Consumer complaint received 2026-05-19 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: MI

Complaint narrative:
I am XXXX XXXX XXXX and live by myself in XXXX XXXX, Michigan. I am writing to document a case of elder abuse, identity theft and fraud committed against me. I am filing a complaint against Wells Fargo Bank for failure to perform basic required new account Know Your Customer ( KYC ) and Customer Identification Program ( CIP ) procedures and protocols. I believe this account was opened without my knowledge nor consent using my name and social security number and was used to defraud me of {$25000.00}. On XXXX, XX/XX/year>, I received some sort of pop-up alert on my cell phone indicating that I had an urgent financial problem at my financial institution and that I needed to call a number to resolve the problem. Unfortunately, I called the number and spoke with someone who told me that someone else was trying to get money out of my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) checking account and that I needed to wire money into a different account at Wells Fargo Bank immediately to cover the problem. I was told that that this problem was urgent and that I needed to resolve this problem within a few hours. I ended up being on the phone with this person for almost XXXX hours! Throughout this entire episode, I was repeatedly told to stay on the phone and not to hang up. I was threatened that if I did hang up the phone that the problem would escalate at my credit union. I was told that an account had been opened in my name at Wells Fargo Bank in XXXX XXXX, California. I have never had a bank account with Wells Fargo Bank. The person on the phone told me they had my Social Security number ( which I did not give them over the phone, but unfortunately did not confirm it with the person on the phone ) and I was instructed to wire {$25000.00} and was given a routing number and an account number that I was told was in my name that could receive the money at Wells Fargo Bank. I was told that I would be refunded the full {$25000.00} the next day after the problem had been resolved. I was also instructed not to tell anyone at XXXX about why I was performing this transaction and that if asked, I was to make up a story. I went to my XXXX branch in XXXX XXXX, Michigan and told the teller that I needed to do a {$25000.00} wire transaction to the account at Wells Fargo Bank that I was given over the phone. The teller took my banking instructions and proceeded to perform the wire transfer without any questions as to the nature of this wire transfer. She also failed to verify that I was the owner of the Wells Fargo Bank account. I was under tremendous fear and pressure to comply with this request. In fact, the person on the phone instructed me to leave my cell phone in my car while keeping the line open and to tell him when the transaction was completed, which I unfortunately did. The next day I contacted XXXX to report identity theft and fraud. I also contacted my local law enforcement, the XXXX XXXX XXXX, and filed a police report with them. I also contacted the receiving bank, Wells Fargo Bank, to inquire as to how an account could have been opened in my name and my Social Security number without my consent. Wells Fargo Bank simply told me to file a police report, which I already had done. I am seeking to have my {$25000.00} restored from Wells Fargo Bank for failure to perform basic required new account Know Your Customer ( KYC ) and Customer Identification Program ( CIP ) procedures and protocols. I believe this account was opened without my knowledge nor consent using my name and social security number and was used to defraud me of {$25000.00}.

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