Consumer complaint received 2025-08-07 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: CA

Complaint narrative:
I got a call from a man pretending to be from Wells Fargo and got scammed out of {$19000.00}. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I got a text message from XXXX at XXXX PM and XXXX PM claiming that someone was using my debit card at XXXX in Kansas XXXX, Missouri, for {$700.00}. I responded by typing NO because i did not authorize the payment nor was i traveling out of state at the time. The number responded with " Thank you for your confirmation, order will be disputed also with a call from our local team representative to expedite you out a new card from our department. '' On XX/XX/XXXX I got a call from the same number claiming that a perpetrator was using my card and was trying to steal {$9000.00} from it. He instructed me to create an apple cash card in my apple wallet. He also asked me to enter his debit card information in my apple wallet claiming that it was a new debit card that he had just generated since my previous one was compromised. He further instructed me to transfer a total of {$19000.00} to my apple cash card and then for me to transfer the money to his card, the new debit card he claimed that he had created for me. I also got a text from XXXX. He asked me to save this money as reversal agent in my contact and proceeded to apply pay request {$9500.00}. Another {$9500.00} was transferred directly to his debit card from my XXXX XXXX XXXX. I was asked to reset my phone. His card info was erased as a result. 

The scammer knew my legal name, my home address, the last XXXX digits of my debit card and my bank balance. On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX, the scammer changed my daily spending limit to {$19000.00}, which was the exact balance i had in my checking account at the time of the crime ( Please see email attachment_daily limit changed ) The scammer also changed my password and, strangely, I did not receive a notification from Wells Fargo that my password has been changed. I got locked out of my bank account because I attempted to log into my account a few times unsuccessfully ( please see email attachment_suspend online access ) I did not realize I got scammed until after i had gotten off the phone with the scammer. By then i was locked out of my bank account. I showed up at the nearest Wells Fargo branch in XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX ) within XXXX minutes and reported the crime. The banker, XXXX XXXX, filed a fraudulent claim on my behalf and subsequently opened a new account for me. Unfortunately I was told that the bank could not reserve the pending transactions. 

I was extremely hurt and disappointed by the bank 's lack of action as I think a powerful financial institution like Wells Fargo has a responsibility to protect their consumers given how smart and sophisticated the scammers have become. 

Unfortunately, on XX/XX/XXXX, my claim was decided against my favor and the funds were not returned to my account. I am extremely disappointed by the banks decision because they failed to protect me as a consumer and to safeguard my funds. Additionally they failed to inform and educate me about common scams. I wish I had gotten constant alerts on both my phones and through my emails about these common tactics. Id rather be bombarded by texts than be a victim of a federal crime. How on earth could someone so easily change my daily spending limit and my password and drain my bank account while Wells Fargo did nothing? I drove to the bank whilst the fraudulent transactions were still pending but I was told that they could not reserve my funds. Wells Fargo needs to put in more security and safety measure to protect their consumers instead of putting the onus on the consumers to discern. They profit on my money and make it easy to transfer large sums of money but refuse to protect me when I am harmed and exploited. This has caused me to lose trust in financial institutions like Wells Fargo. 

I was deceived, manipulated and coerced into transferring my funds to someone impersonating a Wells Fargo employee. I did not authorize it as Wells Fargo has claimed. If someone puts a XXXX to my head of course I will hand them over my purse but that is hardly informed consent. Likewise, I was acting under duress when I transferred my funds to what I thought was my new debit card. In my case the weapon was psychological : fear. I was protecting my funds from being stolen and was reacting out of fear of losing my funds. 

I would like to ask that you please do a thorough investigation into Wells Fargo and urge them to return my funds totaling {$19000.00}.

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