Wells Fargo denied my unauthorized-transaction claim

This notice

Wells Fargo opens a claim, a claim number appears, and a temporary credit may land. Then a letter says the claim is denied or no error was found, and the credit is reversed.

That paper is a fraud-claim denial, not an account-closure hold.

A signed debit, a bill-pay, or a similar transfer can be enough for the bank to say you authorized it. The CFPB page still treats an unauthorized electronic fund transfer as an error you report in writing.

Official path

1. Notify Wells Fargo about the unauthorized electronic transfer if you have not already done so in writing. The CFPB page How do I get my money back after I discover an unauthorized transaction or money missing from my bank account? says to notify the bank within 60 days after it sent that statement.
2. Use the Wells Fargo page Report fraud or suspicious activity to start or add to the claim, then send the same facts in writing. Keep the claim number.
3. Ask in writing for the documents the bank used to decide, which the same CFPB page says you can request after it reports its findings. Answer the exact denial reason, such as “you authorized this,” with two short facts.
4. Watch the account for a written notice before any temporary credit is removed. The CFPB page says the bank must give that written notice if it decides the transfer was authorized. The Wells Fargo page Understanding the Claims Process says a final resolution letter comes when research is complete.
5. Submit a complaint at Submit a complaint if the denial still does not match the facts. Attach the statement, the denial letter, and your written notice.

What people reported

Often helps

• A written follow-up with the claim number, the first statement date, and merchant names, after an app or phone claim was denied.
• Asking for the file the bank used, then answering “you authorized this” with one specific fact.

Often fails

• Stopping after the provisional credit appeared. A later denial reversed it. The same phone story, with no new writing, did not change the result.

Template

[DATE]

Wells Fargo
Claims / Unauthorized transaction
[ADDRESS ON THE DENIAL LETTER OR STATEMENT]

Re: Unauthorized electronic fund transfer, claim [CLAIM NUMBER], account ending [LAST FOUR]

I am writing about unauthorized electronic transfers totaling $[AMOUNT] that first appeared on the statement you sent on [STATEMENT DATE]. I reported claim [CLAIM NUMBER] on [REPORT DATE]. On [DENIAL DATE] you said the claim was denied and that a provisional credit would be reversed.

I did not authorize [MERCHANT OR TRANSFER DESCRIPTION]. Your denial said [QUOTE THEIR REASON]. That reason does not match these facts: [TWO SHORT FACTS].

Please correct the error, restore any reversed temporary credit and related fees, and send copies of the documents you used. Enclosed are copies of [STATEMENT / DENIAL LETTER / POLICE REPORT / MERCHANT EMAIL], not originals.

[FULL NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[PHONE]

Enclosures: [LIST]

Stop here if…

• You were served a lawsuit, summons, or garnishment papers about this account. Those deadlines are not the same as a bank-error letter.
• The account was never yours, or this is identity theft. Use IdentityTheft.gov and say so in writing to Wells Fargo.
• The paper is an account-closure notice holding a leftover balance, not a fraud-claim denial.

FAQ

Does a phone claim count as my notice?

Call right away, then follow up in writing if Wells Fargo asks for it. The CFPB page says the bank can require written confirmation after a phone report. If you do not send that writing within 10 business days, the bank does not have to give a temporary credit during the investigation.

They already gave me a provisional credit. Can they take it back?

Yes. The CFPB page says that if the bank decides the transfer was authorized, it must give you written notice before it removes the temporary credit. A deposit that appeared during the claim is not a final win.

They said I authorized the transaction. Is that the end?

No, but it is a hard denial reason. Answer that exact claim with new facts, such as a merchant you do not use or a device you did not control. Ask in writing for the documents they used to decide.

How long does the bank have after I notify them?

The CFPB page says the bank generally has 10 business days to investigate, or 20 if the account is new. If it cannot finish, it must generally issue a temporary credit and then resolve the issue in 45 days, or up to 90 days in listed cases such as a foreign transfer or a debit-card point-of-sale purchase.

What if they also closed the account?

An account-closure notice holding a leftover balance is a different paper from a fraud-claim denial. This page covers the denial letter only.