Bye Bye WELLS FARGO bank!!

[ZEROPILOT]

Please allow me to vent here. As I often do. And maybe I can save someone some disappointment in the process.

I've been a loyal customer of WELLS FARO Bank and it's affiliates previously for almost 40 years. I stayed with them through those buyouts and name changes. More recently I stayed by them when they got caught defrauding their customers, etc.
So what happened last Monday left me in complete disbelief!
Sunday evening. I had placed three bills with checks inside into a steel, blue USPS mail box. Some time during the evening, some SCUMBAG "fished" out one of the envelopes, changed the name and the amount on the check and attempted to cash it at a Wells Fargo bank in Lake Worth. About an hours drive to the north.
(Very fast)
The bank teller called me and told me that she suspected fraud and I confirmed it. But the lady and my check had left the bank with no money.
I made a police report and froze that account. (There was clear video of the thief since she had entered the bank and walked up to the teller.)
The detective from the Lake Worth sherrifs office went to the bank the next day. And Wells Fargo would not cooperate. They would not allow the helpful teller to speak to the police and then the manager demanded a subpoena.
All calls to Wells Fargo from me have been more or less ignored. No one has "gotten back to me".
Wells Fargos policy sides with the criminal. Not the customer. A victim of a crime. This bank that stole from customers is now choosing to not assist in the prosecution of someone attempting to steal from its loyal customers.
This has been extremely disappointing and I'm very mad.
I'll be doing my banking elsewhere.

And yes. I've also reported the issue to the postal inspector and will be making many security upgrades to how I pay future bills from my new accounts.

 

[Cathie G]

Wow I hope and pray you get it straightened up quickly. They shouldn't have allowed you to have to go through that kind of stress at all. Looks like they're still crooks.

 

[Yvonne G]

Whew! I thought it was going to be another story about a bank's closure. I mean, it's bad enough what you're going through, but thank goodness it isn't a bank closure.

And the inconvenience for you having to start all over at another bank. I'm so sorry. I was going to suggest paying bills electronically, but that's not without pitfalls either.

 

[Cathie G]

Whew! I thought it was going to be another story about a bank's closure. I mean, it's bad enough what you're going through, but thank goodness it isn't a bank closure.

And the inconvenience for you having to start all over at another bank. I'm so sorry. I was going to suggest paying bills electronically, but that's not without pitfalls either.

My thoughts are if they're being that nasty with a 40 year customer that could well be why.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Wow I hope and pray you get it straightened up quickly. They shouldn't have allowed you to have to go through that kind of stress at all. Looks like they're still crooks.

Some of it was my own fault. Some of it was the antiquated mailboxes with no security features. And initially Wells did the right thing by calling me.
But then NOT cooperating with the detective? And letting the video dissappear while we wait for the subpoena?
Even the main customer service department and fraud departments are totally unhelpful. Although overly apologetic. Which is even more rediculous.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Whew! I thought it was going to be another story about a bank's closure. I mean, it's bad enough what you're going through, but thank goodness it isn't a bank closure.

And the inconvenience for you having to start all over at another bank. I'm so sorry. I was going to suggest paying bills electronically, but that's not without pitfalls either.

I've been resisting doing most electronic deposits etc. And there are some people like my landscaper. That I can only pay by check.
40 years. Just one issue. It generally works.
My new checks are the High Security type and I'll be using permanent gel pens and checking the account once a week online.

 

[wellington]

Wow, that stinks! I barely do anything by mail any more. We have had lousy service since 1996 and I have lived in to different places and still the same lousy service
Our post office just a few blocks away for their drive up drop boxes hit about a month ago.
One good thing about doing everything online is you can watch it much closer.
But for the bank not to do their part for the customer is way out of line, specially for a bank that got caught defrauding their own customers. I guess you know what side of the law their standards are on.

 

[COmtnLady]

Sorry that this happened to you. The thieves had to have gotten more than just one check from that drop box, I wonder if the others are aware. But how could anyone find them? What a fluster cluck.


From GMA 10/26/221~
ABC News’ Whit Johnson shares new warnings about “check washing,” where criminals steal checks from the mail, remove the ink and then forge fake information to cash in the money.

One would think that, with all the trouble they've been in, Wells Fargo would hold onto the recording just in case. If the Post Office was what it used to be they'd be great to have "discuss things" with WF... but...

