Consumer complaint received 2024-11-18 00:00:00
Product: Checking or savings account — Savings account
Issue: Managing an account — Problem using a debit or ATM card
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
Compliant Subject : WellsFargo Bank Reasons for Complaint : 1. Fraudulent and predatory actions by bank employee ( s ) resulting in theft of {$9000.00} from savings account 2. Lack of internal security measures or alerts to prevent and safeguard against fraudulent activity.

3. Bank Executive Boards lack of action to investigate theft. Even sending an email to the CEO did not elicit a response. Unwillingness to speak to customer or contact local police department to obtain the police report, which was written at the bank branch within minutes of the theft. Police officer discussed the next steps with the bank manager at that time. There was no collaboration with the police department to investigate this theft.

4. Weeks of misleading the customer to believe that they were actively investigating the facts of the case, only to learn that they opened the case 25 days ( XX/XX/XXXX ) after the theft occurred. Then they send an email on XX/XX/XXXX stating that the case was closed since they found no fraud. No details of the investigation were disclosed. The XXXX XXXX Police Department was never contacted. 

5. Complete failure of fiduciary responsibility to protect customers financial information. Demonstrated by : In response to one of my emails, the WellsFargo Assistance Center sent me an email with someone elses name, case number and the last 4 digits of his Account Number. This is an egregious example of total disregard for security of information. 

Fraud Activity : On XX/XX/XXXX, my daughter who has been on my account for almost 30 years, received a call from WellFargo at this number, XXXX which is the XXXX XXXX branch in XXXX. ( This is a legitimate number for this WellsFargo branch ) The phone number came up as WellsFargo. The caller announced that they were calling from WellsFargo 's fraud department and that they noticed fraudulent activity on my account. To confirm, the caller verified all account numbers, date of births and last 4 digits of social security numbers. He even knew how much money was in the account. Only a bank employee would have that level of specific information. 

The fraud dept representative instructed her to withdraw {$9000.00} in cash from my savings account ; the bank teller at our usual branch did not inquire about the large cash withdrawal she was making. The money was then deposited into the bank 's ATM machine at the branch where our accounts are held. The bank representative instructed her to deposit the money into an account number that he provided. When she then looked at the account the money was not there. Immediately, she informed the bank manager about this occurrence with the expectation that it could be immediately rectified. However, bank employees did not make any effort to trace the account numbers. This all happened in real time at our branch location in XXXX, GA, which we have been customers of for almost 9 years. Fortunately, there was a police officer, XXXX. XXXX, at a nearby parking lot and she asked him to come into the bank and make a report. He took all of the information and explained to the bank manager what the bank needed to do in order for the police dept to investigate this theft. 

Timeline : XX/XX/XXXX Bank manager XXXX gave the name and number for a contact at the executive office, XXXX XXXX XXXX. When I called, I was informed that she is not handling the case and instead XXXX is at XXXX. I left a message, but never received a return call. 

XX/XX/XXXX Called again and was informed that a person named XXXX ( XXXX possibly ) left message but did not receive a return call. 

XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX Called again and left message did not receive a return call. 

XX/XX/XXXX Spoke with XXXX  at XXXX. He advised that there is a new case number, and he will be working on the case. Advised that he would call back. 

XX/XX/XXXX Received a generated email response from the Executive Office stating that they are looking into my concern. See Document 1 XXXX I sent an email to the Executive Office responding to their general email response. 
See Document 2 XXXX Received a call from XXXX from phone # XXXX, she provided a new case number. We spoke and she advised that she will be checking into the case and will call me back. 

XXXX Received an Acknowledgement Email from WellsFargo which had another customers name ( a mans name ), his case number and the last 4 digits of his bank account. See Document 3 ( I blacked out the persons account number to avoid further breach of information ). 

XXXX XXXX called, from # XXXX. I did not answer my phone because it came up as Spam. She did leave a message, and I called her back ; however, she did not answer and I left a message. I never heard back from her. 

XX/XX/XXXX Not receiving any further calls or information, I again called the number above and asked for XXXX. Then I was the informed that XXXX was no longer handling my case. Instead a person named XXXX, located out of the US was in charge of my case. I then briefly spoke to him, and he informed me that XXXX was not capable of handling the case and that he now has it, and he just received it today, XX/XX/XXXX. He was very curt and dismissive. I asked to speak to a manager in the US and he connected me to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX who informed me that I had to work with XXXX because he was assigned to the case. ( During this conversation, I informed XXXX that I had received and automated response to one of my emails which was addressed to another customer and it contained the last 4 digits of his bank account plus his case number ; however, he gave no response ). No one could give me an explanation of why for almost two weeks I was led to understand that XXXX was actively investigating my case ; we had several discussions and now she was no longer was involved? I was then transferred back to XXXX who was clearly just going through the motions. When I informed him that I would be sending an email to the CEO, he responded, Go ahead. 

XX/XX/XXXX Following the phone call, I received another automated email from the Claims Assistance Center. See Document 4. 

XX/XX/XXXX Spoke with a secretary at the Executive Board and requested an email address that the CEO would actually receive. She provided me with one and I sent an email to his attention. See Document 5.

Received an automated response to my email. See Document 6. 

XX/XX/XXXX Received an email from XXXX stating that the case is closed as they determined that the transaction was authorized. See Document 7 In two days, XXXX was able to make this unsubstantiated determination. WellsFargo never collaborated with the police department, and never spoke with us. This was a calculated scheme on the part of an employee ( s ) of WellsFargo to involve the customer in order for it to appear authorized. Rather than investigating the origin of this fraud, to root out thieving employees and protect their customers, it is easier to just blame this on their customer. 

WellsFargo should be held in government oversight to investigate employees initial and ongoing vetting practices and security clearances. They should be held accountable for mismanagement of customers funds, the lack of security measures, ( exposing customer banking information is a clear failure in security measures ) substandard operational business practices as well as poor customer service. WellsFargos deficiency in all of these banking standards and their blatant disregard to uphold the primary function of all banks, which is to secure customers funds, are all the reasons that resulted in my {$9000.00} being stolen.

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