Wells Fargo customer struggles for months to recover stolen funds - NBC10 Philadelphia

Wells Fargo customer struggles for months to recover stolen funds - NBC10 Philadelphia

A Wells Fargo customer has been waiting seven months for her stolen money to be refunded

Lindsay Aleman, a Wells Fargo customer, says she had thousands of dollars stolen and the bank left her in the lurch for seven months. Aleman says she sent a $490 check to the Delaware tax office in July to pay some taxes, but things didn't go as expected. Days later, Aleman discovered that $7,000 had been stolen from her bank account and her banking app indicated that the check was completely forged.

Aleman explains: "So I owe Delaware, the state of Delaware, some money because I lived there... So I go to the post office to mail it... I drop it off there. And then I check my bank account and I'm missing $7,000... And I click on the check in my mobile banking app and it's completely fake, something completely different... The amount was completely changed and I actually had some personal information on the card, or on the check, my social security number and my Date of birth and a contact number And all of that was gone and there was a fake account number written on it and a tax credit for what it was for.”

After a lengthy process with a notary, a complaint was filed with the bank. Weeks later, Wells Fargo sent a letter saying they never received the documents and the complaint was being closed. Aleman filed another complaint and received a response in August and again in October that the complaint was “being processed.” In December, Aleman was told the full refund should be in her account by the weekend, but that never happened.

This month Aleman decided to go to the media. After NBC10 checked with Wells Fargo, Aleman was immediately given her funds back, along with a $200 customer gift card. Aleman responded by saying, "I actually had tears of joy... I was so excited."

When asked why it took so long, Wells Fargo released a general statement saying, "Protecting our customers' assets is our top priority. We have implemented robust security protocols and measures, including advanced detection systems to identify potential check fraud cases. We continue to invest in technology and training to stay ahead of industry-wide threats, such as check fraud."

Possible impact and context

The Wells Fargo incident in which $7,000 was stolen from customer Lindsay Aleman raises questions about the security of bank accounts and mobile banking. It shows that even large banks like Wells Fargo have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by fraudsters.

It is worrying that Aleman had to wait seven months to get her funds back and that it only happened after media intervention. This also raises questions about Wells Fargo's responsiveness and customer service. The fact that Wells Fargo also gave Aleman a $200 customer credit suggests that the bank is taking responsibility in this case and trying to restore customer satisfaction.

This incident should serve as a warning to customers to regularly review their bank accounts and transactions and immediately report any suspicious activity. It is also important to note that this type of fraud is not limited to cryptocurrencies but can also occur in the traditional banking world.