 

[jeff kushner]

That sucks Z but as you know, there is a new concept in business these days. Appeal to the least common denominator. I do all of my banking online with bill pay and I use account #'s only so I don't ever sign up for auto pay bills. I use a bank to hold my money and to conduct financial business on my behalf. I don't not buy products from my bank. When I do go inside, I'm polite but nothing more.....they are simply #'s, like we are to them! I write Mr Darren checks, but that's about it anymore as the USPS is a now useless entity.

There is no excuse for bad behavior though...........you can file a complaint with the FL States attorney's office and or the Consumer protection agency, but we both know what will happen, nothing so venting here is about as much remedy as you are likely to get!

Managing our own expectations......they are a bank, they expect to make money, nothing more.......so I don't pretend in my mind that they "care" or any of the other BS we hear.

 

[EricW]

I tried Well's Fargo back in like 2004 or 2005. It lasted 6 months. With all their goofy fees and what not, I never was a fan of that bank. Glad I never dealt with them again.

 

[Tom]

Please allow me to vent here. As I often do. And maybe I can save someone some disappointment in the process.

I've been a loyal customer of WELLS FARO Bank and it's affiliates previously for almost 40 years. I stayed with them through those buyouts and name changes. More recently I stayed by them when they got caught defrauding their customers, etc.
So what happened last Monday left me in complete disbelief!
Sunday evening. I had placed three bills with checks inside into a steel, blue USPS mail box. Some time during the evening, some SCUMBAG "fished" out one of the envelopes, changed the name and the amount on the check and attempted to cash it at a Wells Fargo bank in Lake Worth. About an hours drive to the north.
(Very fast)
The bank teller called me and told me that she suspected fraud and I confirmed it. But the lady and my check had left the bank with no money.
I made a police report and froze that account. (There was clear video of the thief since she had entered the bank and walked up to the teller.)
The detective from the Lake Worth sherrifs office went to the bank the next day. And Wells Fargo would not cooperate. They would not allow the helpful teller to speak to the police and then the manager demanded a subpoena.
All calls to Wells Fargo from me have been more or less ignored. No one has "gotten back to me".
Wells Fargos policy sides with the criminal. Not the customer. A victim of a crime. This bank that stole from customers is now choosing to not assist in the prosecution of someone attempting to steal from its loyal customers.
This has been extremely disappointing and I'm very mad.
I'll be doing my banking elsewhere.

And yes. I've also reported the issue to the postal inspector and will be making many security upgrades to how I pay future bills from my new accounts.

I too am frustrated with the trends in our society. Let me know what you switch to. I'll follow you over.

 

[Tom]

I tried Well's Fargo back in like 2004 or 2005. It lasted 6 months. With all their goofy fees and what not, I never was a fan of that bank. Glad I never dealt with them again.

What is a better alternative? I'm about to set up several business accounts and I have been looking. None of them seem even satisfactory. Can you recommend any?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I too am frustrated with the trends in our society. Let me know what you switch to. I'll follow you over.

I've chosen BANK OF AMERICA because of past satisfaction with a smaller account. And they DO COOPERATE and help prosecute check thieves.
Nothing special.
But I'm not looking for anything special. Just a certain level of trust.

 

[EricW]

What is a better alternative? I'm about to set up several business accounts and I have been looking. None of them seem even satisfactory. Can you recommend any?

Business side, not sure who is the best. It's been a long time since I have had a small business account.

My original personal bank was Compass Bank, that turned into BVA, and now PNC Bank. There are only a "few" rules to keep my Checking and Savings free. Like just keep savings above $500 and in checking, I forget them all, but as long as we have direct deposit for our paycheck, it counts for free checking. Otherwise no other fees unless I use an out of network ATM, but I rarely pull cash anymore and if I do, there are plenty of options for in network ATM. I haven't had any issues with PNC, I did have my account stolen and went into the negative $17k back when it was BBVA. They took good care of me. Not sure how PNC would be.

What I would look into is online banks. That will be my next move for personal accounts if PNC gets funny about things.

NerdWallet does a good comparison of banks and you can see what they look like and see what works best for you. Here is a good link in which you can find what works best for you: https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/small-business/banks-for-small-business

 

[Maggie3fan]

I've chosen BANK OF AMERICA because of past satisfaction with a smaller account. And they DO COOPERATE and help prosecute check thieves.
Nothing special.
But I'm not looking for anything special. Just a certain level of trust.

