Wells Fargo latest target in scams

Masquerade is becoming a popular game online.

In recent weeks, scam artists pretending to represent reputable companies such as Bank of America and eBay have been e-mailing Internet users in an attempt to steal their account information. Although not a new scam, the e-mails are part of a growing trend of identity theft online.

In one of the latest examples, Wells Fargo warned its online customers late last month of an e-mail purporting to come from the company. The alert came after the company received notices from dozens of customers saying they'd received the bogus e-mail.

"It has come to our attention that some of our customers have received fraudulent e-mails claiming to come from Wells Fargo," the company said in a note to customers on its Web site. "Please don't give out confidential information online or over the phone unless you know the party you're dealing with."

Last month, Bank of America and eBay issued similar warnings to their customers. And earlier this month, several PayPal customers reported receiving a fraudulent e-mail that at first appeared to come from the online payment company.

Such scams are a growing concern. Identity fraud was the top fraud complaint reported by consumers last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission, comprising 42 percent of the more than 200,000 consumer fraud complaints the FTC received.

In the most recent version of the scam, customers receive what they think is a message from their bank or Internet service provider, but the links within the e-mail take customers to unaffiliated sites.

Wells Fargo received 40 to 50 e-mails from customers alerting the company to the scam, said George Cheng, senior vice president of Internet Services Development at Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo put a warning notice up on its Web site and notified local police and the FBI, he said.

Wells Fargo is working with authorities to shut down the bogus Web sites, Cheng said.

"Everything that we have found is shut down," he said. "To our knowledge, there (are) none up there now."

Cheng didn't know if any customers submitted data to the sites before they were closed.

[Truth At Wells]

Please tell about any Wells Fargo problems you have experienced?

I have had many problems with Wells Fargo. After carefully documenting the incident and submitting to many departments and many times, almost always copying the Chief Executitve Officer, Mr. Kovacevich, I received a letter that I "allege" is full of falsities and interpreted in a manner that is clearly wrong. As a customer for a long time and a shareholder, I deserve better. Please share your stories. Send them to: [e-mail].

[banosd]

I got this phony email today

Dear Valued Customer,
Days ago, our online banking security team observed multiple logons
on your account, because the number of attempts to sign in exceeded
the number allowed, you are required to Re-Confirm your online access.
Please note that entering of invalid answers to your details will lead to
Online Account Lock Down. For your security, we have issued this warning.
We have placed extra verification process (ATM REQUIRED), to ensure your
identity and your account security. Please Sign in to begin the verification process.

[ymichaeld]

Wells Fargo won't accept mailed letters of instruction

My branch is in San Lorenzo, California. I am currently living in Chile and sent (via DHL) a letter requesting a sizeable transfer of funds from my account at the branch to my (non-Wells Fargo) bank in Santiago Chile. I also instructed them to cease payments to another concern. Finally I asked that if there were any problems that I be contacted at my e-mail address OR through Wells Fargo's own messaging system.

The letter was signed for at the bank on Friday February 2 at 10:15 a.m. PST. Nothing happened.

After several days during which I sent messages to the bank through their on-line system (I am not normally patient) I spent more than 40 minutes on the phone to various W/F help centers. The Branch manager was eventually contacted and he stated
1) that he had not been in the office for two days (this was on the morning of the 8th of February) and no-one could act in his absence.
2)To transfer money by wire I had to be physically present in the branch in the USA (which would be fine had I had a bank account in Chile when I left the US);
3) that "anyone could write a letter", That that was why he had not responded for my request to be e-mailed if there was any problem;
4) that he "had no access to the Wells Fargo messaging system". He claimed the only contact number he had on file was an old USA # (despite two changes of address and phone logged on-line with Wells Fargo).

He suggested that on-line bill pay could be used, thereby displaying an abysmal lack of knowledge of his bank's own products. It is not possible to use this a) if your address is outside the US; b) if the recipient is outside the US.

By-the-way you cannot even transfer money on-line to another Wells Fargo customer's account in the USA if it more than $1000.00.

Just what is one supposed to do in the event of a serious problem urgently requiring funds when one is overseas. The problem is still unresolved in as much as I have sent a check to my company, who wired the money last Friday (not possible to wire money after 2pm PST!!) It still hasn't arrived in my account here.

[cwinterink]

The wonders of Wells Fargo

A few months ago I made a lean on my car. The month of January I did not receive my statement to pay by bill. I called where I made the loan and he gave me the address to send my payment out. The check cleared 1/22/08. On 1/29/08 I received a call from them that I had not made by payment. I totally freaked and told them my check cleared on 1/22/08. That night I downloaded proof of payment and for my lunch and I went and faxed the canceled check to them. I assumed all was alright, but I was wrong. A few days later they called and told me it was posted to my credit card and gave me a number which I called and told them I did not have my account number but what my name is and release the money back to go towards my card. Again I assumed the issue was resolved, wrong again. Again, a few days later I received another call and that I needed to pay my card (all of these calls are at my job) and by this time I am furious and told me I faxed proof of payment, called the number they gave me and it is now there turn to fix the _____ problem that had caused and hung up. A few days later I received another call (the guy seemed nice) and told him this whole situation is out of hand - I did nothing wrong except pay my bill and they screwed up - they fix it. Again, I was under the assuption they located my check and were it went but again I was wrong. I have received about 50 phone calls from Wells Fargo regarding paying my bill - most are at work and yesterday I finally blew up.

