have made a good faith effort to resolve this matter directly and have successfully had similar identity theft-related information removed by other institutions and consumer reporting agencies. This matter is serious and is not being taken lightly. The continued reporting and handling of this account is inconsistent with federal identity theft protections.

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 non-monetary relief