I opened a BofA account in 1980...I closed it 4 months ago and opened an account in a local bank...Umpqua bank of Oregon. In that 4 months I have gotten 3 debit cards that don't work, the auto teller simply does not work for me...and the bill pay is so screwed up there's no fixing it. I went back to BofA...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I opened a BofA account in 1980...I closed it 4 months ago and opened an account in a local bank...Umpqua bank of Oregon. In that 4 months I have gotten 3 debit cards that don't work, the auto teller simply does not work for me...and the bill pay is so screwed up there's no fixing it. I went back to BofA...

See?
That's all I want or expect. Just a certain level of support and competency.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Please allow me to vent here. As I often do. And maybe I can save someone some disappointment in the process.

I've been a loyal customer of WELLS FARO Bank and it's affiliates previously for almost 40 years. I stayed with them through those buyouts and name changes. More recently I stayed by them when they got caught defrauding their customers, etc.
So what happened last Monday left me in complete disbelief!
Sunday evening. I had placed three bills with checks inside into a steel, blue USPS mail box. Some time during the evening, some SCUMBAG "fished" out one of the envelopes, changed the name and the amount on the check and attempted to cash it at a Wells Fargo bank in Lake Worth. About an hours drive to the north.
(Very fast)
The bank teller called me and told me that she suspected fraud and I confirmed it. But the lady and my check had left the bank with no money.
I made a police report and froze that account. (There was clear video of the thief since she had entered the bank and walked up to the teller.)
The detective from the Lake Worth sherrifs office went to the bank the next day. And Wells Fargo would not cooperate. They would not allow the helpful teller to speak to the police and then the manager demanded a subpoena.
All calls to Wells Fargo from me have been more or less ignored. No one has "gotten back to me".
Wells Fargos policy sides with the criminal. Not the customer. A victim of a crime. This bank that stole from customers is now choosing to not assist in the prosecution of someone attempting to steal from its loyal customers.
This has been extremely disappointing and I'm very mad.
I'll be doing my banking elsewhere.

And yes. I've also reported the issue to the postal inspector and will be making many security upgrades to how I pay future bills from my new accounts.

Yep. Easy money. We stopped making check payments many many years ago. Mail theft is easy, from USPS boxes or a person’s box in front of the house. We see “them” driving through our cul-de-sac early after folks go to work. Folks put bills/checks in their box AND flip up the red flag. The thieves drive about stealing & then changing & cashing.

We pay everything online.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yep. Easy money. We stopped making check payments many many years ago. Mail theft is easy, from USPS boxes or a person’s box in front of the house. We see “them” driving through our cul-de-sac early after folks go to work. Folks put bills/checks in their box AND flip up the red flag. The thieves drive about stealing & then changing & cashing.

We pay everything online.

According to what I've learned in speaking to the post office inspectors, there are theft "proof" mail drop boxes available. But the post office hasn't been given the funding to replace the old. Antiquated ones. Instead, they're just steadily removing the blue boxes and suggesting that ALL mail be mailed from the post office. Dropped into the wall slot inside the lobby.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Sorry that this happened to you. The thieves had to have gotten more than just one check from that drop box, I wonder if the others are aware. But how could anyone find them? What a fluster cluck.


From GMA 10/26/221~
ABC News’ Whit Johnson shares new warnings about “check washing,” where criminals steal checks from the mail, remove the ink and then forge fake information to cash in the money.

One would think that, with all the trouble they've been in, Wells Fargo would hold onto the recording just in case. If the Post Office was what it used to be they'd be great to have "discuss things" with WF... but...

Facebook shows how to "wash" a check from start to finish.
It even mentions the common chemical used to do it.
Nice.

 

[Cathie G]

Some of it was my own fault. Some of it was the antiquated mailboxes with no security features. And initially Wells did the right thing by calling me.
But then NOT cooperating with the detective? And letting the video dissappear while we wait for the subpoena?
Even the main customer service department and fraud departments are totally unhelpful. Although overly apologetic. Which is even more rediculous.

Really, it is ridiculous. But I don't know anyone with state of the art mailboxes. I've never even seen one in our neighborhood. Or our city for that matter. Someone cashing a check fraudulently with a video available and allowing it to disappear is crazy to me. I've seen actions similar by banks. They weren't in business soon after. When I was younger my Aunt would pay me by check for babysitting. The bank wouldn't honor them even though she went in and told them to. Other issues also from other banks. When they start acting stingy with your money it's a sure fire sign banks in trouble. I recently went through something with my bank concerning an automatic payment that should have been cancelled because I did in time. It was from a medical company. Somehow the bank immediately replaced it. Months later I finally got a check from the company which I didn't cash but you get the drift. My bank took my word for it.