I told them I was contacting my lawyer and this harassment has ended. I wish I had the money to contact my lawyer but I don't and I know that I am not the first to experience how intelligent the whole group is.

Any help or advise would be very appreciated because I really don't want to lose my car especially since I paid already.


Thanks


Cathy

[kylesmom01]

wells fargo mortgage

I am at the end of my rope with wells fargo . In august 2007 i fell behind on my payments so i contacted my mortgage company to see what my options were.they put me on a repayment program and helped me obtain a partial claim loan through Hud. So that went through in dec.2007.So jan 08 i was to start making reg payments which i did but thats were the problems got worse none of my payments were be applied to my loan and i have called and talked to multiple dept and supervisors only to be told lie after lie.each dept blames the other and then they say my acct just needs to be updated and in 48hrs my acct would be fine well 4 months later still nothing i honestly am at the end of my rope.i called hud and filed a report with them but who knows were thats gonna go. if anyone can help please let me know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BarbaraAnnJackson]

Congress needs to investigate and property owners need to be WARNED about mortgage lenders? practice of filing falsified IRS tax form 1099-A's or 1099-C's . To illustrate, here is a portion of my statement concerning Wells Fargo's false 1099-A, as well as a link to entire actual statement posted at:
http://www.lawgrace.org/2008/08/08/my-august-8-2008-statement-to-the-louisiana-secretary-of-state-office-of-financial-institutions-concerning-wells-fargo-irs-and-mortgage-frauds-sham-foreclosures-and-judicial-collusion-and-national-app/
======================================
This Financial Office mistakenly thought a complaint was filed concerning my property; and on July 30, 2008, Ms. Kathy Drzewiecki responded on Wells Fargo's behalf. . . .As your records show, GE Capital Mortgage Services, Inc., became defunct in year 2002 when it merged into GE Mortgage Services, LLC, its "successor." Therefore, it is impossible for foreclosure auction to have LAWFULLY been carried out in year 2005 on behalf of the non-existent GE Capital Mortgage Services, Inc. Also, contrary to what Ms. Drzwiecki wrote, it is NOT POSSIBLE in year 2005 for Wells Fargo to continue being the "mortgage servicer" for non-existent GE Capital Mortgage Services. Furthermore, if my property was (impossibly) ACQUIRED by GE Capital on May 19, 2005, there is NO LAWFUL REASON for the IRS form 1099-A to exhibit Wells Fargo's name!

Another thing Ms. Drzewiecki's letter failed to state is that I initially acquired my residence property in 1993 through AmSouth Bank. For home improvement in 1999, I refinanced it with GE Capital. I had equity in the property, and I never had a subprime loan. (Marriage failure caused me financial ruin; and crooked deals in Family Court sealed my fate.)

On the other hand, facts overwhelmingly demonstrate that, using defunct GE Capital's identity, debt collector attorney Herschel C. Ad***** Jr., fraudulently seized and acquired more than $80,000 when he flipped my property. Also, contrary to the form 1099-A, the Fair Market Value was not $12,000 -as manifest from the year 2005 sale price for which that property was sold in that same tax year purportedly to a third party.


A lot of foreclosed former property owners will one day discover there is a 1099-A or a 1099-C for which the IRS wants answers. If that 1099 is replete with false information, there could be severe tax effects and a lot of needless untangling to be burdened with.

Across the country, foreclosures have been halted because "real party interest" was absent from those foreclosure proceedings. Yet (in Louisiana), it would not be farfetched for foreclosures to become filed in the name of 'Mary had a little lamb', and judges allow peoples' homes to become seized.

from Barbara Ann Jackson <http://www.lawgrace.org>

[legsann]

I am contesting the late payment charges that have been being charged to my account.
When the financial institute that bought my loan sent me news of the change, I told them that I didn't know who to send the payment for that month to!
I was told to wait until my next statement came. I had paid One month in advance sice I have been making payments, and always paid the bill one month ahead, plus $100.00 extra to go to the principle.
Now I find out that my payments have been being charged a late payment charge, and I am a month behind on my payments.
It was not my mistake, as your representative gave me the wrong information, and I expect to be reimbursed for the months that I have been paying for the last 4months at least.
I would also like this to come off my credit report. As far as I have been aware of, I have paid every month ahead of the due date. my faith in your company has deminished after reading all the E-mails of the way other people have been ripped-off by wells fargo!!!!
I want all extra charges taken off, and re-imbursment on the late charges, as discussed december18th, 2008. This was not my mistake, and I want a satisfactory resolution , imedietly!!!!!!!!!!
I will appreciate your immediate attention! Kenneth W. Regot, Jr.

[legsann]

please send me information on all the scams that are being investigated in all the news, etc. as having problems with not crediting payments, and the news has wells Fargo mrtgage charging illegal charges etc.! I really am worried about my home mortgage being unethical and preditory. please help me with tis situation as soon as possible. Ken Regot, Jr.